PARCC Test Score Results Show 'Steady Improvement' in 2016: HoCo Superintendent

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Students in Howard County made the grade when it came to standardized testing this year, according to results released this week.

State education officials released scores from the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) test, designed to measure whether students are on track for college and careers. The test uses a point system, with 5 being the highest. Scores of 4 and 5 indicate students are on track, officials said.

Students in Howard County tended to outperform the state average, most notably in math.

In elementary school math, 57.2 percent of Howard pupils were on track (scoring 4 and 5), versus 39.1 percent statewide. The students in Howard County also marked an improvement of more than 7 percentage points since last year's tests.

In high school algebra I, 56.7 percent of Howard County students were on track, versus 35.6 percent of Maryland students as a whole. This year's results indicated a gain of 10.8 percentage points for Howard County students since the 2015 test.

The PARCC test also includes an English and language arts component, where middle school students in particular outshone their peers statewide.

Approximately 53.5 percent of Howard County middle school test takers were on track in the English department, versus 38.4 statewide. Middle schoolers in Howard County improved 3.7 percentage points since the 2015 results.

The PARCC was introduced in the 2014–2015 school year as a way to measure skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and writing to determine whether students would be prepared for careers.

“The steady improvement in our students’ scores underscores our progress in preparing students for lifelong success." Superintendent Renee Foose said in a statement.

Here is the full release from Howard County Public School System:

"Howard County public school students continue to perform at levels that significantly outpace their peers across Maryland, as reflected in scores on the 2016 PARCC assessments released today by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Overall scores in nearly every category showed measureable improvement over the prior year.

"The PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) assessment is aligned to the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards. Introduced during the 2014–2015 school year, the tests measure learning to high standards and emphasize the need for students to demonstrate critical thinking, problem solving and clear writing skills. PARCC assessments were designed to more accurately determine if students are on track to graduate high school prepared to succeed in college and careers without remediation.
PARCC uses a five-point score scale. Students performing at levels 4 and 5 are considered on track for college and career readiness.

'PARCC scores provide valuable insight into student growth over time, and help teachers and parents monitor and support academic achievement,' said Superintendent Renee A. Foose. 'The steady improvement in our students’ scores underscores our progress in preparing students for lifelong success.'

"Testing at the elementary and middle school levels includes English/language arts (ELA) and mathematics. In this second year of PARCC testing, ELA results held steady for Grades 3–5 with 54 percent of students achieving at levels 4 and 5 combined, 14.9 percentage points above the state average of 39.1 percent.
At 53.5 percent, ELA results for Grades 6–8 outpaced the state average by 15.1 percentage points, and showed improvement of 3.7 percentage points over 2015 results.

"In mathematics, 57.2 percent of HCPSS elementary students performed at levels 4 and 5 combined, a rise of 7.1 percentage points above scores last year and outpacing the 39.3 percent Maryland average by nearly 18 percentage points.

"Middle school mathematics scores also showed significant improvement, with 50.7 percent of students achieving or exceeding college readiness targets, compared to 45.9 percent last year. Middle school grade level math scores are not comparable at the state level, because a large proportion of students begin advanced level mathematics in these grades, and course sequence practices vary widely among school systems.

"Test results at the high school level show HCPSS students making rapid gains in mathematics and ELA achievement, and continuing to outpace their Maryland peers. Participation in PARCC Algebra I and English 10 tests are required to meet Maryland graduation requirements.

"On the Algebra I assessment, 56.7 percent of HCPSS students achieved at levels 4 and 5 combined, an improvement of 10.8 percentage points over last year, and 21.1 percentage points above the state average.
On the English 10 assessment, 58.8 percent of HCPSS are at levels 4 and 5 combined, an increase by 13.6 percentage points over the prior year, and exceeding the Maryland average by 14.4 percentage points.
HCPSS educators use PARCC scoring to assess student progress, along with other indicators such as reading benchmarks in elementary grades, MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) in middle school, and SAT and Advanced Placement scores and participation in high school. PARCC score reports provide specific feedback on areas where students need additional support or challenge.

"PARCC tests are also unique in that they evaluate real world skills that are essential to career and college readiness, such as solving problems and constructing effective written responses, which are not assessed through most other formal measures.

"The full results are available at http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov."