OSAS Highlights:
- HCCS #1 in state for math proficiency
- 4th grade #1 in state for ELA
- Middle School outperforms SUMMA
The Oregon Department of Education released the 2023-2024 standardized assessment data, revealing the results of statewide tests students took this past spring. Based on the data, Hope Chinese Charter School was once again one of the top-performing schools!
While the statewide assessment results are not used to grade individual students or educators, the data helps HCCS admin and staff evaluate our overall program’s successes and opportunities and compare our program with other schools. As our admin look through the data, we are excited to share the initial findings with our community!
#1 For math proficiency!
In the All Schools Math 2023-2024 report, HCCS has the highest percentage (88%) of students who are proficient and above in math across the state of Oregon. This is across schools of all grade levels including Elementary, Middle and High School.
Students at HCCS benefit from learning math in two languages in grades K-8. Our Chinese and English teacher teams coordinate their lessons using Singapore Math, a curriculum designed to drill “deep” into core math skills and focuses on problem solving that is designed to build perseverance.
#2 Elementary for ELA proficiency!
We’re also thrilled that our school is the second Elementary School in the entire state in English Language Arts by percentage (88%) of students who tested proficient and above. At HCCS, about 19% of our students are English Language Learners, making this achievement all the more sweet.
These results are especially encouraging as we implemented a new ELA curriculum last year. It is not uncommon to see a dip in academic performance immediately after a new curriculum is adopted. The fact that this did not happen is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our teaching teams.
4th grade is #1 cohort for ELA & math!
When broken down by grade level cohorts, the 2023-2024 4th graders are the stars. They came in as the #1 cohort for grade in ELA and in math across the entire state.
They weren’t the only grade level at Hope to take the #1 spot, though. HCCS 5th graders also took #1 in their cohort for math!
Middle School outperforms SUMMA
For the 2023-2024 school year, there were 71 students at HCCS who qualified for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) program, which is 19% of the student population. We are delighted that TAG middle school students at HCCS outperformed their TAG peers at BSD Summa programs in ELA and math.
Why does this matter?
When it comes to middle school, there are many amazing options in the Beaverton School District. For TAG students, one of those options is Summa. Summa is a BSD-created program, designed for a subset of TAG-identified 6th, 7th and 8th graders. It is intended to provide a differentiated, challenging experience that meets the cognitive, emotional, and social needs of eligible students. Every year, some Hope students are accepted into BSD Summa programs at other middle schools and their families have a tough decision to make.
Therefore, it is encouraging to see that TAG students who continue at Hope can achieve even higher scores. We want Middle School parents to feel confident that continuing at Hope through 8th grade will be beneficial for their student. We believe these results also affirm Hope’s creation of the TAG Coordinator role, to ensure all our TAG students, from grades 3-8, also receive a differentiated and challenging education that meets their distinct needs. This role has been critical, as there is an increasing number of students who qualify for TAG in every year at Hope.
There are many benefits to a K-8 program, especially for language immersion students. We know that students who continue language immersion for these additional three years gain advanced second language skills. Those skills then translate into students who can hold on to their second language through high school, college and beyond.
Looking ahead.
While we celebrate that the dedication of our staff and the hard work of our students is reflected in the assessment data, we also know we have a opportunities to improve and strengthen our program, especially in the area of science. This year, our program directors and teaching staff are evaluating different science curricula to find what will work best for our school.