Tagged: MEAP

MEAP scores show improvement

"State education officials say they’re excited by rising standardized test scores. They released the Michigan Educational Assessment Program results for 2012 Monday. Students in all grades showed improvements in math, reading, and writing," Jake Neher reports.

Unions sue to block right to work

"Labor unions are asking a federal judge in Detroit to block part of Michigan's right-to-work law from taking effect in late March. The lawsuit filed Monday is the second to challenge the law in recent weeks. It prohibits requiring workers to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment," the Associated Press reports.

Gov. Snyder looking at emergency managers for Detroit

"Governor Rick Snyder says he’ll be ready to move ahead with a state takeover of Detroit city hall – depending on the results of a financial review that should wrap up within several days. Governor Snyder says he’s already talked to prospective emergency managers in case a state takeover is called for," Rick Pluta reports.

There’s some good news for the Detroit Public Schools in newly-released Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores.

42% of the district’s 3rd-through-8th graders scored “proficient or advanced” in reading. That’s up more than 6% from the prior year.

Math scores jumped more than 4%, with fewer than 15% of students rated proficient.

In most subjects, Detroit students’ gains outpaced state averages. But the district’s scores still remain well below state averages.

Roy Roberts, the district’s emergency financial manager, says that’s exactly the sort of progress people should expect at this point.
 

“If I had walked in here and said we’ve improved every class by 25%, you oughta call the FBI,” Roberts said. “It doesn’t happen that way. It’s incremental improvement.”

The number of Detroit students tested did drop more than 20% this year, though, as the district’s enrollment shrunk significantly. 

The state-run Education Achievement Authority took over 15 of the district’s lowest-performing schools last fall, leaving fewer kids in DPS. The district also has a dramatic long-term enrollment decline.

But that’s not the case at Dixon Elementary-Middle school on thecity’s far west side. That school has actually increased
enrollment—and posted some of the biggest gains citywide on this
year’s MEAP scores.

Principal Ora Beard took over the school three years ago. She says boosting student achievement in a school takes time—and lots of reaching out to students and parents to build trust.

“Our first year was totally building relationships,” said Beard. “And trying to get them to understand that we’re not here to fight you…we’re here to help you. And that’s what school’s got to be about.”

The results are out for the Fall 2012 Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP).

They show gains in reading, mathematics and writing in all grades and most demographic groups.

The Michigan Department of Education says the MEAP tests are "based on career- and college-ready standards and are the only statewide measure of what students know and are able to do in grades 3 through 9."

In the press release sent out today, Governor Snyder shared his perspective on the results

“We’re moving in the right direction and that’s a credit to our schools, parents and the students themselves,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “But much work remains..."

Education officials say in particular, students in grades 3 and 8 showed gains in reading proficiency (4.1 and 5.2 percent gain respectively).

Mathematics also had proficiency gains at all grade levels, with the largest gains occurring in grades 3, 4, and 5 (4.6, 5.0, and 6.1 percent gain respectively). Writing proficiency saw a 4.4 percent increase in grade 7 and a 2.2 percent increase in grade 4.

Michigan Radio's Sarah Cwiek reports there were gains in Detroit as well.

Citywide, Detroit’s third-through-eighth graders showed gains that outpaced state averages, for the most part. But the district’s overall scores remain relatively low.

MRPN's Jake Neher is reporting that the overall scores in science did not fare as well.

... less than 16 percent of students had passing grades in science, and that number is dropping.

Joseph Martineau  is with the state Department of Education. He says that’s a serious concern, but the statistics might be a bit misleading.

“That’s simply a reflection of what is being expected by college and community college professors in science. They appear to have higher expectations of their students than, maybe, in some of those other content areas.”

The Detroit Free Press has a searchable database to see results for particular schools in Michigan. You can check it out to see how well your schools are doing.

Although the results were released publicly today, Michigan schools received them in December. This allows teachers to review and analyze those results, and use the information to potentially change their teaching.

- Chris Zollars, Michigan Radio Newsroom

The Michigan Board of Education wants an additional 10 years to get students prepared to meet the proficiency scores on state standardized tests. The federal goals call for all children to be proficient on state exams by 2014. State leaders want to waive the No Child Left Behind requirements for 10 years. They believe this period will prepare every Michigan student to be proficient in reading and math.  

Jeff Bean is a Flint high school teacher. He says working to get all students proficient is noble but not realistic.   

"It would be like me setting standards for medical professionals: I think everybody who goes into a cancer treatment should get cured. Let’s go for 100%. That’s a noble effort. But to dictate whether doctors get to keep their licenses or not based on whether they save every patient they see, is an incredibly unreasonable piece."

