MSDE Bulletin

Keeping You Current on Education Reform in Maryland

December 1, 1999

Vol. 10, No. 18

1999 Report Card

Decade of Reform Shows Statewide Progress

Every Maryland School System Demonstrated Significant MSPAP Gains in 1990s

     A decade of education reform, including seven years of Maryland School Performance Assessment Program tests, will carry into the new millennium significant gains made by each of the Maryland's 24 school systems and an overall statewide composite gain of 12.1 percent of students meeting state satisfactory standards.
     Maryland's school reform program began in 1989 after the Governor's Commission on School Performance recommended improving the state's educational system. Statewide testing of third, fifth and eighth graders in six subject areas began in 1993, with statewide composite gains registered each of the first six years. This year's results remained about even from 1998 at 43.8 percent of tested students meeting satisfactory standards. The state composite reached 44.1 percent last year.
     Kent County, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, gained 5.3 percent on MSPAP composite scores since last year to increase its system composite to 60.0 percent, the top performance in the state.
     Among other notable accomplishments was the achievement of Baltimore City. The state's lowest-performing system overall since testing began posted a gain for the third consecutive year.
     Four systems--Allegany County, Queen Anne's County, Washington County and Wicomico County--continued their pattern of making gains in every year of the testing program.
     "As we approach a new century, it is a time to reflect on our successes, but it is also a time to look ahead," said State Schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick. "This is our opportunity to imagine what teachers and students across Maryland can accomplish if we continue to build on our solid foundation. A thorough analysis of where we started, and how much we have accomplished, leaves the clear message that we have a mandate to continue pursuit of the ambitious goals we set 10 years ago."
     Eight school systems posted MSPAP composite scores of 50 percent or higher, one more than in 1998. A total of 77 schools bettered the rigorous state standard of 70 percent satisfactory, including 21 schools meeting that mark for the first time.

A Decade of Accomplishments

MSPAP Highlights

Maryland has gained 12.1 percentage points on MSPAP composite since testing began in 1993. The first year composite was 31.7 percent students at satisfactory. It was 43.8 percent this year.

77 schools scored at least 70 percent satisfactory in 1999 on MSPAP. In 1993, only 11 schools were at that standard.

Eight systems (one more than 1998) had composite scores of 50 percent or above (Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery and Washington). Four others (Allegany, Baltimore County, Cecil and Queen Anne's) are within two points of that mark.

20 of the state's 24 school systems average 40 percent or more students at satisfactory. In 1993, only four systems reached that figure.


WHERE WE STAND
*MSPAP Composite Scores By School System: 1993-99*
School System	1993	1999	Gain
Allegany	26.5	48.1	21.6
Anne Arundel	36.6	46.6	10.0
Baltimore City	10.4	17.0	6.6
Baltimore Co.	34.9	49.0	14.1
Calvert	34.6	52.5	17.9
Caroline	25.1	42.4	17.3
Carroll	42.0	55.4	13.4
Cecil	32.4	49.7	17.3
Charles	30.1	43.6	13.5
Dorchester	21.0	37.2	16.2
Frederick	44.5	52.4	7.9
Garrett	35.6	45.4	9.8
Harford	38.4	56.3	17.9
Howard	48.7	59.3	10.6
Kent	32.6	60.0	27.4
Montgomery	46.4	54.8	8.4
Prince George's	21.5	31.1	9.6
Queen Anne's	34.4	49.7	15.3
St. Mary's	27.7	47.8	20.1
Somerset	25.3	31.2	5.9
Talbot	28.4	40.7	12.3
Washington	31.9	51.0	19.1
Wicomico	26.3	40.2	13.9
Worcester	25.3	45.6	20.3

''All Can Learn at High Levels'

     When education reform was initiated in Maryland 10 years ago, among the basic principles adopted by the state was that reform should be a movement that included students in all geographic areas and at all social levels. Part of the reform program was driven by the determination to disprove prior contentions by some that certain obstacles would always hinder the path to learning.
      Many individual school achievements of the past decade, and particularly of the past year, demonstrate reform in Maryland is making serious inroads on those barriers.
      "It has been our contention that all children can learn, and that they can learn at a high level," said State Schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick. "We know that progress requires patience, a solid plan and quality people to implement those plans. These stories clearly demonstrate when the elements are in place, success will follow."
      Some of the notable success stories of the past year:
      Baltimore City, the state's lowest-performing system since the start of MSPAP testing, improved its composite score for the third consecutive year (to 17.0). Mount Royal       Elementary (Baltimore City) had the state's highest fifth grade mathematics score (93.4 percent).
      Timonium Elementary School of Baltimore County had a MSPAP composite of 82.0. It was the third consecutive year the school's students were at 76.2 or above.
      Carter G. Woodson Middle School (Somerset County), one of 97 on the state list of reconstitution-eligible schools due to poor past performance, will become the first school to be removed from the list. Woodson's improved performance of the past several years has helped increase its eighth grade composite index above the state average to 45.3 percent (it was at 22.0 in 1995).
      Pimlico Elementary (Baltimore City), which is on the reconstitution eligible list and had a MSPAP composite of 6.6 percent satisfactory in 1996, has boosted its composite to its all-time high of 41.5 percent.
     James McHenry Elementary (Prince George's County) has more than doubled its composite index in three years (31.8 from 14.6 in 1996). A considerable influence has been sister school Mayo Elementary (Anne Arundel County), a Blue Ribbon School. Teachers in the two schools have planned parallel lessons and students have communicated through e-mails.
     Pocomoke Middle (Worcester County), with approximately 50 percent of students receiving free or reduced-price meals, improved its composite MSPAP score to 42.0. The diverse Title I school has more than doubled its 1993 score (20.3).
   Barton Elementary (Allegany County) is a Western Maryland rural school with 62.9 percent of its students receiving free or reduced-price meals. Since 1995, its composite has dramatically risen from 21.2 percent satisfactory to 60.9.

Highlights of the 1999 Maryland Report Card
Notable aspects of this year's Maryland School Performance Report:

Kent County on Maryland's Eastern Shore is the highest performing of the state's 24 school systems, earning 60.0 composite on this year's Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) tests.
Somerset Elementary of Montgomery County met "excellent" standards in third grade language usage (79.2), writing (60.0) and mathematics (53.1).
Bells Mill Elementary of Montgomery had the state's highest fifth grade scores in language usage (95.6 percent at satisfactory), science (94.6) and writing (85.1).
Howard County had the most students performing at "excellent" in eight of the 18 MSPAP content areas.
Kent County had the state's highest third grade composite (75.6). Howard had the highest fifth grade composite (61.7) and Harford had the best eighth grade composite (57.8).

Report Card on the Web

The complete Maryland School Performance Reports is now available on the Internet.

MSPAP scores and additional data statewide, and for local systems and schools, are available at www.msp.msde.state.md.us .

MSDE Bulletin
School & Community Outreach Office
Maryland State Department of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Web site: www.msde.state.md.us

Ronald Peiffer
Assistant State Superintendent
410-767-0473

Neil H. Greenberger
Editor
410-767-0486

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