Maryland education officials released the latest standardize test results for the state’s 24 jurisdictions and their elementary and middle schools.
The reading and math results from the Maryland School Assessments (MSA) are used to determine if Maryland public schools are making adequate yearly progress (AYP). The students are individually categorized in 1o subgroups with AYP designed to measure the continuous improvement each year toward to No Child Left Behind goal of 100 percent proficiency by 2014.
Only one Calvert public school—Mill Creek Middle School (MCMS)—failed to achieve AYP in all 10 subgroups.
The MCMS students receiving free/reduced meals did not meet the proficiency level in the MSA’s math segment while the school’s special education students fell short of proficiency in both reading and math.
“It did surprise me,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Smith, who added MCMS will not be subject to any punitive action, since the inadequacies were “focused” rather than “comprehensive.” Smith said there would be remediation to close the achievement gaps in those two subgroups at MCMS.
“Overall, the report card is very good news,” said Smith. “The staffs and faculties did a great job. I’m pleased but I also feel challenged and motivated. Across the board our elementary and middle schools are very strong. We are in the top 25 percent in every area.”
Mill Creek Middle School represents 4 percent of Calvert’s public schools whose aggregate MSA results have been released. Howard County, which has frequently jockeyed for position with Calvert in vying for Maryland’s top school system, also had 4 percent of its elementary and middle schools (3) miss AYP in the 2011 Maryland Report Card. Caroline County also had one school (10 percent) fail to achieve AYP.
The latest test results for Maryland’s public high schools are due later this summer.
