Harford Co. makes gains in MSA scores

Average score is 4 percentage points above Maryland average

by Madison Park | Sun Reporter

8:09 AM EDT, June 14, 2007

Students in Harford County elementary schools made modest gains in math and reading according to results of Maryland School Assessment tests released yesterday.

The average score for Harford elementary schools -- 85.3 percent of the students passed the tests -- topped the statewide average of 81 percent.

Fifth-graders showed gains in math, with an increase of 6 percentage points, but showed a slight dip -- 1.1 percentage points -- in reading.

Third- and fourth-grade students showed slight increases in reading scores -- 2.2 percentage points and 1 percentage point, respectively, compared with last year's test results.

Fourth-graders turned in the best results among Harford elementary students: 90.6 percent passed the reading test and 88.9 percent passed the math exam.

One of the bright spots was that all of the fourth-grade students at Jarrettsville Elementary passed both the math and reading exams. Jarrettsville has 87 students in the fourth grade, according the school's Web site.

The results appeared consistent with the performance turned in by Harford students last year, said Carolyn Wood, supervisor of accountability for county schools.

"I'm sure there are ups and downs in the school, but those differences will come to light," she said. "At this point, they're pretty much in line with previous years."

Wood said she did not receive the results yesterday in time to scrutinize the numbers or identify trends.

"We've had a gradual upward trend starting in 2003, and we hope that trend continues," she said.

madison.park@baltsun.com