Washtenaw County students improve on ACT; MME scores drop statewide
The Michigan Department of Education released ACT and Michigan Merit Exam test results for the graduating class of 2013 today.
Across Washtenaw County, MME scores suffered, while ACT scores improved.
Students take the Michigan Merit Exam in their junior years.
Ann Arbor News file photo
Last year, the Department of Education raised the cut score or the number of questions students had to answer correctly in order to pass both the MME and the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests.
The result was a drop in the percentage of students statewide who passed the MEAP, as shown by data released earlier this year.
A similar decline in the percentage of students deemed “proficient” on the MME was seen in the data released Thursday.
Here is a breakdown of the state’s scores, as reported on MLive.com:
- Math: 29.1 percent scored “proficient” in 2012, compared with 27.3 percent in 2011.
- Reading: 55.9 percent scored “proficient” this year, compared with 52.7 percent last year.
- Writing: 49.4 percent scored “proficient” this year, compared with 46.9 percent last year.
- Science: 25.8 percent scored “proficient” this year, compared with 25.5 percent last year.
- Social studies: 40.5 percent scored “proficient” this year, compared with 41.2 percent last year.
In Washtenaw County, a lower percentage of students than the state average were proficient in all subjects at Roberto Clemente Student Development Center, Ann Arbor Tech, Lincoln, Willow Run and Ypsilanti high schools. In math, Whitmore Lake students also fell below the state average, and Milan made the list in science, social studies and reading.
Test results for Skyline High School in Ann Arbor were not available on any of the statewide MME databases.
Of the three charter schools in the county that house high school students, Central Academy and Eastern Washtenaw Multicultural Academy performed below the state average in all subject areas on the MME.
Washtenaw Technical Middle College students tested “proficient” at rates well above the state average and comparable with Ann Arbor Huron in math, with 58 percent of students scoring “proficient.”
Statewide, the average composite ACT score was up slightly, from 19.4 last year to 19.6 this year. The highest possible score on the ACT is 36. The percentage of students who were deemed “college ready” in Michigan based on their ACTs also rose slightly, from 17.4 percent in 2011 to 17.7 percent in 2012.
College-readiness data comes with a price tag this year, as it is one of the data points Gov. Rick Snyder has said will be used to gauge student achievement and ultimately, determine financial incentives for school districts that meet certain performance criteria.
All of the high schools in Washtenaw County, except Lincoln and Willow Run, saw college readiness rates increase in 2012. The two exceptions as well as Milan and Ypsilanti high schools were below the state average. However, Ypsilanti rose from 4 percent of students considered college ready to 8 percent.
Washtenaw Technical Middle College had 47.3 percent of its students qualify as “college ready.” ACT scores were not available for Central Academy, Eastern Washtenaw Multicultural Academy or the alternative high schools, Roberto Clemente and A2 Tech because fewer than 30 students took the ACT.
Download this chart compiled by AnnArbor.com for more data and to see how your child’s high school scored.
A Detroit News database compares how local high school students have been performing since 2009. Visit the database here.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
jennylyon
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 7:59 a.m.
I am sure High Speed Universities will offer an affordable and flexible alternative for any one seeking a higher education degree at an affordable price in a short time.
boo
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 2:02 a.m.
Places I would send my kids. Huron, Pioneer, Community, Saline tie for #1 Chelsea, Dexter, Skyline, Lincoln would be decent options if I couldn't get into the other ones. Skyline still has a lot to prove to be on the Huron, Pioneer, Community level. A2Tech, Clemente are AA's drop out factory's. Not fair to put them in a category, because the kids attending those schools are failing at the other high schools before first. Thats how they end up at AA Tech and Clemente. And below those two schools, I'd go Ypsilanti, Willow Run And Milan in a tie for worst schools in Washtenaw county. Anyone who sends their child to those schools should be charged with child abuse. I'd send my kids to a charter school before any of those schools.
jns131
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 5:19 p.m.
I hate to say it, but WR and Ypsi do not have great standards when it comes to teaching our children. After the merger? I hate to say it but it will only get worse. Both districts are failing and as for Ann Arbor schools? You do have a choice. Ann Arbor offers school choice and mine is one of them. Great place to send them.
ypsilistener
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 4:26 a.m.
Child abuse? What a lousy, rotten, insulting thing to say! There are many fine teachers and students in these schools, regardless of test scores.
sc8
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 12:44 a.m.
% of juniors College Ready: Ypsilanti Lincoln 9.8%, Ypsilanti 8%, and Willow Run......0%. ZERO....as in NONE! What are we consolidating here? Failure? The people in the Ypsilanti area should be FURIOUS. Don't vote when the time comes....just send your kids to charter schools that know how to teach your kids!
jmcmurray
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 3:05 a.m.
If we had a community that would get furious over their students' poor test scores, I don't think the test scores would be so poor.
snapshot
Thu, Jun 28, 2012 : 9:17 p.m.
How Floyd can make blankety statements about the success of charter schools without adequate knopwledge of the "basis scores" of the student mix is beyond me. Charter schools get many cast offs that are not having their needs met so to make the blanket statement that charter schools are performing below the average public school without qualifying the past scores of the student mix is irresponsible. That's like shooting fish in a barrel and then bragging about what a good shot you are without disclosing the fish were in a barrel.
snapshot
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 10:01 p.m.
Oh, and because of the smaller student populations in those charter schools, that reduced special ed population can have a disproportunate impact on those scores. Lying with statistics should be a required course.
snapshot
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 9:58 p.m.
Jm, you beg the question with unrelated fact and diversion...,.,.what are the base scores of the rest of the student body? But then that wouldn't be conducive to your bias against charter schools, would it?
jmcmurray
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 3:02 a.m.
Charter schools, on average, enroll fewer special needs students. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/education/in-charter-schools-fewer-with-disabilities.html
KeepingItReal
Thu, Jun 28, 2012 : 7:50 p.m.
Floyd: We need to figure out what is going owht our local educatdional institutions. If we don't the Correction Corporation of America will do the job for us. Unfortunately, much of public educatidosn as we know it toady is desig to steer young African Amrican into the criminal JU Usst system.
boo
Fri, Jun 29, 2012 : 1:48 a.m.
huh? what did you say??
Floyd
Thu, Jun 28, 2012 : 7:05 p.m.
Our local charter schools continue to underperform while also continuing to gobble up public education funding. They are a corporate swindle disguised as reform. Education should not be run like a business, as students are not products or commodities. Long live public education in Michigan!
snapshot
Thu, Jun 28, 2012 : 9:22 p.m.
Education is run like a union business Floyd, remember 85% of the budget goes to salaries and benfits with 20% going to pension costs alone. 15% for the kids and you're complaining about "corporate" swindles? Public employee unions have milked the taxpayers dry at the expense of the children and citizens.