All posts in the topic Why is high school gap so big between reading and math achievement? (Short link)

From: Joe Nathan Date: Jun 30 20:40 UTC Short link

Something strange is going on: When state figures, released today show only
34% of public school 11th graders statewide are passing the state’s math
test, we have a large problem. Meanwhile 71% of Minnesota 10th graders
PASSED Minnesota’ reading test, which they must do before graduating from
high school.

The huge gap in passing rate is found all over the state. This year in St.
Paul, it was 47% passing in reading, 18% in math. Forty-eight percent of
Minneapolis 10th graders passed the reading test, compared with 26% of 11th
graders who passed math. Eighty-two percent of Rosemount/Apple Valley/Eagan
10th graders passed reading, but only 46% passed in math. Thirty-four
percent of Elk River 11th graders passed the math test, 70% passed the
reading test. In Lakeville, 85% passed reading, only 49% passed math.
Seventy-six percent of Bloomington’s 10th graders passed reading, and 46%
passed math.

Test results for each Minnesota public school, grades 3-11
are at education.state.mn.us.

Another huge gap exists between passage rates for 3rd and 11th grade in
math. What's happening when 81% of Minnesota’s 3rd graders pass the state’s
math test, but only 34.4% pass the state’s 11th grade test?

A Minnesota Department of Education statement, released along with the
reading and math scores, tries to be hopeful. It points out that there was
a 9 point increase in 10th grade reading scores (compared with a 2 point
increase in 11th graders in math) between 2007 and 2008. Students were not
required to pass the high school reading test last year, but are required
to do so before graduating now.

MDE suggests that making the math test required for graduation “will likely
lead to similar increases” (next year) in the state’s math test. Perhaps.

But there was nine percent increase from 2007 to 2008, when reading became
required. Even before students had to pass reading to graduate, more than
60% of them achieved the required level. This year, about 60% of the
students FAILED the math test. So even if there is a 9 or even a 19 point
gain in math passing rates – about half of the state’s students would fail
this test.

Some Minnesota math teachers tell me that they think elementary and middle
school standards are too low, and the high school standards are too high.

Over the last few years, Minnesota Department of Education officials have
convinced legislators that math standards are too low and need to be
raised. Legislators and MDE staff agree that additional training must be
available to math and science teachers. Workshops are being held this
summer around the state.

With better trained teachers, and more motivated students, the state’s
passing rate may go up dramatically. We want to do right by our kids, to
prepare them for what they will encounter. Higher expectations can be very
valuable.

I am not an expert in math. Adjustments in early grades and high school
requirements may, or may not need to be made. But I do think we need to
watch this situation very carefully.

Joe Nathan, Highland Park resident, is a former public school teacher and
administrator
    

From: Douglas Petty Date: Jul 07 05:25 UTC Short link

"Something strange is going on: When state figures, released today show only
34% of public school 11th graders statewide are passing the state’s math test,
we have a large problem."

I'll leave it up to Rick to add up the St. Paul district and charter schools
(and maybe the few privates) scores so we can compare St. Paul fairly with the
state figures, but for now the state scores are what we have with the St. Paul
district school scores.

I'm not sure what Joe is referring to as "strange," the scores, or that we have
a large (undefined) problem. Is the problem the school, or the students, or the
test? Joe doesn't quite seem to know. Or is it politics? See, the tests are
about state standards and are to measure SCHOOL performance, not student
performance. Students do not "pass" the test as Joe suggests, school progress
is assessed. The State hires the now very wealthy testing companies to develop
tests. These companies know exactly how the average American student will
perform on each question, which is why they are called "standardized" tests.
The State set standards that they know only 18% of St. Paul 11th graders will
meet on a standardized test. See the Northwest Evaluation Association's Scale
Alignment Report for Minnesota at http://www.nwea.org/research/state.asp or the
Thomas B. Fordam Foundation's Report with Minnesota at
http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/The_Proficiency_Illusion.pdf  This is not
"strange." The "large problem" is a political one of keeping education as a hot
button issue.

"Another huge gap exists between passage rates for 3rd and 11th grade in math.
What's happening when 81% of Minnesota’s 3rd graders pass the state’s math
test, but only 34.4% pass the state’s 11th grade test?"

