Report Says Black Pupils Gaining, but Gaps Persist

More Are Graduating; Suspension Rates High

Black students at Howard County's public schools continue to make progress in key academic areas, including fourth-grade reading scores and high school graduation rates, according to an annual report card issued by the local branch of the NAACP.

Yet much work remains to help all black students meet Maryland standards and mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which requires that every pupil demonstrate educational proficiency by the 2013-14 school year.

Howard's black students still show high suspension rates and lagging attendance in middle and high schools, struggle to pass state high school tests in key subjects and garner lower math scores across the board, according to the study. The Howard County NAACP has prepared a report card every year since 2000 as part of a national effort to boost achievement among black students.

This year's report "shows a great deal of progress," said Natalie Woodson, chairman of the Howard County NAACP's education committee. But, she added, "We have a long way to go."

Poorer districts are often where the achievement gaps are the most evident, she said. "That is one of the things we have to address: to make sure the disparities are not hampering our children from success," Woodson said.

School district officials, who also compile data on the performance of minority students, agreed with the NAACP assessment.

"The information is not new to us, but they have compiled it in a way that makes it very easy for everyone to see where we've had success and where there is still work to be done," said schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan.

For the report card, every public school in the county was issued a series of grades ranging from A to F, based on the performance of black students at key grade levels on state standardized tests. An A grade was achieved when 90 percent or more of students showed proficiency on standardized tests for their grade level. An F signified that 54 percent or fewer showed proficiency. Schools were graded on attendance and suspension rates as well, with high schools also receiving grades for graduation and dropout rates.

Fifty-five of the 68 county schools received a grade of A in one or more areas, noted Woodson, up from 48 last year.

Four of 37 elementary schools -- Bellows Spring, Triadelphia Ridge and Waverly in Ellicott City, and Clemens Crossing in Columbia -- received grades of A-minus or above in all categories.

But others did not fare so well. Worthington Elementary in Ellicott City received two F's, based on its third-grade Maryland School Assessment test results in reading and math, though grades improved for older students. Bryant Woods in Columbia received two D's and an F, respectively, in its third-, fourth- and fifth-grade MSA math scores.

Graduation rates for African Americans in the county have risen steadily over the past five years, moving from 85.6 percent in 2002 to 90 percent in 2006, according to state figures.

Yet disciplinary problems were common at the higher grades, according to the NAACP report. At the middle and high school level, a majority of schools -- 13 of 18 middle schools and 9 of 12 high schools -- received failing marks on suspension rates. Using federal standards, the NAACP gave failing marks to schools where more than 8 percent of black students had been suspended.

At Oakland Mills Middle School, nearly 23 percent of black students were suspended, and at Marriotts Ridge High School, the suspension rate for black students was nearly 16 percent.

Oakland Mills and Wilde Lake high schools received failing scores for attendance among black students.

High School Assessment pass rates varied widely from school to school. Black students at River Hill did the best countywide, garnering three A grades based on HSA pass rates in algebra, biology and government, and a B in English. Wilde Lake students did the worst, getting an F pass rate in all four HSA subjects. Pass rates for Long Reach students rated two F's and a D-minus in three of four HSAs. Maryland students are now required to take the HSAs, and starting in 2009, they will have to pass the HSAs to graduate.

Board of Education Chairwoman Diane Mikulis praised the continuing efforts of the NAACP to keep a focus on the needs of the district's black students.

"That data is very helpful in planning interventions," she said. The findings will be discussed at a board meeting.