Maryland students? performances on the test used to determine whether No Child Left Behind standards are met have improved for the fifth consecutive year, but officials continue to focus on boosting minorities? and middle-school math scores.
All students in third through eighth grade must take the Maryland School Assessment, designed to measure their reading and math abilities, and they must score proficient on the test by 2014, under the federal No Child Left Behind law, which took effect in Maryland in 2003.
Middle school students? scores made the largest gains. Proficient reading and math scores each improved about 7 percentage points, to 79 percent and 69 percent, respectively. Last year, they increased only a few percentage points.
This year, the percentage of elementary students reaching the proficient mark improved a few points, to about 86 percent in reading and about 84 percent in math. Each score improved slightly last year, as well.
“Many students continue to score proficient, which we were not really surprised about but very pleased with,” said Leslie Wilson, the state?s assistant superintendent of accountability and assessment.
In addition, each race of students improved its test scores and continued to close the gap between Asian students, who test the best, and black students, who are at the bottom in Maryland.
State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick attributed the gains to stronger leadership in principals, statewide curriculum, rigorous education at younger ages and a partnership with universities to produce better teachers.
She said Baltimore City has improved its intervention programs, helping to improve the scores of its predominantly black student population and boost the state?s scores. Improving minorities? achievement is the state?s top priority, she said.
“This continues to be front and center for us,” Grasmick said.
It has taken five years for black students? elementary math scores to jump 33 percentage points and reach the level white students were at in 2003. Now, nearly 18 percent more white elementary students are scoring proficient in math when compared with black elementary students.
Grasmick, while “very pleased” with the state?s scores, also put an emphasis on improving math scores, which often lag behind reading scores.
About 40 percent of middle school students tested proficient in 2003. That percentage has increased over the past five years about 29 points, to 69 percent ? a steep increase, but not enough to reach other scores.
A state committee recently recommended that all middle school students complete algebra by the time they enter high school, but Grasmick said she would be reluctant to make that mandatory.
“People are saying, ?If they can?t do more fundamental math, what?s the point in requiring more?? ” Grasmick said. “We are very focused on the math standards.”
