Important Title One Meeting Tuesday, May 15th

See announcement from Twinbrook PTA here.

A few facts to go with the MCPS spin

The MCPS Press Release on Highland Elementary School today says:

"However, Mr. Judd [the AJC reporter] was told numerous times that the drop [in test scores at Highland] was related to budget reductions that resulted in the loss of staff that helped with focused reading instruction and interventions for students that were struggling."

So let's Fact Check that statement from MCPS by looking at the data on Highland Elementary for the years in question.  


The peak in the Highland Elementary test scores as shown on the AJC article chart was 2009.  Then the scores began to fall again.  

Click on image for full screen view to show all columns.

*  Spending per pupil as to School Personnel Cost. (source MCPS Schools at a Glance) 


** The local school budget information in these years gave more details than after 2008.  So the budget numbers for years with **  will be higher as they include all of the funding for the local school.  After 2008, MCPS limited the budget data that was released for each local school. 


*** This was the year that MCPS withheld local school budget information from the public so the budget for this local school for that year is not available.

Let's be clear: When cheating does exist, MCPS will work to cover it up.

MCPS has issued the following press release in response to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution article on Highland Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD.  Bear in mind that when there were allegations of cheating at Potomac Elementary School MCPS was busy covering up the issue. 


The AJC article and accompanying chart raised questions about how test scores could climb, and then fall. Will MCPS investigate the phenomenon or seek to ignore the issue at hand?

Dr. Starr Responds to Irresponsible Atlanta Journal-Constitution Article  April 30, 2012
	MCPS Superintendent of Schools Joshua P. Starr offered the following response to Sunday's article in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution:  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) has published an article that looked at the standardized test results of schools that were named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Highland Elementary School, in Silver Spring, was one of the schools included in the AJC’s article. The story identifies large swings in standardized test scores for the schools that won the Blue Ribbon award. The AJC’s implication is that Highland students and staff must have cheated.  Let me be clear: The turnaround that occurred at Highland Elementary School was the result of having a great school leader and a motivated staff that had the training, support and resources it needed to serve its students. There has never been an allegation of cheating at Highland Elementary School since the school’s turnaround began and the school continues to get tremendous results even as its resources have been cut significantly over the past four years. The AJC’s story not only represents irresponsible journalism, but it fosters the very stereotypes that have dogged public education for too long. The underlying message is that schools comprised of mostly African American, Hispanic or poor students cannot achieve at a high level unless they cheat. We know that is not the case and are disturbed by the inference. There are no shortcuts to this success. It takes focus, investment and commitment, but all students can learn if they are provided the instruction, supports and interventions they need. Highland has nothing to hide, which is why we welcomed AJC reporter Alan Judd to the school. He saw the tremendous instruction going on in each classroom, saw multiple examples of great student work and spoke at length to the teachers and principals. Little of that is represented in the story, and what is represented is in the last section of the article long after the suggestion of cheating has been made. The AJC does not offer one scintilla of evidence that cheating occurred at Highland, but rather uses inferences and selective data in an attempt to prove its point. The article suggests that Highland’s performance on state assessments has fallen dramatically, focusing on a drop in the percentage of students that scored in the “advanced” range in 5th grade reading. However, Mr. Judd was told numerous times that the drop was related to budget reductions that resulted in the loss of staff that helped with focused reading instruction and interventions for students that were struggling. He fails to mention that the percentage of 5th grade students scoring at proficient or higher on the reading exam was above 95 percent, where it has been for three consecutive years. The article suggests that the fact that Highland didn’t make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2011 is a further indication of questionable results in the past. Yet, the authors fail to mention that in 2011, Highland missed AYP by four students in just one subgroup—special education—in mathematics during a year that the Academic Measurable Objective increased. This data tells us nothing about Highland, but rather speaks to the absurdity of the AYP formula.  The AJC had its story written long before it visited Highland Elementary, which is unfortunate. But that does not diminish the accomplishments of the school’s staff and students. I challenge anyone to walk the halls of Highland, watch the teaching and learning in the classrooms and see the quality of the student work and not come away convinced that the school’s test scores are not only valid, but are also just a small indicator of its success.

Silver Chips Online: Blair fails to meet Adequate Yearly Progress

Limited English Proficiency falls just below set percentage

Blair is one of 12 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to miss the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) mark for the 2010-2011 school year. This is the first time in four years that Blair has not met AYP. Blair also fell short of the High School Assessment (HSA) English standards by a margin of two students last year...

MCPS - AYP Fact Check

In today's Gazette:
While the school system is concerned about HSA results, officials are more focused on a comprehensive picture of whether the students are ready for college and careers, said school system spokesman Dana Tofig.

“AYP has never been an end-all, be-all at MCPS,” he said.

Despite what Mr. Tofig told the Gazette today, on February 8, 2011, the Board of Education minutes of the budget worksession reflect the following:

Budget Review By Office (page 26)
K-12 Instruction and Office Of School Performance (Chapter 1)
1. Priorities include achieving Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in all subgroup,;
eliminating the achievement gap, and reducing variance among schools in student
achievement.

Gazette: Nearly half of Montgomery’s 25 public high schools fail to meet testing goals

Nearly half of Montgomery’s 25 public high schools fail to meet testing goals
Six miss targets for second consecutive year or third time in four years
by Andrew Ujifusa, Gazette Staff Writer

"Nearly half of Montgomery County’s public high schools did not meet the state’s targets for success on statewide tests this year.

