Grosse Pointes

Fewer students scoring proficient with new MEAP cut scores

By April Lehmbeck
C & G Staff Writer

GROSSE POINTES — Many school districts have been working to prepare their communities for the reality of the state’s changes in standardized testing cut scores, which meant fewer students were going to make the grade, so to speak, this year.

When the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) test scores were released last week, districts statewide saw major drops in the numbers of students meeting or exceeding Michigan Department of Education standards at every grade level.

“The new cut scores show that we aren’t where we thought we were before, but this is the picture of where we are now,” Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan stated in a press release.

However, when the state applied the new scores to last year’s results, there was an increase in the number of students meeting expectations in almost all subjects and grades.

“We have a lot of room to grow, but this is a positive step,” Flanagan stated. “I am very confident that we have professionals in our classrooms who will continue to step up to the challenge of preparing our students to achieve at higher levels. I am so proud of them.”

Grosse Pointe Public School System went from almost 100 percent proficiency in most grades and subjects to the 60s to 80s in many cases. A few scores were even lower.

Despite the drop in scores due to the change in cut scores, the district still outperformed the state averages by more than 20 percent points in many cases.

The district plans to assess the scores to determine where it can focus to make improvements in the future.

“From this new cut score benchmark, we will move forward to determine what we need to do to further improve the performance of all of our students, how we can implement the most effective and efficient practices, and where we need to go in our assessment to ensure greater success and continued student growth,” Grosse Pointe Superintendent Thomas Harwood said in an email. “Our eyes are wide open to assessing and analyzing the areas that need improvement and setting the academic environment to improve what we are teaching, how we are teaching and why we need to make these changes.

“Our students’ success will not be based solely on this one assessment measure, but it will serve as a significant marker in each student’s academic profile of learning that will help us obtain an accurate picture of where we need to improve to benefit our students,” he said.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer April Lehmbeck at alehmbeck@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1043.