Schools

Raising the Bar on the MEAP — 2010 Score Comparison Forshadows Large Drops

Hartland educators use analysis based on 2010 figures to target students for improvement.

As students across Hartland bubble in their answers on the MEAP test this week, educators already have an idea of how well students might do with new tougher state grading standards.

It won't be pretty — based on a school district analysis of how 2010 scores would have fared against 2011 goals approved last month by the state Board of Education.

In third-grade math, for instance, instead of having 98 percent of students meeting or achieving standards only 39 percent would — an eye-popping drop of 59 percentage points.

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That's potentially a shocker for parents who last year saw 100 percent passing at and elementary schools. In fact, when counting other subjects. (See charts below, for a building-level comparisons).

With the tougher grading standards are designed to shift the education system from a model more based on preparing students for manufacturing to one focused on career and college readiness, educators say parents should expect this year to be a transitional one as both teachers and the test itself evolves toward even tougher standards in the future.

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School officials said they compared the 2010 numbers, presented at a recent board meeting, to identify students who were passing before but would fail now so they could help and show what parents should expect when results are released this spring.

"This will be important to get out to the parents," said Trustee Michelle Hutchinson after seeing the analysis, adding they need to know the context of 40-50 percentage point anticipated declines.

District officials presented the data as part of a broad presentation of all the district's assessments — which range from snapshot tests and daily checking with students on learning to a more longterm analysis. This more in-depth academic tracking they say, is the key to improvement and presents a more balanced picture of classrooms and individuals.

Coupled with the MEAP score analysis, it provides the district with the opportunity to identify students individually to provide them additional help. But Laurie Mayes, Hartland's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said it'll take time to make inroads. She said the new standards were only first known in March and there hasn't been a lot of time to focus on students who would have previously met MEAP standards.

"Will be there are drop? There still will be a drop," Mayes said. "We're not curing that in a few months. We're we're hoping to catch a few of them in that short period. Would we like it to be not that bad? Absolutely."

Superintendent Janet Sifferman also cautioned board members that while the new goals of MEAP are designed for students to compete nationally, they only provide a glimpse of reality. She added that's why the district's assessments, which aren't done as extensively by most districts, are valuable despite their cost and time.

"We do educate the whole child," Sifferman said. "Our teachers are checking for understanding on a daily basis. When you take the MEAP test or you taket the (Michigan Merit Exam) test, you might have had a bad day, you might have got into a fight with your parents as you walked out the door or you might have been sick or you might not had breakfast or whatever.

"We have to remember that also and that's why we rely on the professionals in the classroom and that's our teachers to give us the information."

Applying the New MEAP standards to 2010 scores Hartland elementary schools Third-grade reading Creekside
Lakes Round Village District Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 100 92 100 93 96 New Standard 85 73 93 71 80 Difference -15 -19 -7 -22 -16





Third-grade math Creekside Lakes Round Village District Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 97 96 100 100 98 New Standard 40 36 46 36 39 Difference -57 -60 -54 -64 -59





Fourth-grade reading Creekside Lakes Round Village District Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 97 97 97 95 96 New Standard 85 88 93 80 87 Difference -12 -9 -4 -15 -9





Fourth-grade math Creekside Lakes Round Village District Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 99 97 100 100 99 New Standard 77 55 69 65 68 Difference -22 -42 -31 -35 -31 Source: Hartland School District

 

Fifth-grade — Farms Intermediate School
Reading Math Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 94 91 New Standard 82 50 Difference -12 -41


Sixth-grade — Farms Intermediate School Reading Math Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 95 98 New standard 82 70 Difference -13 -28


Seventh-grade — Hartland Middle School
Reading Math Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 93 95 New standard 80 66 Difference -13 -29


Eighth-grade — Hartland Middle School Reading Math Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 91 88 New standard 68 39 Difference -23 -49 Source: Hartland School District

 

Applying the New MME standards to 2010 scores   Hartland High School MME (Taken in March)
Reading Math Percent Passing or Better — Old Standard 78 71 New standard 69 52 Difference -9 -19 Source: Hartland School District


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