Michigan test scores show improvement

Magrum NOT BLADE PHOTO Enlarge

State education officials are touting across-the-board gains in math and reading results in the Michigan Education Assessment Program as signs of progress.

Statewide, reading scores in elementary and middle schools rose from a year ago and math scores were higher in the third through sixth grades.

Fifth and eighth-grade science scores dropped slightly as did the social science scores for sixth and ninth graders.

Results were released yesterday for the standardized tests, often referred to as MEAP, that were given to students last fall to test their knowledge in math, reading, science, and social studies.

The scores of Bedford Public Schools students - as well as several other area schools - were above state averages in all subjects and all grades.

"We have exceeded the state average in every category and every grade," Superintendent Ted Magrum said.

But compared to the previous year, Bedford scores declined slightly in fourth-grade reading, fifth-grade science, eighth-grade math, and sixth and ninth-grade social studies.

The 5,300-pupil school district improved significantly in math at third-grade level and jumped in fifth-grade math.

Mr. Magrum attributed the higher scores to teachers concentrating on subjects that showed a need for improvement.

"We look at the area where we didn't score as high and put emphasis on that in the following year," he said.

Jan Ellis, a Department of Education spokesman, said significant gains were made statewide in the scores of African-American and Hispanic students as well as students with disabilities.

"The parity now between groups is certainly closer than it has ever been since we adopted the grade-level content expectations," she said.

"These are very positive trends - and our kids' academic achievements are significant to the success of our state as we continue to move forward to grow and diversify our state's economy," Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

Students' MEAP scores are scored as either advanced, proficient, partially proficient, or not proficient.

Only students who score at the advanced or proficient levels are considered "proficient."

Students in third through eighth grades were tested in math and reading, fifth and eighth-graders were given science tests, and sixth and ninth-graders were tested in social studies.

In Mason Consolidated, scores in fourth-grade reading were slightly down and science and math scores for eighth graders plummeted.

The district, which includes Erie Township, Luna Pier, and part of LaSalle Township, showed significant increases in third-grade math, fifth-grade math, and seventh-grade reading.

Superintendent David Drewyor said elementary students showed more across-the-board improvement than the middle-school grades.

Monroe Public Schools closely followed the statewide gains as the third through eighth grades improved in reading and third through seventh graders' scores in math increased.

"Our goal each year is to show continuous improvement, and with better scores in 11 out of 16 categories, we have done that," said M. Christine Butler, an assistant superintendent.

The biggest swing was in eighth-grade reading as the score jumped 12 percentage points to 82 percent.

Whiteford Agricultural Schools got a rare 100 percent in fourth-grade math, following the same score in third-grade math the previous year.

But Superintendent Larry Shilling said the MEAP scores are only a snapshot in time that may not accurately reflect individual improvement of students.

"The tests show how these kids did on a particular day on a particular test," he said. "It is only one piece of the puzzle."

Contact Mark Reiter at:

markreiter@theblade.com

or 419-724-6199.