Mixed Merit Exam Results Will Bring Action from Dearborn District

Recently released showed both good and bad news for Dearborn Public Schools, which saw all of its three high schools –the benchmark put into place by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The three high schools–, and –did not make AYP because of individual scores in student subgroups, including disabled and English-language learners. However, the district’s scores still maintained an edge over the scores they had five years ago, which is a positive trend, officials said.

Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston said the results mean the district has a lot of hard work ahead of it this year to bring the scores up to the level expected by the state, which is 100 percent proficiency.

“Each school, after looking at the data, works with parents, teachers, community members then submits a School Improvement Plan, (and) we then send a group of administrators twice a year to visit the schools to see if they are implementing their plan and to see if it improving student performance,” he said.

An action plan is in place that will require monitoring from district officials, Whiston said.

Whiston and his associate superintendents will then visit each school 10 times to see if the plan is working or if adjustments need to be made, Whiston said. Part of the improvement plan includes setting objectives and feedback and using proven teaching tools.

High Schools by the Numbers

The high schools saw more declines than they did increases, but the program students saw significant increases.

At Edsel Ford, reading scores decreased from 71 percent of students testing at or above proficiency in 2010 to 55 percent in 2011. Writing scores inched down slightly during the same period, from 45 percent in 2010 to 43 percent in 2011. Math scores decreased four percentage points from 52 percent last year to 48 percent this year. Science scores saw a 2 percent drop from 61 to 59 percent, and social studies scores dropped 11 percent, from 86 percent to 75 percent.

Fordson’s scores brought one bright spot in the category of writing, which increased four percentage points for 35 percent in 2011. Math decreased in 2011 from 47 percent in 2010 to 40 percent this year; science decreased from 45 percent in 2010 to 40 percent in 2011; and science decreased by five percentage points from 68 percent to 63 percent this year.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was a big decrease in Fordson’s reading scores, which declined by 14 percentage points from 60 percent in 2010 to 46 percent in 2011.

Dearborn High’s numbers also saw one number that did not decline. In 2010 and 2011, 54 percent of students performed at or above proficiency levels in writing.

Other scores, however, saw decreases. Reading scores declined 10 percentage points, from 79 in 2010 to 69 in 2011. Math scores inched down from 61 percent in 2010 to 58 percent in 2011; science scores decreased by 7 percentage point from 68 to 61 percent; and social studies declined 8 percentage points from 87 percent in 2010 to 79 percent in 2011.

The best news came from the Henry Ford Early College, which saw increases in every category.

The percentage of students performing at a proficient level doubled in both writing and math, with 51 percent of students passing the writing potion in 2011, versus 22 percent in 2010. In 2011, 59 percent of students passed the math test, up 37 percentage points from the previous year.

Science scores increased from 41 percent in 2010 to 67 percent in 2011; reading scores increase 8 percent, to 67 percent this year, and social studies scores increase from 76 percent last year to 90 percent this year.

This year, there were several factors pulling at the subgroups, including the fact that students are now attending classes that meet newly-implemented graduation requirements, which means fewer students took the merit exam in 2011, Whiston said. Also, a group of about 200 seniors took the test in 2011 if they did not have enough credits to qualify as juniors in the previous year, he added.

Kathy Klee, the assessment coordinator for the district, said the schools' scores were higher in terms of an overall trend for the district, which shows increases the remain above 2007 rankings

“We’re seeing some nice increases,” she said.

She added that the large percentage of English-language learners also affected the scores.

“Our subgroups will continue to need the additional support and all we can do to address the achievement gap,” she said.

Reactions

Board members had varied reactions to the scores after a presentation at a recent board meeting.

Trustee Aimee Blackburn said the scores are not a true indicator of what’s happening at the district because different students take the test each year.

“I have to reinstate my annual discontent with how we have to present these numbers ... I think it’s ridiculous that we’re testing this year’s 11th graders over last year’s 11th graders.”

Trustee Mary Lane said the decision by the state to drop the English Language Arts test was one that hurt scores.

“Why can’t we decide what to test kids on?” she asked.

Whiston said that the implementation will address some of the shortfalls.

“We’ll never be happy until we’re leading the state in all areas of student performance,” he said.