More schools in the Cincinnati archdiocese, the nation's eighth-largest Catholic school system, are touting test scores to encourage enrollment.
And parents are using the scores students receive on annual nationally normed Terra Nova tests to help decide whether to enroll their children, according to Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Denise Smith Amos (see here).
The Terra Nova test measures student performance on subjects compared with students nationwide. The test also measures cognitive ability and natural learning strengths.
The archdiocesan attitude about not ballyhooing the scores is loosening, according to Smith Amos. Although school officials can show their scores to anyone, church officials don't want the numbers published on websites or used in marketing brochures because they fear parents would inappropriately compare schools.
Catholic schools can't be shy about test scores, especially in highly rated public school districts, said the principal of St. Vincent Ferrer in Kenwood.
"Our parents here are paying tuition. They've got a lot of money invested in their children's education. They want to see results. This is a way we share results," he said.
