MOKANE, Mo. - South Callaway High School will again attach a grade to students' Missouri Assessment Program end of course (EOC) exams. The South Callaway R-2 School District Board of Education voted 4-1 Wednesday night to rescind its 2011 decision that stopped attaching a grade assessment to the exams.
High School teachers presented research and proposals to the board Wednesday night. Those who presented said the 26 teachers in the High School all agreed attaching a grade incentive to the EOC exams would motivate students to perform better on the tests.
The school surveyed students and asked them what motivates their performance on standard testing. Of the students surveyed, 43 percent said they are intrinsically motivated to do well, 46 percent they are motivated when their grade is affected and 11 percent said they are motivated by their teacher.
During Wednesday night's board meeting, Board President Kit Glover - the only opposing vote - said she didn't see enough research to convince her that attaching a grade would raise test scores. In response, high school English teacher Olivia Brandt said she thinks a grade incentive is a step in the right direction.
"I don't think any of us are saying this is the golden ticket. I don't think any of us are saying this is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that's going to fix everything," Brandt said. "We are just saying that we've done a lot of other things, we haven't seen any great jumps so we're asking for you all to let us try and see if it works."
High School Principal Heather Helsel said the teachers were unified in wanting to reverse the board's 2011 desicion and again offer a grade incentive for the EOC exams. She said she is grateful to the Board of Education for giving the school an opportunity to do something different in an effort to increase test scores.
South Callaway High School saw a few minor drops and small increases in its EOC exams from 2013-14. Helsel recently described the school's EOC exam scores as "level" for the past several years. However, the school wants to see larger increases.
The teachers told the board that the grade assessment attached now would be consistent across the board. The teachers who presented Wednesday night recommended the school attach a five percent weight on the EOC in the quarter and subject in which it is given.