Schools
State Releases MSA Scores
Broadneck area once again performs well above county average. Two local schools don't meet Adequate Yearly Progress targets with specific groups.
Throughout the county, schools saw Maryland School Assessment (MSA) scores rise across student groups, but the number of elementary and middle schools meeting state Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets fell for the second year in a row, according a press release from Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS). The release is based on data from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) that was made available Wednesday.
Of the 100 schools in Anne Arundel County, 24 did not make AYP this year, including Broadneck Elementary for their limited English proficiency group in reading and Magothy River for scores of special education and low income students in math.
"While we are certainly disappointed with missing AYP within the slightest of margins, we are confident it does not impact the overall academic excellence that occurs within the schoolhouse walls," said Broadneck Elementary Principal Allison Lee. "Our staff will work to ensure we address the area of concern to meet the needs of all learners. The overall MSA performance yielded many successes."
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Seven of the county’s 19 middle schools made AYP this year, which is an increase of two more schools than in 2010. However, only 67 of the county’s 78 elementary schools made AYP in 2011—five fewer than last year.
“The standards continue to rise, and as the proficiency standard approaches 100 percent, we are seeing schools that had long been above the bar fall below it,” AACPS Superintendent Kevin M. Maxwell said in the release. “That is the case not just in our county, but across the state. The challenge for us, and for all districts, is to address the individual issues that exist at schools quickly so that our schools do not move into the School Improvement Process, but rather move above the bar for good.”
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Thirteen schools have been placed in a local monitoring phase in the process, which means AACPS staff will work with these schools to improve students’ performance. It is the first time many of these schools have not made AYP but all of them have made AYP for at least the last two years, said schools spokesman Bob Mosier.
The other schools in the local monitoring phase are: George T. Cromwell, Glen Burnie Park, Hebron-Harman, High Point, Jacobsville, Maryland City, Oakwood, Rippling Woods, Seven Oaks and Van Bokkelen elementary schools and Old Mill South middle school.
If schools continue to miss targets, they advance to other phases of the process until they make AYP two years in a row. The final phase, after two levels of school improvement and corrective action, is restructuring.
Eleven schools that did not make AYP this year are in various phases of the School Improvement Process: Arundel, Chesapeake Bay, MacArthur, Meade, George Fox, Marley, Corkran, Old Mill North, Annapolis and Brooklyn Park middle schools and the J. Albert Adams Academy special school.
Southern and Wiley H. Bates middle schools are in different phases of school improvement but made AYP this year. If they make AYP again next year, they will no longer be in the School Improvement Process.
According to the release, there were sharp gains among special education students with middle school passing scores rising 5.7 points in reading and 5.3 points in math, and elementary school passing scores rising by 3.4 points in math and 2 points in reading.
"Our school system's dedication to maximizing meaningful access and promoting accelerated learning through differentiated instruction is evident in these assessment results," said AACPS Director of Special Education Mary Tillar. "Our educators and employees should be commended for their efforts in promoting educational excellence by believing in the unlimited potential of every single child.”
Notes on Broadneck School Scores
– Good news for the most part at AES. Scores went up in every category but one, and AES reached 100% in four categories.
- Third and fourth grade scores went up significantly (five and six points) but went down just slightly in fifth grade.
– Scores were up in every category but fourth grade reading.
– A roller coaster ride of scores, with third grade scores down, fourth grade up, and fifth grade splitting. Their fifth grade math scores were up 7 points, a Broadneck area high.
– Scores were up in all categories except third grade reading and fifth grade math (which went down 10 points).
– Scores were down in sixth and seventh grade, but up in eighth grade.
– Scores were up in every category but eighth grade math (and sixth grade reading with no change).
2011 MSA Scores
School
3rd Reading
3rd Math
4th Reading
4th Math
5th Reading
5th Math
Arnold
97.9
100
98.6
100
100
100
Belvedere
97.2
97.2
97.8
98.9
96.3
88.8
Broadneck
95.4
96.1
94.5
99.1
98.4
95.2
Cape St. Claire
93.7
94.5
99
99
94.6
98.2
Windsor Farm
92.9
99
95.8
97.9
98.7
86.9
School
6th Reading
6th Math
7th Reading
7th Math
8th Reading
8th Math
Magothy River
90.5
89.7
92.1
90
97.8
88.5
Severn River
93.8
93.5
97.3
94
94.7
82
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