Print edition: 
Grading Our Schools presents scores for tests taken in spring 2009 and provides scores from spring 2008, 2007 and 2006 for comparison.
* Test experts say it is best to compare a school against itself over time or against schools with similar demographics.
* We've included the percentage of a school's students considered low-income. Poverty may influence students' performance in school.
* Test results shouldn't be the only measure to assess school quality. Parents should also consider the performance of graduates, the quality of a student's work and other tests.
* The report includes public school districts in Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties as well as private and parochial schools. School-by-school data for several smaller districts was not included due to space constraints. Data for those districts can be found at Kansas.com.
The scores in this report could differ from those schools shared with parents. Those scores reflect students who were enrolled by Sept. 20 but don't include students who move in after that date or were suspended for 10 days or more. The scores in this report reflect all students enrolled at the time of the tests.
Staff
This report was prepared by Hurst Laviana, Suzanne Perez Tobias and Lori Yount. The section was designed by Lynette Abitz.
how did your child perform?
Browsing this special section may leave you wondering how your child did on the tests. State assessments were taken in spring 2009 and results given to principals "either last spring or this fall," said Susan Arensman, spokeswoman for the Wichita district.
Most teachers report test results during parent-teacher conferences, Arensman said. If you did not receive information about your child or would like to review it again, contact your child's teacher or principal.
State assessments are just one of several measures schools use to determine how children are performing, Arensman said. "We always suggest contacting your child's teacher to say, 'Are they where they need to be? And if not, what can we do to get them there?' "
