County's Test Scores Rise in Every Grade

Schools Officials Attribute Gains on MSA Exams to Individualized Approach

Anne Arundel County students improved their scores at every grade level on this spring's Maryland School Assessment exams, according to data released this month by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Overall, 86 percent of Anne Arundel students scored proficient or better in reading, a gain of four percentage points from last year, and 84 percent did so in math, an increase of three points. The numbers also beat the 82 percent of students statewide who were proficient in reading this year and the 76 percent statewide proficient in math.

Students in grades 3 through 8 have taken the reading and math exams for the past six years. County teachers and administrators attributed recent gains to an individualized approach to raising scores.

"The thing we think had the most impact on the rise in scores is the focus on the student," said Bob Mosier, public information officer for Anne Arundel County public schools. "We have spent a lot of time over the past year taking data and honing down to what are the needs of the student, and that is what we think is paying off here."

Countywide results reflect that effort. In reading, the percentage of students receiving advanced or proficient scores increased for each grade. Seventh-graders had the largest changes, with a nine percentage point increase in reading and a 7.4 percentage point gain in math. The only decrease was in fifth-grade math, with a drop of 0.3 percentage point.

Among schools, Eastport Elementary in Annapolis achieved the largest gain on any single test, with a 40.4 percentage point increase in fifth-grade reading. At Belle Grove Elementary in Brooklyn Park, fourth-grade math scores rose 23 percentage points.

Lynne Evans, Eastport's principal, credited the individualized approach for her students' tremendous gain.

"Within the MSA tests, there are various scores," she explained. "For example, vocabulary and comprehension. Our teachers look within these categories and conduct interventions until we feel the student has a handle on that particular skill. That has become a strength."

Besides helping students home in on a particular study area, administrators and teachers have been working to understand a student's cultural background to deliver lesson plans more effectively. That includes understanding how they learn at home and how likely they are to participate in class discussions.

"What works for one student does not necessarily work for another," Mosier said. "I think the more you can understand the culture of a given student, the better you can build the relationship with that student and the better you can connect. It is a significant tool in the toolbox."

Mosier acknowledged, however, that achievement gaps have still not been eliminated.

For example, African American middle school students in the county scored 8.6 percentage points higher in reading and 3.9 percentage points higher in math then they did last year. However, 66.6 percent of African American middle school students attained proficiency or better on the reading exam and 57 percent passed math, compared with 86.5 percent of white students who passed reading and 85.2 percent who passed math. For Asian students, the figures were 89.9 percent in reading and 91.3 percent in math.

"Our goal is to have 100 percent of students proficient or advanced on the MSA in every grade in every subject. But that should not overshadow that the trend here is very encouraging," Mosier said.