From Harford County Public Schools:
Harford County Public Schools students continue to achieve at a high rate of proficiency on the Maryland School Assessments (MSA) taken by third through eighth graders in reading and mathematics. Close to 90 percent of elementary and middle school students are performing at a proficient level in reading, and middle school students are demonstrating equally high performance in reading and lower but improving proficiency levels in mathematics. According to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) data released today regarding the 2011 MSAs, statewide, student proficiency rates in both reading and mathematics remain high. Since 2004, proficiency rates in both content areas have improved at the elementary and middle school levels statewide and in Harford County. Increases in Harford County have been particularly great in middle school, where the proficiency rate in mathematics increased by nearly 19 points.
The MSA is the assessment administered in Maryland to meet accountability requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. In order to attain Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), all students in a school and disaggregated subgroups must achieve state-established proficiency rates, or annual measurable objectives (AMO), for both reading and mathematics. The AMOs reflect increasingly rigorous targets, leading to 100 percent proficiency by 2014. The ten distinct student sub-group areas, as defined by NCLB, include students with disabilities, students who are English Language Learners (ELL), students receiving Free and Reduced-priced Meals (FaRMS) and students categorized by seven different race/ethnicity groups. In addition, elementary and middle schools must meet the AMO for attendance rates.
In addition to high proficiency rates countywide, 18 of Harford County’s 41 elementary and middle schools achieved a 90 percent or better proficiency rate in reading and mathematics, and an additional eight schools achieved 90 percent or better proficiency in reading only. The number of students achieving advanced levels of proficiency has also grown. Since 2004, for example, the percent of advanced scores in mathematics has more than doubled in every grade. In reading, nearly or more than half the students in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 scored at the advanced level this year.
“As our schools reach the highest levels of proficiency – well into the 90’s – significant increases become more difficult to achieve,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert M. Tomback. “With that said, our administrators and teachers continue to work diligently to identify and address the needs of individual children, helping each to meet the high expectations established.”
As AMOs increase, this year reaching 85 percent in the elementary schools for reading and mathematics, exceeding 85 percent for middle school reading and reaching 79 percent for middle school mathematics, Harford County schools are making progress. This year, 75 percent of the elementary schools met AYP. Of those, four schools—Forest Hill, Fountain Green, Ring Factory, and Youth’s Benefit—achieved more than 95 percent proficiency in reading and mathematics. The elementary schools that did not achieve AYP were Magnolia, William Paca/Old Post Road, Bakerfield, Churchville, Deerfield, Edgewood, Hall’s Cross Roads, Meadowvale and Riverside.
As part of the NCLB legislation, Title I elementary schools beginning their second consecutive year in the comprehensive needs pathway without making AYP must offer Supplement Educational Services (SES). In addition to offering school choice, William Paca/Old Post Road and Magnolia elementary schools will both offer SES for the 2011-12 school year. SES refers to extra academic help (tutoring) in subjects such as reading and mathematics, which is provided to eligible Title I students who are enrolled at either Magnolia or William Paca/Old Post Road. Tutoring services are provided by MSDE approved private vendors and are offered during after-school hours.
Although Magnolia and William Paca/Old Post Road elementary schools did not make AYP, both schools showed positive growth in sub-group scores. In 2011, William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary School experienced a substantial 17 percentage point increase in proficiency for special education students and a five percent increase for all and for FaRMS students. In addition, of the twenty sub-groups total for reading and mathematics, Magnolia increased or remained stable in nineteen sub-groups; William Paca/Old Post Road increased or remained stable in sixteen sub-groups.
This year, Bel Air and Patterson Mill middle schools achieved AYP. Although Aberdeen Middle School remains on the 2011 Schools in Improvement List, scores increased for nearly every subgroup, including a 30-point increase for ELL students in reading. In addition, the math proficiency rate increased for all students from 66 percent to 69 percent. Havre de Grace Middle School also showed improvement in mathematics, increasing eight percentage points.
The performance of students in traditionally underperforming subgroups is improving but has yet to achieve the standard. However, many achievement gaps are being reduced. For instance, since 2005, the difference in reading proficiency rates between elementary special education students and students in the aggregate has fallen from 25 points to 18 points. In elementary mathematics, the difference in proficiency between FaRMS students and students in the aggregate has been reduced from 16 points to 11 points.
As reported by MSDE, due to the recent Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) changes, new reporting regulations have made it challenging to identify trends in MSA data from 2010 to 2011. Although sub-group accountability for Maryland districts remains at five students, reporting will only occur for groups of 10 students or more. No race trends will be reported by MSDE this year, as categories have changed. In addition, reporting percentages will go only as high as 95 percent or above and as low as five percent or below. Percentages will also be rounded to the nearest whole number. These federal changes have been made in an effort to protect student privacy.