Bean believes extending the 10-year deadline is a way for certain leaders to buy time to change the federal goals. He says pre- and post-testing would be a more effective goal for students.

U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, says more than 80% of the nation’s public schools could be labeled as ‘failing’ under the No Child Left Behind law requirements.

-Traci Currie - Michigan Radio Newsroom

This week, What’s Working focuses on education by taking a look at one Michigan school that went from academic mediocrity to being a model for educational reforms in the state. North Godwin Elementary is located just south of Grand Rapids in a working class community with a high immigrant population. Many families in the area are refugees from countries such as Bosnia, Cuba, Vietnam, and Liberia. A high number of students spend a few years learning English as a second language. 

When Arelis Diaz arrived as a teacher at North Godwin Elementary in 1995, the students were struggling to reach proficiency in basic skills. She spent five years as a teacher, and then served as principal of the school from 2000 to 2005. In that time, North Godwin’s students began excelling on standardized tests, bringing student proficiency rates to upwards of 80 percent across all subjects. That academic success at North Godwin continues today. The school has been the recipient of praise and awards for its turnaround, including the “Dispelling the Myth” award in 2010, given by The Educational Trust. 

Today, Governor Rick Snyder laid out his plan for education reform in Michigan. All Things Considered Host, Jenn White, sat down with Tom Watkins to discuss the details in Snyder's plan. Watkins is a Former State Superintendent who is currently a business and educational consultant in the United States and China. 

Math - 8th Grade - Top Ten Public Schools in Average MEAP Scores

1. Ann Arbor Public Schools - Clague Middle School    - 855
2. Troy School District - Boulan Park Middle School     - 853.4
3. Birmingham City School District - Birmingham Covington School - 852.8
4. Bloomfield Hills School District - Bloomfield Hills Middle School - 849.2
5. Bloomfield Hills School District - East Hills Middle School - 847.4
6. (TIE) Novi Community School District - Novi Middle School & Canton Charter Academy - Canton Charter Academy - 846.8
7. Bloomfield Hills School District - West Hills Middle School - 846.4
8. Ann Arbor Public Schools - Forsythe Middle School - 845.9
9. Troy School District - Smith Middle School - 845.5
10. Saginaw City School District - Saginaw Arts And Sciences Academy - 845.4

Reading - 8th Grade – Top Ten Public Schools in Average MEAP Scores

1. (TIE) Grand Rapids Public Schools - City Middle/High School & Birmingham City School District - Birmingham Covington School - 843.3
2. Saginaw City School District - Saginaw Arts And Sciences Academy - 843.1
3. Troy School District - Boulan Park Middle School - 842.9
4. Rochester Community School District - Van Hoosen Middle School - 841.8
5. Ann Arbor Public Schools - Clague Middle School - 840.9
6. (TIE) Okemos Public Schools - Chippewa Middle School & Leland Public School District - Leland Public School - 840.8
7. Birmingham City School District - Derby Middle School - 840.7
8. Ann Arbor Public Schools - Ann Arbor Open At Mack School 840.3
9. (TIE) Rochester Community School District - Hart Middle School & Woodland School - Woodland School - 839.9
10. Forest Hills Public Schools - Eastern Middle School – 839

Science - 8th Grade – Top Ten Public Schools in Average MEAP Scores

1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Education Center Academy - 882.6
2. David Ellis Academy West - David Ellis Academy West - 864.5
3. Woodland School - Woodland School - 848.8
4. Troy School District - Boulan Park Middle School - 846.5
5. Grand Rapids Public Schools - City Middle/High School - 843.1
6. Superior Central Schools - Superior Central School - 842.5
7. Ann Arbor Public Schools - Ann Arbor Open At Mack School - 840.6
8. South Lyon Community Schools - Millennium Middle School - 839.5
9. (TIE) Hudsonville Public School District - Baldwin Street Middle School & Birmingham City School District - Birmingham Covington School - 838.8
10. Forest Hills Public Schools - Northern Hills Middle School - 838.7
    

In Grand Rapids, school administrators are marking the 6th straight year students have done better on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program. But Superintendent Bernard Taylor says that will probably not be the case next year.

“Many of the students who are proficient this year, will not be proficient next year.”

That’s because next year the state will raise the standard for what is considered a passing score on the test. State leaders say raising the scores will make sure students are prepared for college or job training after high school. Taylor is not against the change. But he says it will impact every district in Michigan, even those who haven’t really had problems meeting academic standards in the past.