3 Quick Facts About West Bloomfield Schools MEAP Scores

West Bloomfield outpaces the state

Every subject tested in every grade level reported a higher rate of proficiency than the Michigan state average, according to 2010 results provided by the Michigan Department of Education. Fourth-grade writing proficiency in the West Bloomfield School District stood at 67.9 percent, while the statewide average was 47.2 percent, a difference of 20.7 percentage points.

According to Robert Martin, the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction at the West Bloomfield School District, writing scores are a concern of the district, despite their performance against statewide averages

"When we look at comparing our aggregate scores to the county and state, we’re trending ahead and that’s remaining consistent — not that that’s a benchmark. The area where we have some concern and have had some dialogue is in writing," he said. "We're going to use the MEAP scores to evaluate our instruction in that area and consider — maybe we need professional development, some looking, some learning from each other."

The seventh-grade writing proficiency rate was 67.2 percent, which was 19.4 percentage points higher than the statewide average, at 47.8. Ninth-graders tested in social studies were 15.5 percentage points higher than the state average.

Elementary schools tested slipped in reading and mathematics

The percentage of West Bloomfield third- through fifth-graders who met or exceeded state goals on the 2010 fall standardized MEAP test fell in reading and math in compared with the 2009 results, with the exception of third-grade math results. Math proficiency in third grade was 98.7 percent in 2009 and rose slightly to 98.8 percent in 2010. However, reading proficiency in third grade slipped from 94 percent to 92.9 percent.

According to Martin, the decline is almost negligible.

"When you get into the high 90s as we have for the past several years, yes, you acknowledge that there was a drop, but it's almost statistically insignificant at that level of proficiency," he said. "Only when you approach 10 percentage points or more, you see what we call a trend and you pull out a red flag."

Fifth-grade math and reading proficiency fell from 2009 marks of 92.9 percent and 91.4 percent, respectively, to 90.4 percent in each in 2010.

Middle school reading scores fall, while math improves

Math proficiency improved in grades 6-8, such as a 4.3 percent increase in eighth-grade scores from 2009, from 81.7 percent to 86 percent and a 1.8 percentage point increase in seventh-grade scores, from 89.1  percent to 90.9 percent. However, reading proficiency fell in sixth grade from 93.7 percent in 2009 to 86.9 percent in 2010, a decrease of 6.8 percentage points. Eighth-grade reading scores fell from 91.8 percent to 89 percent, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points.

 

 

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 3

 

Math

Reading

Met or Exceeded 98.8% 92.9%

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 4

 

Math

Reading

Writing

Met or Exceeded 96.9% 89.8% 67.9%

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 5

 

Math

Reading

Science

Met or Exceeded 90.4% 90.4% 86.4%

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 6

 

Math

Reading

Social Studies

Met or Exceeded 90.5% 86.9% 80.9%

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 7

 

Math

Reading

Writing

Met or Exceeded 90.9% 86.8% 67.2%

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 8

 

Math

Reading

Science

Met or Exceeded 86% 89% 89.5%

Fall MEAP 2010: Grade 9

 

Social Studies

Met or Exceeded 80.7%

Source: Michigan Department of Education