For more information regarding Harford County and State MSA and AYP data, visit the Maryland Report Card website at www.MDReportCard.org.
If you look closer there is a lot this press release does not tell you. Seven of nine middle schools did not make AYP. Fallston, Havre de Grace, North Harford, and Southampton did not make it because of special education students and in two cases adding FaRM students. Aberdeen, Edgewood, and Magnolia because of several factors. This is a setback for Edgewood, which with great public fanfare made it off the State watch list just this year.
The same thing can be said about the elementary schools that did not hit the State mark this year.
This is what happens when the Federal government gets involved in local education issues. NCLB has created a situation where it is impossible for schools to meet the unreasonable mark of every student being at grade level by 2014.
Even though Nancy Grasmick is being given great accolades upon her departure she is in large measure equally responsible for this boondoggle with her MSA and HSA testing requirements.
Just one student in a very small population sub group that performs poorly on these Federal and State mandated tests can result in an entire school being labeled as a failure.
Tens of millions of dollars and countless man-hours have been wasted on this nonsense. When will common sense return to our legislators and when will the voters that put these people in office wise up?
I had hoped that once the man who created this boondoggle was out of office NCLB would go away, also. There is no way every student will ever be at grade level, unless you handpick who attends. This was a bad idea from the beginning. Except for the creators of the tests who are making a killing.
Hank there is a new law that changes the way AYP is measured…..it just is not funded!
I hope people recognize that the schools that do not meet AYP are the same schools that suffer from a transient, low-income population. As a teacher in a Rt. 40 corridor schools that did not make AYP, it is not shocking that our students are not proficient.
Seriously? My students come to school already a whole grade-level behind. They come to school without book bags and basic school supplies. They don’t do their homework or prepare for tests and quizzes. They come to school tired because they stay up until 10-11 pm. Their parents do not attend conferences or return phone calls. Their parents often uneducated themselves.
I’m tired of hearing how great the teachers are at schools like Forest Hill, Youths Benefit, Fountain Green, and Ring Factory. Those parents are the ones that are great. They read to their kids from a young age. They expose their kids to places like the zoo, aquarium, farm, and theater. Those parents put their children first and make sure they’re reading by the time they enter kindergarten and first grade.
Now, that’s not to say the teachers at those schools aren’t terrific, too. But, that also means that teachers at the schools that don’t meet AYP aren’t terrible. I challenge many of the teachers from other areas that meet AYP to spend a whole week teaching in a Rt. 40 corridor school. Most would be exhausted, saddened, frustrated, and stressed. They wouldn’t even comprehend what it means to have 4th graders who cannot read on a 2nd grade level. But, that’s what happens when a child enters kindergarten not even being able to identify the letters of the alphabet. And, that is the norm at my school, not the exception.
Therefore, don’t believe the hype that teachers should be evaluated by the performance of their students. I believe a integral piece of the puzzle – the parents – are missing from that evaluation equation.
HARCOMOM’ points are on the mark. It should be no surprise that teachers want to transfer away from the lower performing schools for the very reasons she identifies.
I would venture to say that if you swapped the entire staffs of the best performing schools with those at the lowest performing schools you would see little to no difference in the performance of students.
When it comes to the new evaluation process and the accountability of teachers based on student growth I am waiting for student report cards to have a place where teachers can grade parents. I would wager that student and parent grades would be the same.
I agree with your premise but would hypothesis that the non rt 40 school (with the rt 40 staff) would see some a large growth and there would be a decline at the rt 40 school. This is not to say that the teachers at the non rt 40 school are bad teachers but their lack of experience with kids from those home situations and methodology may not be most appropriate for the clientel. This would lead to lowered scores. The others would raise, IMHO, because the methodology along with the spark and rejuvination would lead to higher achievement among the underserved segments at that school.
I also think some need to look closer at the data in our underpreforming schools. even though they did not make AYP they did make significant gains in closing the gap they missed by as compared to previous years they failed by. MMS looks bad on a pass fail basis but they did post gains in MANY subgroups!
We will have to agree to disagree on the issue of staff swaps.
While there were certain gains at MMS the bottom line is they slipped below the AYP standard as a whole. Time will tell if this is a trend.
CDEV,
We will have to agree to disagree with your points.
