Student Growth 'Very High' at Westwood Middle School

Westwood Regional Middle School test scores have improved more compared to more than 90 percent of their peer schools, according to the 2011-2012 School Performance Reports released by the Department of Education last week.

Student growth at Westwood Regional was "very high" compared to peer schools and schools across the state, according to the report. The schoolwide median growth score on the NJASK test was 64 for language arts and 65 for math, putting Westwood at the overall 95th percentile among its peer schools and 96th percentile across the state.

"Although there's still room for us to grow, I was overall pleased with our results," Interim Superintendent Rory McCourt said.

The peer schools replace the old District Factor Groups for comparing school performance. State officials compared enrollment in free/reduced lunch programs, limited English proficiency and special education programs to determine the peer schools. Westwood Regional Middle School's Bergen County peers include Cresskill, Dumont, Fair Lawn, Mahwah, Paramus and Tenafly.

Westwood Regional Middle School also had a smaller gap in student achievement than the state average, according to the report. Students in both sixth and seventh grades scored more similarly on the language arts and math NJASK tests than students in most other schools.

The state also found that Westwood Regional High School's test scores .

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