Although some Newton MCAS scores soar against the state averages, district-wide scores improved by only a couple percentage points in 2011. 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Education website, of the Newton students who took the 2011 MCAS (grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10), 86 percent scored advanced or proficient in English/language arts (ELA), compared to the state's 69 percent.

District-wide, though, marks are up just slightly from last year, with the total advanced or proficient scores in ELA up only one percent. Math scores in advanced or proficient are up just two percent from last year. However, it seems the same number of students came in at the failing level compared to 2010. 

Students' MCAS tests are scored on a scale with five categories, with advanced being the highest possible score followed by proficient, needs improvement and warning/failing.

ELA scores were strong across all grades, especially in eighth grade, where 93 percent of students scored advanced or proficient. Grade 10 also had 93 percent scoring proficient or higher in ELA, a four percent jump from 2010. 

The lowest scores came in the eighth grade science and technology/engineering test, with only 57 percent of the students scoring advanced or proficient and seven percent failing. That number dropped from 2010, where 64 percent of the eighth grade students scored advanced or proficient. 

While all grades took a mathematics and ELA test, only the students in fifth, eighth and tenth grade took the science and tech/engineering MCAS. 

Just five percent of the roughly 6,300 students tested in the district failed mathematics and three percent failed ELA. Stay tuned to Newton Patch for more information on the scores and information from the district.