In data released Friday by the state education department, 12 of the 25 high schools in Montgomery County Public Schools did not make Adequate Yearly Progress on the High school Assessments, which measure reading and math performance on standardized tests."

To read the complete Gazette story, click HERE.

Neelsville Middle School Parents Rally to Save Principal

Neelsville Middle School parents to meet at the school at 4:30 PM on July 8, 2011 to discuss sudden departure of school's principal. Meeting will take place in parking lot if necessary.


Neelsville Middle School faces restructuring based on the recent MSA results. 


What happens to the Community Superintendents when schools do not make AYP goals? 

Special Education Students in MCPS

Information below taken from an extract off the MSDE website using the latest MSA data for 2011 which was made public June 29, 2011.

Schools shown on this list did NOT make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for Special Education students in the 2010/2011 school year.

Bob Astrove

School Name - Subject Title

A. Mario Loiederman Middle Math
A. Mario Loiederman Middle Reading
Arcola Elementary Math
Argyle Middle Math
Argyle Middle Reading
Bel Pre Elementary Math
Benjamin Banneker Middle Math
Bethesda Elementary Math
Bethesda Elementary Reading
Briggs Chaney Middle Math
Briggs Chaney Middle Reading
Brookhaven Elementary Math
Burning Tree Elementary Math
Cabin John Middle School Math
Cabin John Middle School Reading
Cannon Road Elementary Math
Cannon Road Elementary Reading
Captain James E. Daly Elementary Math
Captain James E. Daly Elementary Reading
Clopper Mill Elementary Math
Clopper Mill Elementary Reading
Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle Math
Eastern Middle School Math
Eastern Middle School Reading
Forest Oak Middle Math
Forest Oak Middle Reading
Francis Scott Key Middle Math
Francis Scott Key Middle Reading
Gaithersburg Middle Math
Gaithersburg Middle Reading
Galway Elementary Math
Galway Elementary Reading
Georgian Forest Elementary Math
Highland Elementary Math
John T. Baker Middle School Math
Jones Lane Elementary Reading
Judith A. Resnik Elementary Math
Kemp Mill Elementary Math
Kemp Mill Elementary Reading
Lakelands Park Middle Math
Lakelands Park Middle Reading
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Math
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Reading
Montgomery Village Middle School Math
Montgomery Village Middle School Reading
Neelsville Middle Math
Neelsville Middle Reading
Newport Mill Middle Math
Parkland Middle Math
Parkland Middle Reading
Ridgeview Middle Math
Roberto W. Clemente Middle Math
Roberto W. Clemente Middle Reading
Rosa M. Parks Middle Math
Rosemont Elementary Math
Sargent Shriver Elementary Math
Shady Grove Middle Math
Silver Spring International Middle Math
Silver Spring International Middle Reading
South Lake Elementary Math
Twinbrook Elementary Math
Twinbrook Elementary Reading
Waters Landing Elementary Math
Waters Landing Elementary Reading
Watkins Mill Elementary Math
Watkins Mill Elementary Reading
Whetstone Elementary Math
Whetstone Elementary Reading
White Oak Middle Math
White Oak Middle Reading
William B. Gibbs, Jr. Math
William B. Gibbs, Jr. Reading
Wood Acres Elementary Math

MSA Scores Released - MCPS Identified for Improvement List

Montgomery County (24 schools, 12%)	Year Entered	Title I Status	Differentiated Account Status
Elementary schools
Burning Tree Elementary 0419	2011		Focus Developing
Cannon Road Elementary 0310	2011		Comprehensive Developing
Captain James E. Daly Elementary 0111	2008		Comprehensive Developing
Galway Elementary 0313	2011		Comprehensive Developing
Kemp Mill Elementary 0805	2011	Title I	Comprehensive Developing
Mill Creek Towne Elementary 0556	2011		Focus Developing
R Sargent Shriver Elementary 0779	2011	Title I	Comprehensive Developing
South Lake Elementary 0564	2011	Title I	Focus Developing
Watkins Mill Elementary 0561	2011	Title I	Comprehensive Developing
Middle schools
A. Mario Loiederman Middle 0787	2010		Comprehensive Developing
Argyle Middle 0823	2010		Comprehensive Developing
Benjamin Banneker Middle 0333	2007		Comprehensive Developing
Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle 0818	2011		Comprehensive Developing
Eastern Middle School 0775	2010		Comprehensive Developing
Forest Oak Middle 0248	2006		Focus Priority
Francis Scott Key Middle 0311	2011		Comprehensive Developing
Gaithersburg Middle 0554	2007		Focus Developing
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle 0107	2011		Comprehensive Developing
Montgomery Village Middle School 0557	2010		Comprehensive Developing
Neelsville Middle 0115	2007		Comprehensive Priority
Newport Mill Middle 0792	2011		Focus Developing
Ridgeview Middle 0105	2011		Comprehensive Developing
Roberto W. Clemente Middle 0157	2010		Comprehensive Developing
White Oak Middle 0811	2011		Comprehensive Developing

High School list has not been released at this time.

ALL 2011 MSA RESULTS FOR MCPS