As a highly qualified teacher with 15+ years of experience at a very diverse Rt. 40 corridor school, my teaching “tool box” is vast and differentiated. I have to meet the needs of my students performing well below grade-level, as well as the small group of students who are in need of enrichment services. The ease at which I differentiate an on grade-level lesson is, probably, much more fluid than a teacher who has only worked with proficient/advanced students.
Teachers who are accustomed to working with proficient/advanced students with stable homes and active parents do not usually excel during their first year or two at a new position in a Rt. 40 school because it takes that long to even understand where these students come from, how they survive without parental involvement, etc.. See…these teachers do not typically have to differentiate a lesson in 3-4 ways because the ability range of their students is not that vast. When I attend workshops, it is the teachers from the Rt. 40 corridor schools that are actively participating to differentiate lessons, promote student motivation, and share ways to encourage student enthusiasm. With our students, these things are not modeled at home. The teachers are their parents, their nurses, their counselors…sometimes, their everything.
Again, my comments are based on my experience in the classroom and the conversations I have with my colleagues who teach at less diverse schools in the county.
Your powers of comprehension are somewhat lacking. I base this on the very fact that you have just restated my hypothesis!
HARCOMOM, AMEN!
I agree Monster!!!! I was a teacher at a RT 40 school for 15 years and had to get the heck out after burning out. I went up to a northern Harford County school and it was so refreshing. I felt like a brand new teacher again. I was tired of parents not taking part in their child’s education and blaming the teachers all the time. I really feel like there should be some system now a days that forces a parent to take part in their child’s education.
@Bel Air Girl, I do believe parents should be given a report card for lack of involvement and participation. My children attend RT40 schools and are doing well. Its just sad when you go to your childs school and kids say they wish you were their parent because you are always at the school and involved. Its so sad.
Thanks for the teachers that hang in there!
No, I understood. But, in the future, perhaps you could critique others’ comments without being insulting. I was agreeing with a comment from “A Teacher” and not agreeing, necessarily, with yours.
Wasn’t being insulting, or didn’t mean to be. I am not understanding what you are saying. Is it your contention that there would be NO change in student preformance with a staff swap as A teacher suggests or is it your contention that the non route 40 school would see gains while the route 40 school experiences a decline as I suggested? It seemed based on your follow-up that it was the latter but I am not sure what it is you mean.
HarCo Mom’s point. . . is bitter. Please stop whining and find a new profession. I’m sure all of the rt 40 families you sterotyped will be thankful for your quick exit.
You are a jerk. Your “blame the teacher” attitude is part of the problem, not part of the solution. If you knew anything about anything, you’d understand that teachers at Rt 40 schools STAY in spite of the disadvantages of their students. It is one of the reasons we so vehemently disagree with the use of student test results becoming part of our evaluation. When politicians interfere where they do not belong, they never stop to think about the unintended consequences of their actions. Teachers who until now have had pride in the fact that they taught the students who needed the most help will now run from those schools and run from those students, leaving them to be taught by inexperienced teachers with little more than idealistic optimism to guide them. I have volunteered to teach lower-ability students for the past five years. I will not volunteer to do so once this new evaluation system comes into effect. Thank you, Dr. Grasmick, for destroying the Maryland Public Education system on your way out the door towards retirement.
A friend of mine compared Grasmick’s actions to someone laying pungent SBD (silent but deadly) in a crowded elevator just before exiting.
When people realize that Grasmick is no longer a threat to them it will not be long before people around the state start to tell the truth about her failed education policies. The governor had good reason to want to get rid of her when he took office. It is a shame he was not able to pull it off. He could have spared us much of the grief all of us (parents, students, teachers, taxpayers) are about to experience.
We can not afford for teachers like HARCOMOM to find a new profession. That would only make things worse. As a parent and teacher of a child who attends a route 40 school, I agree with every word she has written. The problem also comes from Harford County and their creative ways of forcing poverty to stay on the route 40 corridor. De-facto segregation at its best. I hear it all the time from my colleagues, “I can’t believe you bought a house in Edgewood.” This is the problem. Thank you HARCOMOM for staying, because a lot of your colleagues want out. We need teachers with a passion for teaching the kid that is being left behind by their parents. I also have not seen Dr. Tombeck one time this year at my school that has not made AYP the last two years. Where is he? Teachers have not received a pay raise in three years, I hope score continue to rise, even when the pay is not. We are asking for a lot from burned out teahcers, when the powers that be don’t even want to give a step or COLA.
@ Really? Um, I think the parents would thank me for doing their job. I’m the one that teaches them how to succeed. I’m only bitter that teachers from Rt. 40 schools are not giving the respect that is deserved. But, thanks for offering such a profound comment on here. You really ought to state something worthy if you want to engage in a dialogue.
