Local schools were among the success stories as Baltimore County public schools showed modest gains this year in most categories on the annual Maryland State Assessments.
As part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the Maryland State Assessments are mandatory tests in reading and math administered to students in grades 3 through 8 each spring.
The federal law requires all children to achieve either proficient or advanced scores by 2014.
Jill Carter, who is entering her third year as principal of Halethorpe Elementary School, said the assessments give the school a "good indication of how successful our teaching was in all areas with all students.
"We are heavily involved in our MSA scores and MSA results, and analyzing what they tell us," she said. "What they tell us about what our students could do, what our students could not do and what changes do we need to make."
Halethorpe Elementary has an active school leadership team that meets throughout the year and during the summer that will use the test scores to make revisions to the school's improvement plan, she said.
To achieve a rating of adequate annual progress, or AYP, each school must achieve particular scores across eight categories of students. These categories include special education students, minorities, students living below the poverty level and those for whom English is not their first language.
Because nearly a quarter of her school's population is made up of refugees from Burma -- the majority of whom have never attended school before — Carter said she was particularly proud when that subgroup met its requirement for showing adequate yearly progress this year.
Though English is not their first language, the students only are exempt from taking the reading test during their first year and must take the math assessments right away, Carter said.
"Researchers will tell you that it takes five to seven years to perform at an academic level in a new language," she said. "So that is phenomenal that I have students that have been here less than two years and were able to perform at a satisfactory rate."
The school, however, did not meet its overall AYP requirements after it missed in one category — special education reading — a group Carter said did show growth but will be targeted further next year.
Carter said the school's goal for 2012 will be to achieve at least 95 percent proficiency across all subgroups.
Reaching 100 percent by 2014 is "difficult, but I don't think that it's impossible," she said.
Goal oriented
Mary Maddox, who became principal of Riverview Elementary School after leaving the same post at Johnnycake Elementary in July, also spoke optimistically about the 2014 goal.
"I know that's a very lofty goal, but I don't think it's unattainable," she said.
Though Riverview Elementary did not meet AYP requirements this year, Maddox said it did demonstrate significant growth overall.
"I know that there are wonderfully bright children here," said Maddox, who attended the school as a child, as did her own four children.
"And I know that we have talented teachers that are committed," she said.
Maddox said the school will use its MSA scores to develop a school improvement plan.
Baltimore Highlands and Arbutus elementary schools also did not meet AYP requirements in some areas this year, while Lansdowne and Relay elementary schools did. Principals at that those four schools did not respond to requests for comment in time for this article.
Last year, Arbutus Middle School did not meet AYP requirements after it fell short in one category — special education reading, said Principal Michelle Feeney.
But this year the school – which draws students from Catonsville and Arbutus — made AYP in all subgroups, she said.
"By the end of July, beginning of August, we'll know who the students are who need the extra support for the MSA skills and then we can make sure that we place those students strategically in classes in order to optimize the opportunity to help them achieve AYP next year," she said. "Because the benchmark is even higher next year, so we want to keep that moving forward.
"I think the impetus behind the MSA is that we want all students to achieve, so that's an important goal," Feeney said.
After receiving the test scores, Feeney said, the school will have teachers from the previous grade will speak to the next grade to ensure students are placed properly and have the support they need, Feeney said.
Through collaborations with area elementary schools, she said the school also gathers information on incoming students to plan for their needs even before they arrive.
Feeney said she thinks one of the positive benefits of the testing has been encouraging middle and high schools to focus on the individual student — a practice that historically was not as common in the upper grades than it was in elementary schools.
With social, emotional and academic transitions occurring, middle school is "really the proving ground for our kids," Feeney said.
"It's that crucial time when you have to reach the students," she said.
The test scores are an important starting point. But educators cannot forget to teach the whole child and remember to incorporate the skills that will make them lifelong learners and prepare them for success in the 21st century where the ability to work collaboratively and use technology will be needed, she said.
"The test scores — that is the basic requirement," she said. "We also have to look beyond the test scores."
Feeney agreed that as percentages get closer to 100 percent proficiency, the harder it becomes to close the small gaps that remain.
"The great thing about that is it keeps us constantly focused on improving instruction and improving student engagement," she said. "It also makes sure that we're ensuring that the students get the best of the best of the curriculum.
"As a county and as a school, it keeps us on our toes and it makes sure that we have a very, very, very clear focus on what we're doing for our students."
Steady progress in county
From 2010 to 2011, for county students in advanced or proficient in reading:
• third-grade scores increased from 86.7 to 87.9 percent
• fourth-grade scores increased from 88.9 to 91 percent
• fifth-grade scores increased from 90.3 to 92.1 percent
• sixth-grade scores decreased from 84.4 to 82.3 percent
• seventh-grade scores increased from 80.3 to 83 percent
• eighth-grade scores increased from 81.3 to 83.6 percent
During that same time period, for county students in advanced or proficient in math:
• third-grade scores increased from 87.3 to 89 percent
• fourth-grade scores increased from 91.8 to 93 percent
• fifth-grade scores increased from 84.2 to 84.4 percent
• sixth-grade scores increased from 76.5 to 79.5 percent
• seventh-grade scores increased from 71.3 to 72.7 percent
• eighth-grade scores decreased from 66.7 to 65.3 percent
This year, the county saw an increase in both reading and math scores for students in special education, as well as those with limited English proficiency and those receiving free or reduced-price lunches, said Charles Herndon, a spokesman for Baltimore County schools.
Noting that those are traditionally groups where the school system has not seen as much progress as it would like, Herndon said it was "particularly gratifying" to see their improved performance.
It's not an easy goal to meet — as often a small number of students in a particular subgroup can cause the entire school not to achieve the AYP rating.
"Very few things in life achieve 100 percent," Herndon said of the 2014 mandate.
"But it certainly is a goal and it's certainly one that we believe is worth pursuing, and giving everything we've got to do the best we can to get there," he said.