St. Mary’s County Public Schools has recently posted another year of consistently high scores across all grade levels on the Alternate Maryland School Assessment.  The Alt-MSA is a state administered assessment required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  In Maryland, students with disabilities participate in either the Maryland School Assessment in reading, math and science (with or without accommodations, as appropriate) or in the Alt-MSA in reading, mathematics, and science as determined by the student’s Individualized Education Program Team.  The Alt-MSA is a portfolio-based assessment that assesses students with significant cognitive disabilities on their attainment of individually selected extended reading, math and science objectives in grades three through eight and grade 10.

SMCPS students demonstrated outstanding achievement on Alt-MSA as demonstrated by the following:

•    SMCPS students exceeded state averages in students achieving proficient/advanced in all grades assessed in both reading and math;
•    93 to 100 percent of the students assessed in Grades three through eight were proficient/advanced in Reading
•    93 to 100 percent of the students assessed in Grades three through eight were proficient/advanced in Math
•    All 10th Grade students enrolled and assessed in St. Mary’s County Public Schools scored proficient/advanced in math and reading.

The following schools posted 100 percent proficient/advanced scores for their assessed students in both reading and math:

•    Benjamin Banneker Elementary
•    Green Holly Elementary
•    Park Hall Elementary
•    Piney Point Elementary
•    Ridge Elementary
•    Esperanza Middle School
•    Spring Ridge Middle School
•    Great Mills High School

“These results demonstrate our high expectation for all students,” said Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools.  “These results are also a testimony to the hard work of our students, the support of our parents, and the outstanding work of our entire staff.”

Teachers and Administrators are extremely pleased with the resulting scores.  This level of achievement demonstrates that the continued focused efforts in staff development, curriculum alignment, collaboration, and data collection are resulting in substantial student achievement for all students in St. Mary’s County Public Schools.