MSDE Education Bulletin, December 18, 2015

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     December 18, 2015                | MSDE Home | Newsroom | MDReportcard.org | School Improvement |

SIX MARYLAND BLUE RIBBONS AWARDED

Six public schools this week were selected as 2016 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools.

The schools are:

Arnold Elementary School, Anne Arundel County

Pasadena Elementary School, Anne Arundel County

George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology, Baltimore County

Hereford High School, Baltimore County

North Harford Elementary School, Harford County

White Marsh Elementary School, St. Mary’s County

Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools flag


“The Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools represent the outstanding accomplishments of public schools throughout our State,” said Interim State Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith. “The students, teachers, administrators, and communities work together to make these schools something special, and they deserve recognition and celebration.”  

The schools are recognized on the basis of rigorous State and national requirements for high achievement and significant improvement. The students in each of these schools are high achievers in reading and mathematics, and several of these schools also serve a significant number of economically disadvantaged students and students for whom English is a second language.

The schools will be invited by the U.S. Department of Education to apply to be National Blue Ribbon Schools.  With underwriting and gift sponsors, each school will receive a Maryland Blue Ribbon Flag, a $2000 monetary prize, $1000 of office supplies, interactive technology equipment, and a school Congratulations Party.  Underwriting sponsors include BGE, Comcast, Dimension U, Mrs. Fields, NTA Life, Rudolph’s Office Supply, SMART Technologies, and State Farm Insurance.  A dinner in Annapolis will be held in honor of the winning schools this coming spring, as each Blue Ribbon School will be honored by the Maryland House of Delegates and the Senate.

A gallery of the new Blue Ribbon recipients can be found on the MSDE Facebook page.


ASSESSMENT SCORES SET BASELINE FOR GRADES 3-8

Data released this month for Maryland’s new elementary and middle school assessments set a new baseline that will help to gauge whether students are on track for the next grade. The data were presented on Dec. 8 to the Maryland State Board of Education.

Nearly 40 percent of students in grades 3-8 taking the PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy Assessments last spring scored at a Level 4 and 5 combined – the two highest levels on the PARCC five-point score scale. Nearly 30 percent of elementary and middle school students attained Level 4 and 5 combined in the mathematics assessment.  For students in grades 3 through 8, achieving Level 4 or 5 indicates readiness for coursework in English and math at the next grade, with the goal of preparing students to enter college or career upon graduation.  The scores required to meet these thresholds were determined over the summer by Maryland educators and their peers around the country.

“These initial results provide a new springboard for Maryland students, as we continue our work to better prepare them for what lies ahead,” said Interim State Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith.  “We have set the bar high, and this data reflects that. These results should be viewed in combination with other measures when assessing student progress.”

The initial score results for elementary and middle school mirror those released earlier for the PARCC high school assessments in English 10, algebra I and algebra II.  Nearly 40 percent of high school students taking the PARCC English 10 assessment last spring scored at a Level 4 and 5 combined, while more than 30 percent of high school students attained Level 4 and 5 combined in algebra I.  More than 20 percent of students scored at a Level 4 and 5, combined, on the new algebra II test.

Test results show some variations between grades.  Eighth grade English scores were the best, with 40.4 percent of students scoring a 4 or 5, while 6th grade scores were the lowest, with 36.1 percent of students scoring a 4 or 5.  Variations were more pronounced in mathematics, where 36.4 percent of 3rd graders scored 4 or 5 in mathematics, but just 21.3 percent of 7th graders scored a 4 or 5.

Significant score differences exist between student subgroups.  For example:

PARCC Mathematics, Grades 3-8: Overall, 29 percent of students scored at a level 4 and 5 combined; African American students, 13 percent scored at a level 4 and 5; Asian students, 60.7 percent scored at a 4 and 5; Hispanic students, 16.1 percent scored at a 4 and 5; White students, 42.4 percent scored at a 4 and 5; and students of Two or More Races, 34.3 percent scored at a 4 and 5.

Among students receiving special services, 5.5 percent of special education students scored at a level 4 and 5 combined; 4.7 percent of limited English proficient students scored at a 4 and 5; and 12.9 percent of students receiving free or reduced price meals (the federal proxy for poverty) scored at a 4 and 5.

PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy: Overall, 38.9 percent of students scored at a level 4 and 5 combined; African American students, 22.7 percent scored at a 4 and 5; Asian students, 65.3 percent scored at a 4 and 5; Hispanic students, 24.4 percent scored at a 4 and 5; White students, 52.4 scored at 4 and 5; Two or More Races, 46 percent scored at a 4 and 5.  Among students receiving special services, 6.3 percent of special education students scored a 4 and 5 combined; 3.1 percent of limited English proficient students scored a 4 and 5; and 20.3 of students receiving free or reduced price meals scored a 4 and 5.

Results from the PARCC assessments will not be used for student or educator accountability this year.  In the coming months, the State Board will determine how the data will be used going forward.

Complete PARCC elementary and middle school results for Maryland students is available at  MdReportCard.org.


A few words from Interim State Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith

nterim State Superintendent of Schools Jack R. Smith


Interim State Superintendent of Schools
Jack R. Smith


Say goodbye to No Child Left Behind and hello to the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act completed last week was long overdue, and we are delighted a long-term, stable, federal education policy is now in effect. The new Every Student Succeeds Act provides important flexibility to states and local school systems and will support us as we continue to prepare our students to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive global economy.

Maryland has long believed in the importance of strong accountability as a method of strengthening student achievement and moving our schools forward.  With a continued requirement to provide disaggregated student performance data, the new law will continue to shine a light on the academic achievement of every Maryland student, while providing the State and its 24 local school systems the flexibility to implement improvement strategies that best meet the needs of individual schools.

We appreciate the support of the Maryland delegation as the bill moved through Congress, and particularly the work of Senator Mikulski, who successfully fought efforts to change the funding formulas for aid designated for schools serving Maryland’s economically disadvantaged students.  Without her dedicated work, Maryland schools may have lost as much as $40 million.

* * *

MSDE has announced its call for nominations for the ninth annual Maryland Parent Involvement Matters Awards (PIMA).  The unique awards program honors parents and others with legal responsibility for a child whose exemplary contributions to public education have led to improvements for Maryland’s public school children, teachers, schools, programs and/or policies.

Volunteers lie at the heart of any school's accomplishments.  This awards program puts a spotlight on some amazing work by Maryland parents to strengthen student learning and the school community.  When I visit a great school, I know parents and guardians have worked collaboratively with educators to make it a success.

Take a few moments over the winter break to think about those parents who make your school and school system a better place to teach and learn.  Then nominate one of those deserving individuals for this wonderful recognition.

2016 Maryland Parent Involvement Matters Award nominees must be parents or legal guardians of children attending Maryland public schools, and cannot be employees of MSDE or the Maryland public school system. Twenty four semifinalists will be selected – one parent from each of the 23 Maryland counties and one from Baltimore City.  Of the semifinalists, five finalists and one statewide winner will be named at an award celebration hosted by in the spring of 2016.

Nomination forms are currently available and can be downloaded at www.MarylandPublicSchools.org/pima.  Nominations must be postmarked by Friday, January 29, 2016.       


Video Highlights

aryland names six 2015-16 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools.

Maryland names six 2015-16 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools.

Maryland names six 2015-16 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools. All six are called to MSDE headquarters on the premise of a policy discussion. Watch the announcement!


Julie Harp - Presidential Awardee

Julie Harp - Presidential Awardee

Julie Harp, 8th grade teacher at Mace's Lane ES in Dorchester County, talks about the experience of being nominated, applying for, and winning one of two awards in Maryland for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.


James Schafer - Presidential Awardee

James Schafer - Presidential Awardee

James Schafer, Physics teacher at Montgomery Blair HS, talks about winning the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, about the nomination and application process, and the need for more STEM teachers.


Why Measure Progress?

Why Measure Progress?

Greg Pecoraro, Executive Director of the BWI Business Partnership talks about why it is important students be tested and measured.


Calendar

January 13 - 2016 Maryland General Assembly Opens

January 26 - Maryland State Board of Education Meeting


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