Lovell schools WY-TOPP and ACT test results come in strong

The test scores are in, and they are positive.

Lovell Supt. of Schools Doug Hazen on Monday night announced the results of the state WY-TOPP and ACT tests.

Hazen reported the test scores during the regular November meeting of the Lovell School Board.

Lovell students tested above the state average in most categories on the 2024 Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress (WY-TOPP) conducted in the spring. Test results are then reported generally as not meeting expectations, partially meeting expectations, meeting expectations and exceeding expectations based on a state accountability measure, Hazen said.

According to the Lovell schools’ overall performance level report, all three schools were found to be meeting expectations for the second straight school year, with Lovell Elementary School rising from “Not Meeting Expectations” in 2021-22 to “Meeting Expectations” in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

“Quite a lot of effort was put in by our elementary staff in the last three years,” Hazen said in a separate interview. “They’ve put in a lot of work, primarily in reading. They’ve put a focus on that, making sure we’re meeting expectations.”

He also noted a new program the school has implemented, the American Reading Company program, which has been in place the last two years.

The result is two of the three grades tested in the spring scoring above the state average in ELA (English/language arts): third grade 57 percent proficient to 53 percent for the state and fifth grade 55 percent vs. 54 percent for the state. Only the fourth grade scored below the statewide average, 39 percent to 50 percent.

All other grades showed Lovell students matching or scoring above the state average in ELA: sixth grade 69-59 percent, seventh grade 55-55, eighth grade 64-57, ninth grade 65-51 and 10^th grade 72-49.

Reading is also a component of proficiency in science, Hazen noted, which may be why Lovell fourth graders scored below the state in that area, 44 to 52 percent. But Lovell eighth graders scored above the state average in science 50-46 percent and 10^th graders 56-47 percent. Hazen noted that only fourth, eighth and 10^th graders are tested in science proficiency.

Where Lovell schools shine is in math proficiency, with all seven grades tested scoring well above the state average in the spring: third grade 68-56 percent, fourth grade 62-55, fifth grade 64-52, sixth grade 65-53, seventh grade 57-48, eighth grade 70-50, ninth grade 65-42 and 10^th grade 56-42.

As for the ACT, LHS students continue to score well above the state average, doing so for the fifth time in six years, with no spring test conducted in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID. In the spring tests, Lovell scored an average of 19.9 compared to 19.1 for the state, the second highest average score since the 20.0 score of 2019.

In 2024, Lovell students scored above the state average in reading 20.8-19.7, in English 19.7-18, in math 19.1-18.7 and in science 19.5-19.4.

The overall performance level report of “Meeting Expectations” for Lovell High School includes ACT scores, Hazen noted.