The results of the third administration of the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments show gains for Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) in both math and English language arts. The results were released five weeks earlier than they were last year, giving educators more time to analyze the data and plan instruction.
Dr. Daniel D. Curry, the Superintendent, said, “We are very happy to see progress on the PARCC assessments. Our staff is ready to drill down and analyze data to determine our next steps.”
Both elementary and middle school students showed gains on the English language arts assessment. The percentage of elementary students scoring a 4 or 5 increased from 50% to 52%. The percentage of middle school students scoring a 4 or 5 increased from 48% to 52%. Statewide, 41% of students in grades three through eight scored a 4 or 5.
Scores increased in math at the elementary and middle school levels, as well. The percentage of students scoring a 4 or 5 increased from 53% to 55% at the elementary level, compared to about 40% across the state. The percentage of students scoring 4 or 5 in middle school increased from 33% to 34%, which exceeds the state average by a few points.
Scores on the Algebra 1 assessment—which is taken by some students in middle school and some in high school, depending upon when they are enrolled in the Algebra 1 course—showed the most dramatic increase, with the percentage of students scoring a 4 or 5 increasing from 29% to 50%. Statewide, 36.5% of students scored a 4 or 5.
The results for the English 10 assessment stayed constant, with 66% of students scoring a 4 or 5. Across Maryland, just under half of students scored a 4 or 5 on English 10.
PARCC assessments are scored on a five-point scale, with level 1 set as not meeting expectations and level 5 as exceeding expectations.
Scores on the PARCC Assessment are not being used for student, educator, school, or system-level accountability purposes at this time. In the coming weeks, Maryland will send to the federal government a revised accountability plan, under the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act. That document will outline the State’s ideas on how it will use State assessment data in the coming years. The State plan must be approved by the US Department of Education.