State Education Department officials are more than happy to talk about new graduation standards being devised for state high schools.

They are taking a much lower-key approach when it comes to results of third- through eighth-grade testing that took place last spring throughout the state. What used to be a full presentation from the state Education Department with explanations of areas where schools are struggling and analysis of trends in the performance of state students on state-required tests was little more than a website-based data dump from the state Education Department this year with a statement from an Education Department spokesperson and little analysis of what the state officials are seeing in the data.

The results may have something to do with that. For one-day in time, only 46% of state third- through eighth-graders showed proficiency in English language arts while 54% of third- through eighth-graders showed proficiency in math.

“The results provide information about students’ academic progress and achievement, including specific skill and concept areas,” said JP O’Hare, state Education Department spokesperson. “However, results from these annual state assessments do not and cannot tell the whole story of student proficiency. Results can be used to determine whether there is a need for additional support in school and can also help teachers in their instructional planning. Parents may use the results of the state assessments to monitor their child’s learning and inform conversations with their child’s teacher about how their child is progressing in their grade level. The annual tests are intended to be one measure among multiple measures of student learning, and they are one tool of many used by educators to ensure students are getting the services and supports they need to prepare for career, college, and civic readiness.”

In Jamestown, 28% of third- through eighth-graders were proficient in ELA and 35% proficient in math.

The Dunkirk City Schools District saw 17% proficiency for third- through eighth-graders in ELA and 29.8% in math.

Chautauqua Lake Central School had the most students deemed proficient by state standards, with 54% of the school’s tested students proficient in ELA and 73% proficient in math. CLCS was followed by Panama, with 53% of the district’s tested students proficient in ELA and 67% proficient in math.

Other results include:

– Brocton – 27% of students proficient in ELA; 44% of students proficient in math

– Silver Creek – 30% of students proficient in ELA; 41% of students proficient in math

– Falconer – 31% of students proficient in ELA; 34% of students proficient in math

– Pine Valley – 31% of students proficient in ELA; 36.7% of students proficient in math

– Cassadaga Valley – 37% of students proficient in ELA; 42% of students proficient in math

– Clymer – 40% of students proficient in ELA; 56% of students proficient in math

– Fredonia – 41% of students proficient in ELA; 55% of students proficient in math

– Frewsburg – 42% of students proficient in ELA; 59% of students proficient in math

– Randolph – 45% of students proficient in ELA; 57% of students proficient in math

– Bemus Point – 46% of students proficient in ELA; 55% of students proficient in math

– Sherman – 46% of students proficient in ELA; 51% of students proficient in math

– Forestville – 49% of students proficient in ELA; 59% of students proficient in math

– Westfield – 49% of students proficient in ELA; 56% of students proficient in math

– Southwestern – 50% of students proficient in ELA; 52% of students proficient in math