HarcoMom,
I have no interest in dialogue just a simple point, “get over it or get out.” It is disheartening to think you may be teaching across the hallway in my Rt 40 school or one of our sister schools along the Rt.
One thing I think that is missing in this discussion is that some parents aren’t paying attention because they’re uninterested, it’s because they’re working two jobs or odd schedule minimum wage jobs. Some of these parents can’t sit and read to their children because they’re not there while they’re working trying to put food on the table. I know from personal experience that some parents just don’t care. But there are some who don’t have the education themselves or the time to help their children. And for the students, that is difficult (but not impossible) to overcome.
And, now I know why I usually don’t post on here. Thanks for reminding me, “Really?” You are rude and, quite frankly, self-righteous. To tell me to get over it or get out is exactly the kind of response that epitomizes those with nothing profound to share to this message board.
Let’s hear some positive feedback for any gains made at all in our rt. 40 schools! I, too, have chosen to teach in a route 40 schools, and I will be starting my 21st year doing so. Any gains made in these schools is a success because of the reasons mentioned by HarComom…. now, please be aware, I have met some of the most amazing parents in the schools where I have taught/teach! They are hard-working, trying to keep their family afloat, and they care deeply about the education of their child. Sadly, their child’s scores are out-weighed by the students who do not have parent involvelment in their education. How do we solve the problem of the schools not meeting AYP? We can’t change the home lives of some children, we can’t force the parents to be involved in their child’s educations. No, we teach harder, we teach with purpose, we work as a whole team to meet the students’ emotional, social, and academic needs. I am fortunate to watch my school’s staff do this every single day. In our route 40 school, we work hard! In 20 years of teaching I have witnessed teachers run, not walk to get their transfers out of there. Why? Because it’s hard work.
I’m happy for the schools who have met their AYP. But don’t diss the schools who didn’t because their staff spends every minute working to help students become successful, productive citizens of this society.
Edgewood Middle School’s lack of progress will be put on the backs of the teachers. The principal and Instructional Facilitator have placed numerous teachers on Improvement Plans and can now point the fingers at these individuals as the reason the school is not improving at a faster rate. These “educational leaders” lack strategies and creativity. They do not engage in after school activities provided for families and students. It is a sad place to work. Sorry, the truth is painful to share. Those schools making AYP are fun places to work and educators are treated with respect. That is not the case at EMS.
I would tend to agree with you, Ms. Murphy. Perhaps the worst experience I ever had as a substitute happened this past school year at EMS (or at HCPS calls it, EDMS, to distinguish it from Emmorton Elementary School [EMMS]). I walked into a classroom where the students not only displayed absolutely no interest in learning, they acted as if they owned the place: refusing to engage in any of the activities programmed for them; running around the room without permission; carrying on conversations instead of even listening to, much less following, my directions. When I brought this to the attention of the administration, I was at first given assurances that misbehavior would not be tolerated. However, when I had to summon an administrator to the room again, _I_ was the one who was dismissed from the school. When I asked if this meant that all of this teacher’s classes were this bad, I was informed they were worse. But here’s the point: Instead of being given support by the administration, they let the inmates run the asylum. I never went back to that school. And other teachers to whom I have related that story have been horrified at the administration’s capitulation to the rebellious students.
These are all very interesting points. We are a BRAC family, moving from NJ to Harford County in a few weeks, with our children enrolled in Ring Factory Elementary. Since we had several years notice that we’d be moving, we did lots of research before we settled on moving to Bel Air because of Ring Factory. But as was so eloquently stated earlier in this thread, we firmly believe that parental involvement is essential to a child’s success in school.
I must add however that I have been personally impressed the County’s emphasis on Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) programs in the schools. The engineers in our APG-based organization have been solicited and are actively engaged in the Harford County STEM cooperative initiatives. As a human resource professional, I see this as critical to “growing” the prospective local workforce in the long term. We want local kids to becom interested in STEM, go to college, and come back to work for us at APG.
I was born and raised in NJ, and certainly wouldn’t move here if given a choice. But having said that, the County seems to be doing a fine job, even in the so-called disadvantaged schools.
@ BRAC Family – Welcome to Harford County! If you are planning to send your children to Ring Factory Elementary and you are interested in STEM, please consider getting involved in Destination Imagination. Ring Factory has a strong program, as do many of our other public schools. Here’s some more info on the program: http://www.daggerpress.com/2010/11/16/destination-imagination-the-best-extra-curricular-program-for-kids-that-you%E2%80%99ve-probably-never-heard-of/