Achievement by district middle school and high school students on state tests of proficiency in reading, math and other subjects is higher than the state average in every area, district officials say after reviewing results of tests taken by students in 2004 and 2005.

According to Dr. Melani Mouse, assistant superintendent of Secondary Education, a higher percentage of Putnam City eighth-graders scored satisfactory or above in reading, math, science and history than Oklahoma eighth-graders as a whole. The same is true at the high school level, Mouse says, with a higher percentage of district high school students scoring satisfactory or above in English II, Algebra I, Biology I and U.S. History than Oklahoma high school students in general. District seventh-graders also scored higher in geography than Oklahoma seventh-graders as a whole.

"Our teachers have maintained a laser-like focus on achievement. They’ve done a great job of knowing what students need. They use instructional strategies that have been proven to help improve student achievement. If students really struggle to grasp concepts, teachers have a wide range of methods and programs to which they can turn," says Mouse.

Mouse says that while the trend in test scores is positive, there’s more work to be done.

"This is a cause for celebration. We’re very pleased at the progress we’re seeing, but we also know it’s important that we see continued improvement in student achievement," she says.