Last week, the state released preliminary results for the Measurement of Student Progress (MSP) and High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE) showing areas of improvement and weakness for the Central Kitsap School District.

“It’s clear we have work to do,” said CK Superintendent Hazel Bauman. “We did see success in some areas, but we do have room for improvement.

As we prepare for the start of the new school year, that’s my focus: on improving teaching and learning.”

Reading scores are up in third and fifth grade classes, along with math scores.

Fourth graders have shown improvement in writing scores. Tenth grade science scores also increased by more than 10 percent for the second year in a row.

“I would be safe to say there’s some areas of celebration,” she said. But she also cautioned there are areas to work on and that she will be taking a “deeper look, deeper analysis” of student needs.

The district plans to focus on the expansion of all-day kindergarten options because of research and practice links the option to improved academic performance.

The 2013 preliminary results are from state-wide tests proctored in the spring.

The tests measure students’ knowledge in reading, writing, math and science.

Students in grades 3-8 took the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) test. High school students took the HSPE in reading and writing and End of Course (EOC) exams in math and science, states a CK press release.