It's a Great Day to be a Red Devil!

This past week, School Performance Profile scores were released for public view through the department of education's website at:  http://paschoolperformance.org/.  Central Cambria Middle School's SPP score increased by 1.9 points to a 79.2 / 100.  Normally I would not be jumping for joy at scoring a 79.  However, with the implementation of a new, much more difficult PSSA test, most middle schools saw their SPP scores drop between 2013-14 (the last year the SPP was issued for middle schools) and 2015-16.  We had the highest increase in Cambria County, and were one of only two middle schools in Cambria County to see their SPP score rise.  Within the county, only Westmont-Hilltop had a higher SPP score at the middle school level.  Since I am a little competitive, I spent this morning looking at the scores from a 10-county area surrounding Cambria County.  I wanted to see how Central Cambria Middle School compared to comparable schools outside of Cambria County.  Some of the findings reinforce the fact that our teachers, our students, and our school stack up well against anybody, anywhere.  We have a lot to be proud of, and my hat is off to them for the work they have put in to make the following numbers possible.  Here are some of the statistics that I found to be the most impressive:

• Of 95 middle schools in the counties of Cambria, Somerset, Bedford, Centre, Clearfield, Westmoreland, Mifflin, Fulton, Butler, and Allegheny counties, Central Cambria Middle School was one of only 16 whose SPP score improved from 2013-14 (last year of middle school SPP scores) to 2015-16.

• The average change in SPP score among the 95 middle schools was -7.9, with 79 of the 95 middle schools seeing a drop in their SPP score from 2013-14 to 2015-16.  The department of education did not issue SPP scores in 2014-15 due to the dramatic drop in scores as a result of the first year of the new PSSA test.

• Central Cambria Middle School had the 12th highest gain in SPP score of the 95 middle schools in the 10-county study area.

• Among the 51 middle schools with a lower ratio of economically disadvantaged students, Central Cambria Middle School outperformed 33 of them.  This includes middle schools from highly-regarded, wealthy districts such as North Allegheny, Upper St. Clair, Hampton Township, Mt. Lebanon, Seneca Valley, Quaker Valley, State College Area, Penn-Trafford, Hollidaysburg, and others.  There is something about outperforming some of the "blue-bloods" that should make us all smile.

• Among the 42 middle schools with a higher ratio of economically disadvantaged students in the 10-county study area, only 4 outperformed Central Cambria Middle School.  Our hats our off to Windber, Berlin-Brothersvalley, Southmoreland, and Indiana Area.  The highest of these schools scored 83.9 as compared to our score of 79.2.

• Of the 95 middle schools in the 10-county area, CCMS placed 23rd of 95. Our ratio of economically disadvantaged students would have placed us 52nd of 95. We outperformed our demographics by 29 places.

• Of the middle schools in Cambria County, only Westmont-Hilltop had a higher SPP score than Central Cambria.  Westmont-Hilltop’s increase of 1.8 SPP points was second only to Central Cambria Middle School’s 1.9 point increase from 2013-14.

• Central Cambria Middle School's growth rating in math was a 97.25/100, while the growth rating in English Language Arts was a 98/100.  Growth among economically disadvantaged students was 100/100, as was the category entitled "closing the achievement gap" which tracks performance of our economically disadvantaged students against our student population as a whole.  What these statistics mean is that our teachers are doing a tremendous job of ensuring that all students are making at least a year's worth of growth, including those who come to school with some of the biggest challenges.

The following comparisons are based on the total percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced on the math, English language arts, and science PSSA tests.  Rankings compare Central Cambria to the 11 other school districts in Cambria County.

• Central Cambria Middle School’s performance in 6th grade math has risen from 4th in the county in 2012 to 3rd in 2016.  Performance in 6th grade English Language Arts has risen from 7th in the county in 2012 to 4th in 2016.

• Central Cambria Middle School’s performance in 7th grade math has risen from 3rd in the county in 2012 to 1st in the county in 2016.  Performance in 7th grade English language arts has risen from 7th to 2nd over the same time period.

• Central Cambria Middle School’s performance in 8th grade math has risen from 7th in 2012 to 1st in 2016.  Performance in 8th grade English language arts has risen from 6th in 2012 to 1st in 2016.  Performance in 8th grade science has improved from 7th in 2012 to 3rd in 2016.

Central Cambria Middle School continues to have more students take and pass the Algebra Keystone exam by the end of 8th grade than any other district in Cambria County.  In 2016, over 98% of the 7th and 8th grade students who took the exam passed, with over half scoring in the advanced range.

Professionally, I have never been more proud of a group of people than I am of our teachers and students for their performance this past year. What started with the question "Why not us?" four years ago has seen our school's performance consistently rise in comparison to our peers. While we are humbled by these results, we are also focused on the children in our classrooms right now. We will continue to strive to provide them with an education that is second to none in Cambria County, and that compares in quality to that provided to students in wealthier areas of Pennsylvania.

It is a great day to be a Central Cambria Red Devil!!  

Link to CCMS School Performance Profile:  http://paschoolperformance.org/Profile/4932