2011 MEAP Scores: Bloomfield Hills Students Top State Averages

 

Students in the continue to outpace statewide scores in the annual MEAP tests, according to test results released today for the fall of 2011.

Statewide, Michigan students also saw positive gains on the MEAP compared with the previous year, a report from the Michigan Department of Education stated Wednesday. This despite there being a dip in scores across the board due to a change in scoring.

The change impacted scores at all three district high schools, where ninth-grade overall proficiency fell from 68 percent to 64 percent.

The largest drop occurred at , where scores fell by roughly 10 percent to 46.4 percent profieciently, the report shows. At the renowned student scores slipped from 84.6 percent proficient to 79.3. Scores at actually increased, albeit incrementally, from 50.9 percent to 51.1 percent.

During the MEAP exam, taken during fall 2011, students in grades 3-9 were tested in math, reading, writing, social studies and/or science depending on the grade level.

Across Michigan, there was an average  3 percentage point increase in the percentage of students who were proficient in the subject, while math saw an average 1 percentage point increase.

When broken out by grade, all grades saw an increase in math and almost all — except for the state's third-graders — saw an increase in reading.

"We have a lot of room to grow, but this is a positive step," said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. "I am very confident that we have professionals in our classrooms who will continue to step up to the challenge of preparing our students to achieve at higher levels."

Approach with Caution

Top of mind concerning this year's MEAP results was the . These cut scores represented career- and college-ready achievement standards and define the cut-off point for the various levels of proficiency on MEAP test: advanced, proficient, partially proficient and not proficient.

The cut scores – the passing scores that distinguish between whether a student is advanced, proficient, partially proficient or not proficient in certain subjects - were adopted by the State Board of Education in September 2010. With the more rigorous cut scores, students need to get roughly 65 percent of the answers correct to “pass” the state test, instead of only 39 percent that was the previous benchmark.

In a letter posted on the district's website, Bloomfield Hills Superintendent Rob Glass highlighted some efforts underway to address the new score criteria.

"Our instructional staff has already begun to look at ways to assure all students meet the new state level of proficiency,'" Glass wrote. "Each BHS building is carefully examining its data to determine gaps between the state
assessment and instruction."

He also noted that the district has begun to implement national curriculum standards called the Common Core Standards, and that the scores should improve as those changes take hold. That can still happen while not focusing instruction toward the exams.

"The BHS community does not want our schools to teach to the
test," he said. "In fact, we continue to see positive results from BHS students on a variety of measures, with some of the highest ACT scores in the state and most students attending their first choice colleges upon graduation."

Glass also cautioned that the MEAP and Michigan Merit Exam (MME) test results are merely two indicators of academic achievement, and that the new score guidelines will not impact the ACT portion of the MME.

The letter also referred parents with more questions about the score changes to a video produced by Wayne RESA titled, "Understanding the New Michigan Cut Scores," which is available online here.

 

Fall 2011 MEAP scores

The charts reflect the percentage of all Bloomfield Hills Schools students that met or exceeded state standards, as compared with those same percentages in 2010. Adjusted 2010 percentages reflect what last year's percentages would have been under the new cut scores.

Grade 3

Math Reading Met or Exceeded —  2011 63.5
83.5
Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 63.8
78.2

Grade 4

Math Reading Met or Exceeded —  2011 69.6
83
Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 70.2
84.2

Grade 5

  Math Reading Met or Exceeded —  2011 71.5
88.3
Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 76.3
86.4

Grade 6

  Math Reading Met or Exceeded —  2011 78.4
87.5
Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 72
84.6

Grade 7

  Math Reading Met or Exceeded —  2011 72.5
81.6
Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 71.7
81.2

Grade 8

Math Reading Met or Exceeded —  2011 69.2
84.9
Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 75.2 83.7

Grade 9

 
Met or Exceeded —  2011 64

Met or Exceeded — 2010 (adjusted) 68.2