Assessments Show BCPS Has Room For Literacy Improvement

TOWSON, MD - From Baltimore County Public Schools: While more students in Baltimore County Public Schools made gains in English language arts and college and career readiness, literacy demands are a clear challenge, according to data presented to the Board of Education of Baltimore County at their meeting on September 26, 2017.

“This report provides a full, robust picture of student performance across assessments and grade levels to guide our next steps,” said BCPS Interim Superintendent Verletta White. “We can see the need for literacy across the disciplines, and I appreciate how teachers and administrators are already embracing this priority.”

The gains in growth and achievement are despite fewer students deemed ready for Kindergarten on the state assessment, poverty rates that are above state averages, and higher expectations for student performance in reading and mathematics based on college and career-ready standards.

The report analyzed student growth and achievement from Kindergarten through Grade 12 on multiple measures: the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, the Partnership for Assessment of

Readiness for College and Careers, the Measures of Academic Progress, the Pre-Scholastic Aptitude Test, and the SAT – Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 demonstrated consistent gains in reading and mathematics.

In upper elementary (Grades 3-5), achievement in English language arts improved, while math results were mixed. Students in “Lighthouse” schools outperformed the state average in both reading and mathematics. BCPS Lighthouse schools were the first to personalize learning through intensive professional development and 1:1 student devices.

Students in Grades 6-8 increased or remained stable in English language arts, but results in mathematics were mixed on one assessment and showed declines on another.

Achievement increased at Grade 10 in English language arts for all racial and ethnic subgroups. More graduating seniors took the SAT, and achievement increased in evidence-based reading and writing and mathematics overall and for all subgroups of students.

More students are preparing for career success by taking Career and Technology Education (CTE) courses, completing CTE pathways that include rigorous coursework and work-based learning opportunities, and meeting industry certification standards.

While the BCPS graduation rate continues to increase, college-going rates have remained stable, and more students are enrolling in their second year of college.

To increase achievement and close gaps, BCPS is focusing on curriculum and professional learning in both English language arts and mathematics. The system’s priority on literacy will help students solve complex mathematical problems in context, as well as access complex texts across subject areas.

The presentation was jointly prepared by the Department of Research, Accountability, and Assessment, and the Division of Curriculum and Instruction. It is available on Board Docs.

Image via Baltimore County Public Schools