Again, the State sets grade standards that are not "standardized." The MCA
tests are not standardized across subjects or across grade levels. A student's
meeting the standard in one grade does not predict their meeting the standard
in the next grade level, because the level of difficulty changes at every
grade, that is, the same average student will get a different score each year
because the standard "bar" goes up and down from grade to grade. The 11th grade
math MCA test is quite difficult and assumes a curriculum that is not currently
required. The "graduation" standard for this math test has not yet been set by
the Dept. of Education, only the No Child Left Behind school progress
assessment standard has been set. So a student may not be "proficient" in the
math standards, but may achieve the score required for graduation. Go figure.
Again, this is due to politics. The statistically predictability of how the
average Minnesota and St. Paul student will perform on these tests is very
high.

"But there was nine percent increase from 2007 to 2008, when reading became
required [for graduation]."

The test was not given to the same students in 2007 and 2008, nor was it
exactly the same test. Consequently, attributing the variation in scores
between the two years entirely to the introduction of a graduation requirement
is highly questionable.

"Some Minnesota math teachers tell me that they think elementary and middle
school standards are too low, and the high school standards are too high."

Duh.

"With better trained teachers, and more motivated students, the state’s passing
rate may go up dramatically. We want to do right by our kids, to prepare them
for what they will encounter."

70% of Minnesota high schoolers will take the ACT test, a standardized test
that predicts success in the first year of college. Minnesota students have
historically kept the State in the top or near top ranking of State ACT scores.
In 2007 Minnesota was ranked 8th in the nation based on student ACT math
scores. And, the ACT math score have been rising over the past five years. More
than 50% of Minnesota's students will get a "B" or better in college algebra,
based on their scores, compared to only 43% nationally.

The ACT test is what St. Paul students "will encounter" and they appear
prepared.  However, ACT standards are based on predicting college success. The
standards are not politically determined. Go figure.

What the latest MCA tests show is how well some St. Paul schools are doing
against the odds. The Pioneer Press analyzed MCA test results for elementary
schools, adjusting for family income and limited English proficiency (LEP), in
order to compare school performance at
http://extra.twincities.com/CAR/schools/regression.asp Schools in the East
Metro that are performing above what their socioeconomic profile would predict.
Seven of the eleven schools cited are St. Paul district schools. No charter
schools make this grade, although several charters are among those schools
performing below what their student socioeconomic profile would predict.

Douglas Petty
MacGroveland
    

From: Douglas Petty Date: Jul 08 05:49 UTC Short link

As the parent of an entering St. Paul 11th grader, who will be tested for the
new graduation standard for math next year, I think the 11th grade math high
stakes test is a problem resulting from political decisions, not educational
decisions. The testing regime in Minnesota is complicated to the extreme so
bear with me while I try to explain why Joe has got it wrong, or more politely,
is confused about what questions to ask. Unfortunately, only a very few people
in the state can keep track of the constantly moving education standards and
how they affect St. Paul students. It is an important discussion to have,
especially in an election year, and I thank Joe for bringing it up.

First, what are the MCA tests? From the Dept. of Education (MDE) website:
“The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments—Series II (MCA-IIs) are the state
tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic
standards and meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind.  The reading and
mathematics tests are used to determine whether schools and districts have made
adequate yearly progress toward all students being proficient in 2014.” A
number of schools in Saint Paul are not meeting their AYP goals as determined
by the MCA-II tests.

Notice that school districts must “pass” MCAII tests, not students. The tests
assess school progress. For measuring student progress, a growth model of
testing based on student performance across grades and years would be
appropriate. The MCA-II test is based on performance by grade, not individual
student or cohort performance. As a parent, I will receive little information
about how my child has done on the test, and only after school and district
results are released broadly and fill columns in the newspapers. Moreover,
because the level of "proficiency" varies from grade to grade, based on the
student percentile to score "proficient," the tests really don't tell me how my
child is progressing. Finally, as Joe points out, the content standards are not
calibrated, so the tests may seem to indicate that my child is doing great in
reading and terrible in math when they might score much higher on a national
test, such as the ACT, in math than in reading. But then, the MCA's are to hold
schools accountable, not students.

