Test Scores

St. Joseph School uses the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to monitor educational progress.  The following chart shows the national percentile rank for St. Joseph School.  The numbers indicate the percent of schools nationwide in each subject that St. Joseph scored equal to or better than.  For example, the eighth grade of St. Joseph scored equal to or better than 97% of all schools nationwide in reading.  The class scored equal to or better than 98% of all schools in language arts and overall on the entire test. (That means that we are in the top 1% of all schools!)  A score of 50 is the average, and 75 would put a school in the top quartile.

In the lower grades, St. Joseph accepts everyone who wants a Catholic education for a child who has the capability of succeeding in a classroom situation.  (It would be unfair to accept a student, for example, who would need one-on-one instruction for the entire day).  What the first-grade scores show is where the students are when they begin St. Joseph School.  The eighth grade scores show where they are when they finish their education at St. Joseph.  Normally, the longer the students are at St. Joseph School, the better they will score.

Most column headings are self-evident.  Reference means the ability to use reference materials such as maps and charts.  The Composite score is the total for the entire test.

As a school and parish community, we should be very proud of the education at St. Joseph.

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