MSA scores disappoint the city
The results of Maryland School Assessments were released on Wednesday, and the city was among one of the only districts in the state to note decreases--and some of them were steep, placing 45 city schools in the bottom 50 performers in the state.
It was the first setback the city has noted in quite some time, particularly under city schools CEO Andres Alonso. Alonso said, however, that the losses should not overshadow the progress city students have made over time (leaps and bounds when compared to 2004, when the MSAs were first administered). Still, while the state's scores steadily climbed (even by a little), the city's didn't.
The news was a blow to the city, who for the past few years were celebrating the extraordinary gains of its poor, minority students, whose underdog story gained national attention. The drops stung a little more that city students are arguably easier targets than their peers in the counties, with their successes always bringing an extra layer of scrutiny.
That scrutiny came two-fold this year. The results of the MSA came out one week after Alonso announced that now three city schools have been confirmed to have cheated on the assessments. The results this year, Alonso said, also reflected an unprecedented show of test security throughout the district. Still, a dozen more schools are currently being investigated by the state.
It's hard to grasp what to do with all of that. You don't know whether to question whether there was system-wide cheating, or worse, that students really aren't learning (not that they can't, that they aren't). Drawing any conclusions just seems unfair and judgmental to students and the educators who work hard to help them achieve. And we should continue to be proud of how far the city has come.
However, what is fair to conclude is that all of the players will have to raise their game. Even I need to focus more on telling the stories about what's happening in city classrooms.
And as Alonso starts with a new baseline for the next four years of his tenure, I believe our editorial board summed up the sentiment being felt throughout the city:
"If he wants to erase the blow this year's scores have dealt to the city's belief that its schools are improving, he doesn't have long to come up with an answer. In the next year he will be under pressure he hasn't seen since he first arrived in Baltimore, and the measure of his success will be simple: Can he maintain or increase the level of testing security in 2012 and still produce better scores? For the sake of the students and the city, the answer had better be yes."
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
Now we will see am increased pressure on the students to pass the tests. Schools are already shedding art, music and physical education teachers. This is the predicted outcome of RTTT, narrowing of education to pass a test that matters to no one but excuse making politicians.
Posted by: OverTheTop | July 1, 2011 6:52 AM
Now we will see am increased pressure on the students to pass the tests. Schools are already shedding art, music and physical education teachers. This is the predicted outcome of RTTT, narrowing of education to pass a test that matters to no one but excuse making politicians.
Posted by: OverTheTop | July 1, 2011 6:52 AM
Love to hear about the next episode the school.. :) hope you will come soon with the another fantastic episode
Posted by: security education requirements | July 1, 2011 7:10 AM
Will there be any coverage whatsoever of the schools that had good results on the MSAs in the City and elsewhere, or do you only report on the schools that cheat and do poorly?
Posted by: A Parent | July 1, 2011 8:56 AM
It's a good editorial, but I'm wondering how we can make so many conclusions already without HSA results being released yet. If those scores are static or improved, what does it say about this situation?
Posted by: epiph | July 1, 2011 11:03 AM
"A Parent" has raised a good point here. Scores did not drop at all of the schools. This reminds me of what happens in many city schools. The kids that act up get all of the attention and the ones that do their work and follow the rules get lost in the mayhem and foolishness.
Posted by: Mrs. Doubtfire | July 1, 2011 11:03 AM
The drop in scores raises a lot of questions, but one way to keep the discussion where it should be is to focus on the only part that really matters: the kids. Not on government philosophy, or on what adults need. So what’s good for kids? A system that catches cheaters instead of covering for them is good for kids. Having data we can plan from because we know how honest it is – that’s good for kids.
Our outcomes need to improve, to be sure, and the Editorial Board is right that Dr. Alonso needs to earn his new contract through greater improvements. But let’s not forget: an overwhelming majority of schools have been completely honest in their testing. Families, students, and teachers work hard every day, and they’ve earned our trust. So the question is: what is each one of us going to do to help?
Posted by: Campbell | July 1, 2011 12:44 PM
Amen, Campbell
Posted by: Parent14 | July 2, 2011 8:15 AM
BS Paper @ Pressure is on Alonso after Baltimore's MSA disappointment
and primary/secondary School Attendance records dishonesty
Echo Our View/Echo Parents & ED School Community View:
If Alonso wants to erase the blow this year's MSA scores and dishonest attendance records have dealt to the city's education community/parents belief that its primary schools are improving, he doesn't have long to come up with an answer. In the next year he will be under pressure he hasn't seen since he first arrived in Baltimore, and the measure of his success will be simple: Can he maintain or increase the level of testing security in 2012 and still produce better scores? For the sake of the students and the city, the answer had better be yes.
Posted by: Interested and Engaged Parent of City Schools | July 2, 2011 11:14 AM
@ Campbell
I agree that having honest data so we really know what's going on is good for kids.
On that note, how about some follow-up on the serious allegations made by the former teacher Paul Evans back in April regarding gaming of the graduation numbers? North Ave has been curiously silent on that one...
Posted by: Nemesis | July 2, 2011 12:27 PM
It is not the school system at fault!
The real growth of students across this country is not realized because the Federal government is so set on thinking that all children will progress at the same rate. In fact, I would imagine that the majority of schools are making great progress but this one test given to
students over a few short days is what we judge a school, the teachers, and the administrators by. The public should begin questioning the federal government as to why this is so.
Posted by: Cheri | July 4, 2011 8:19 PM
I urge all to dig below the surface of the AYP data that has been released. Many of the schools in Balto County that fail to make AYP have actually shown growth over the past few years. In several of the schools who have consistently made AYP, namely the central area schools and a few northeast area schools, scores have remained flat for years. The number of students at the advanced level has actually dropped in a few schools and achievement gaps between the "have" and "have nots" are becoming very clear. If you walk through the schools it becomes apparent that some of the most engaging instruction is actually taking place in lower performing schools while teachers are putting kids to sleep in some of the "better" schools.
Posted by: realteacher | July 7, 2011 9:38 PM