Second, The now old Basic Skills Tests are being phased out and beginning next
school year the NEW math standards for high school graduation (the Graduation
Required Assessment for Diploma (GRAD) test) will be “embedded” in the grade 11
MCA-II test, according to MDE. For those that fail and must repeat the GRAD
test, only the GRAD part of the test will be regiven, not the entire MCAII
test.

In other words the 11th grade MCA-II math test will have questions used to
assess school performance, other questions used to determine if the student
meets the graduation standard (the GRAD test), and some questions will be used
for both purposes. It’s two tests in one. One test for school assessment and
one test for student graduation. The student only “passes” on the GRAD part of
the test, not the school assessment part, which is used to determine if the
school is making AYP (adequate yearly progress). Failure to make AYP has
consequences for the school, not the student. The MCA-II and GRAD tests
incorporate the new state standards (what students must know) passed by the
legislature in 2007, based on recommendations from MDE. My three children in
St. Paul public schools have had three different graduation standards to meet,
and their ages are not that far apart. How much did these changes in standards
and tests cost St. Paul over the past decade? Is out educational system better
for this use of public dollars?

Third, the change in math standards by the 2007 legislature, found at
http://www.education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDocName=031308&RevisionSelectionMethod=latestReleased&Rendition=primary
, are only now being codified as “rules.” From the MDE website: “On June 16,
2008, the Department proposed permanent rules governing mathematics academic
standards, and proposed to repeal the existing rules that govern this subject.
The new academic standards comply with a statutory requirement that students
complete Algebra I or its equivalent by the end of 8th grade and Algebra II or
its equivalent for graduation.” In other words, the new math course standards
for graduation have not yet been fully adopted in a legal sense. Schools have
yet to change their curriculum requirements to ensure hat every student have
Algebra II-level knowledge by the time they take the math GRAD test, which the
students entering 11th grade in September are expected to have. Most students
have not been on a track to take Algebra II by their sophomore year.
Nevertheless, the 11th grade math tests are based on these new standards.

The MCA-II math test specifications can be found at
http://www.education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Assessment/documents/Report/006367.pdf
The MCA-II test requires higher order (cognitive level) math problem solving.
The specifications for the development of the GRAD test were released in March
2008 by MDE and can be found at
http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Assessment/documents/Report/006368.pdf
. Notice that all questions for the GRAD test have multiple choice answers and
not all require higher cognitive levels of work. An item sampler of the 11th
grade math questions, also released in March, can be found at
http://www.education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Assessment/documents/Instruction/009212.pdf
It is a hard test, in my humble opinion. While these are state tests, all
district and charter schools must give these tests to receive the 10% of
Minnesota's educational funding provided by the federal government. I wonder
how much it costs the state and St. Paul schools to prepare for, give, grade,
publicize, and analyze the tests. I don’t see how it can be less than 10% of
state educational funding.

It would appear that the new standards (knowledge equivalent to Algebra II) are
being tested for in the MCA 11th grade math test. That is, many students are
being tested on material they most likely have not studied and course material
that has not be required of them. They perform poorly.

Fourth, for the 2007 MCA-II tests, students had to be in the 70th percentile of
all students to achieve the level of “proficient” on the MCA 11th grade math
test. That is, the test is designed so only 30% will be “proficient” in math.
To meet the “proficient” standard in 10th grade reading in 2007, a student only
needed to be in the 40th percentile. That is, the test was designed so 60% of
students would be “proficient.” The tests ensure the “gap” that Joe sees. See
MDE's report on the 2007 scores at
http://www.education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dDocName=031918&RevisionSelectionMethod=latest&Rendition=primary
As I mentioned in an earlier post, about 70% of Minnesota students (no data
available for St. Paul students) will take the ACT test for college admissions.
These are most likely the highest performing students, and per ACT results at
least half of these students will do quite well in college math. However, fewer
than half of these ACT-taking students will be deemed “proficient” in high
school math per the MCA-II test.

Is this a problem of the students or a problem of the political system and the
way high stakes testing has been implemented? Who benefits by designing tests
on material that most students have not had with a consequence that students
perform poorly and schools are held accountable? Perhaps those who benefit
politically from attacking the public school system, those who favor school
vouchers, those favoring an expansion of charter schools, those seeking more
segregated schools, and I could go on, but now desist. I want the best for St.
Paul students, but it appears state politics is getting in the way of
excellence and high expectations.

Douglas Petty
MacGroveland