Carroll County high school students raised their English 2 high school assessments scores slightly in 2006 from 2005, but next year?s scores will really count, school administrators said.
“Our numbers went up 2 points, but we don?t know that that means anything,” said Greg Bricca, director of research and accountability for the school system. He said students must pass this test next year to graduate.
The county plans to officially release the scores to the School Board next month.
The 2006 scores reflect the first year when all English 2 students in Carroll took the test, making it difficult to compare these figures to the 2005 scores, in which only half of the sophomores took the test, Bricca said.
However, the 2006 results will provide a standard to compare next year?s scores, he said. Bricca said he expects to see a jump in the scores next year. That was the case with the other high school assessment subjects ? biology, government and algebra.
According to the state Department of Education?s school report card Web site, the results of the 2005-06 English 2 tests were available Sept. 7.
Department spokesman Bill Reinhard said the state chose not to issue a news release about the results because “it wasn?t really an important test this year.”
“The English 2 tests were taken mostly by sophomores who don?t have to pass the test to graduate,” Reinhard said.
Beginning with the Class of 2009 ? this year?s sophomores ? students are required to pass all four high school assessment tests in English, biology, government and algebra in order to receive a Maryland high school diploma.
The English 2 high school assessment scores are also part of the criteria used to determine whether high schools have met their progress goals under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Examiner Staff Writer Stephanie Tracy contributed to this article.
BY THE NUMBERS
The results of the 2006 English 2 High School Assessments for the Carroll County Public Schools are presented below with the percent passing for each high school in 2005 and 2006.
» Maryland
2005: 57.3 percent
2006: 60.1 percent
» County
2005: 71.4 percent
2006: 73.6 percent
» Century
2005: 70.4 percent
2006: 80.2 percent
» Francis Scott Key
2005: 64.5 percent
2006: 70.2 percent
» Liberty
2005: 73.2 percent
2006: 67.7 percent
» North Carroll
2005: 76.1 percent
2006: 78.8 percent
» South Carroll
2005: 72.7 percent
2006: 69.9 percent
» Westminster
2005: 69 percent
2006: 79 percent
» Winters Mill
2005: 82.7 percent
2006: 72 percent
Source: www.mdreportcard.org
