Hillcrest Students Rise Above New National Trends

The Department of Education released reports on a series of test results from public schools nationally this week. Only 26% of eighth graders are at a proficient level in mathematics, and 31% of eighth graders are reading at a proficient level in public schools based on public school standardized tests. 

Hillcrest uses an advanced standardized exam, the Classical Learning Test (CLT). The results display proficiency against past scores and metrics and also against peers and schools conducting similar instruction. Because Hillcrest doesn't teach a public school curriculum, but instead a robust classical Christian curriculum, the exam is designed to gauge proficiency and retention from the classical Christian approach to education.

Hillcrest students in 8th grade last year tested 89% proficient in verbal reasoning. 76% scored proficient in grammar and writing, and 73% scored proficient in quantitative reasoning, where students use both grammar and mathematic concepts.

The guidance counselor said, "The administrator of the Classic Learning Test called enthusiastically about our seventh and eighth-grade student performance on the CLT 8 exam.  He asked how our students performed so well.  Our explanation is that our shift to the Classical Education curriculum appears to be helping our students excel academically."

Everyone wants the best for our students. The Covid pandemic impacted every learning community. What we know is that Hillcrest students continued to improve despite the pandemic. Hillcrest administration, teachers, and staff adjusted to support students well, as evidenced by the high proficiency of Hillcrest students in these exams.

For reference, Hillcrest students scored 20 percentage points higher than the national CLT average and 7 percentage points higher than the Christian school's historic average. They also scored 4 points higher than our accrediting body average.

Please note: Students striving to catch up academically with their peers due to a learning disability, English as their second language or transfer students who missed grade level instruction at their previous school, all take their grade level CLT exam.