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Michigan Test Scores Soar, But Look at the Fine Print

Ohanian Comment: Note that some are crediting Open Court with test score rise.

Either Michigan fourth-graders are becoming better readers or they weren't as bad as previously reported.

The Michigan Department of Treasury expected to have individual school district scores on its Web site Friday evening. You can visit the site at www.mcgi.state.mi.us/ mischoolinfo/.

Three-fourths of Michigan fourth-graders passed the reading portion of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program test last winter, compared to 57 percent the year before, according to MEAP results released Friday.

In Detroit, the change was more dramatic with 55 percent passing, up from 33 percent.

The news led to celebrations.

"This is the most exciting set of news I've gotten since I've been here," said Kenneth Burnley, who became the district's chief executive officer in 2000. "I've spoken to Janna Garrison with the teachers union and the board members and they all just screamed. This is very exciting."

But a testing expert said Friday that changes in the recent tests likely explain much of the difference in outcomes.

"The new test is probably a better reflection of reality than the old ones," said Ernie Bauer, a testing consultant for Oakland Schools, that county's intermediate school district.

The test results, which are used by educators to help determine weaknesses in their curriculum, were released four months later than normal.

Though Detroit educators were excited, it is difficult to compare this year's scores to last year's because in some cases the scores were reported differently.

The state combined its reading and writing tests into one English language arts test, and had fourth-graders -- instead of fifth-graders -- take the writing test. Also, reading scores last year were reported in three levels -- satisfactory, moderate and low -- compared to four levels this year.

Bauer said the way previous reading tests were scored made it difficult for students who performed well to be considered as having passed the test. With a new test this year, the scoring also changed, he said.

Still, Detroit educators were ecstatic after dissecting scores in the new English-language arts category. The data revealed a 22-point jump in reading for fourth-graders.

Although 55 percent of Detroit fourth-graders passed the reading portion, 75 percent passed statewide. Seventh-grade reading scores in Detroit improved by 9 percentage points, but writing fell by 13. Burnley said as reading scores improve, those reading skills will help students to improve scores in other categories.

Burnley credited the 22-point fourth-grade reading improvement to a program called Open Court, on which the district spent nearly $20 million last year.

Bauer said it's easier to compare how far above or below the state average a district was, and how much the district gained.

For example, last year, the Detroit district's passing rate was 24 percentage points below the state's passing rate; this year, the passing rate is 20 percentage points below the state's rate, for a gain of 4 percentage points.

Statewide, students showed slight improvement in science and relatively unchanged scores in math.

For instance, in fifth-grade science, 77 percent of students passed the science test, compared to 73 percent last year.

In fourth-grade math, 65 percent of the students passed, the same as last year.

Social studies continues to be a vexing subject for Michigan students. An increasing number of students passed the test, but a majority -- 71 percent of fifth-graders and 68 percent of eighth-graders -- failed.

In the Pontiac school district, traditionally low MEAP scores showed marked improvement but students still tended to score below the state average.

In fourth-grade math, 45 percent of the students passed, compared to 38 percent last year.

"We are very encouraged. However, we know there's still a lot of work to be done," Superintendent Mildred Mason said. "Our target is not to be average. We want to be a world-class district."

Much of the improvement can be tied to efforts to align the district's curriculum to state standards.

The MEAP results will be used to finalize Adequate Yearly Progress reports that are required by federal law.

In determining whether a school has met its AYP goal, the state also considers the percentage of students tested in the schools, a school's attendance rate and the high school graduation rate.

School districts in the next couple of weeks will receive their AYP status and their report card grades from the state. They will have 15 days to review the information and respond to any inaccuracies in the reports. After the 15, it will be another 30 days before the data is released to the public.


— Chastity Pratt & Lori Higgins
Michigan 4th-grade reading scores soar
Detroit Free Press
2003-10-04
http://www.freep.com/news/education/meap4_20031004.htm

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