Bloomfield Hills Students Rank at or Near Top of County on MME, ACT Scores

Proficiency scores for students in the Bloomfield Hills Schools that took the Michigan Merit Exam dipped in most areas compared to last year, but still remain well above the state and county averages.

Data released today by the Michigan Department of Education shows students at and the dropped in all areas, except writing, which remained static with last year.

The exam assesses students in eleventh grade based on Michigan high school standards, according to the Michigan Department of Education. This year's test, administered in the spring, takes into account new 'cut scores' – the passing scores that distinguish between whether a student is advanced, proficient, partially proficient or not proficient in certain subjects - adopted by the State Board of Education in September. 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 as was the previous benchmark.

The scores were the top reason local officials said accounted for the changes, which they emphasized still made the district among top performers in the region.

“In all four content areas we continue to rank at or near the top of Oakland County,” said Laurie McCarty, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in the BHS. “We believe that opportunities create possibilities for students and our staff works very hard to create opportunities for each child to be personally successful."

McCarty added that each building is carefully examining the data to determine gaps between the state assessment and instruction. However, she cautioned that the MEAP and MME tests are only two of several measures used to ensure that students are making academic progress. 

"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 about 90% of students attending their first choice colleges upon graduation,” she said.

Statewide, student achievement on the 2012 Michigan Merit Examination (MME) shows positive one-year gains and even larger four-year gains in mathematics, reading, writing, and science, the Michigan Department of Education reported today. The overall composite scores for Michigan high school juniors on the ACT college-entrance exam also increased for the fourth consecutive year, as did the percentage of Michigan students who are career- and college-ready.

The improved results demonstrates the success of the reforms enacted regarding test scores, officials said.

“The impact of having students engage in the rigorous Michigan Merit Curriculum is evident here,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. “When students have the benefit of learning higher-level subject material, more will become career- and college-ready and prepared for success.

“We have to make sure we keep motivating all students with a challenging curriculum, and not give in to thinking that our kids just can’t do it. They can and they are.”

A Parent Report outlining individual student achievement on the MME is provided for each student tested. Schools are directed to distribute the MME Parent Report to parents/guardians as soon as possible after printed hard copy reports are received at the school.

According to data released by The Michigan Department of Education, in November, student averages at Andover, Lahser and the International Academy would fluctuate and likely drop if new requirements implemented by the state would have been in place last year.

2012 Bloomfield Hills Schools MME Scores

Compared to State Averages (Percent of students who scored proficient or above)

College Preparation

The cut score changes did not impact the ACT. Each building, and the district overall showed a miniscule increase from last year in the ACT in all subjects, and remained well ahead of the state average.

All data provided by the Michigan Department of Education.