Schools

Birmingham Students Outpace State Averages on 2012 MEAP Exam

While Birmingham's 2012 MEAP scores exceeded state averages, the district saw a 10 percent drop in the percentage of students proficient in fifth grade science.

Students at Birmingham Public Schools continue to outperform the state in nearly all subjects, according to the recently-released results of the 2012 Michigan Educational Assessment Program, or MEAP test.

During the MEAP exam, taken during fall 2012, public school students in grades 3-9 were tested in math, reading, writing, social studies and/or science depending on the grade level.

Across Michigan, students showed improvement in reading, math and writing in 2012, with the improvement seen in all grades and most demographic groups.

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However in Birmingham, while there were relatively few changes from last year's scores — with improvement in some areas and dips in proficiency levels in others — fifth grade science scores continue to be the district's weak spot for the second year in a row.

New scores demonstrate students, teachers 'rising to the challenge' of new standards

Across Michigan, students made the biggest jump on the 2012 MEAP in reading proficiency for third and eighth graders — with a 4.1 and 5.2 percent gain, respectively. Proficiency in math and writing also grew, with a 6.1 percent gain in fifth grade math.

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Meanwhile, science scores dropped across the state in 2012, particularly in fifth and eighth grade.

"These gains demonstrate (that) Michigan's teachers and students are rising to the challenge of the rigorous standards established last year," said State Superintendent Mike Flanagan in a statement. "I am encouraged by the progress we are making in Michigan and look forward to the continued efforts to help all students achieve at a higher level in all subjects."

Scores across Michigan took a hit in 2011 after the state implemented a new set of cut scores — scores that define the cut-off point for the various levels of proficiency on the MEAP: advanced, proficient, partially proficient and not proficient.

While Birmingham's proficiency scores did take a nosedive in 2011, the shock wasn't too bad: in April 2011, administrators re-calculated Birmingham's 2010 MEAP results using the new cut scores, showing that 2011's scores weren't actually that different from the year before.

For a school-by-school breakdown of how each school performed on the 2012 MEAP, visit School Data: How Did Birmingham Perform on the MEAP Test?

Birmingham scores show improvement in math and reading, drop in fifth grade science

For the 2012 MEAP, Birmingham showed improvement in many areas. The percentage of students proficient on the ninth grade social studies test jumped from 48.8 percent in 2011 to 55.4 percent in 2012. Seventh grade math profiency levels also grew by six percentage points in 2012.

In addition, the percentage of students proficient in fourth grade writing jumped from 65.8 percent in 2011 to 72.4 percent in 2012 — a seven percentage point leap that places Birmingham far ahead of the state average, 46.7 percent.

Still, the category that took the most dramatic hit in 2012 was the proficiency level in fifth grade science. In 2011, 25.9 percent of Birmingham's fifth-graders scored proficient or higher on the science MEAP exam.

In 2012, that figure dropped to 15.4 percent — only two percentage points higher than the state average, 13.1 percent.

Fall 2012 MEAP scores

Percentage of all Birmingham students who met or exceeded state standards, as compared with those same percentages in 2011.

Grade 3

Birmingham 2012
Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Math 64.5% 61.8% 40.9% Reading 88.1% 84.2% 66.5%

Grade 4

Birmingham 2012 Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Math 71.2% 71.4% 44.9% Reading 86.4% 86.4% 68.1% Writing 72.4% 65.8% 46.7%

Grade 5

Birmingham 2012 Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Math 77.6% 77% 45.7% Reading 89.1% 92.7% 70.4% Science 15.4% 25.9% 13.1%

Grade 6

Birmingham 2012 Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Math 73.6% 74.5% 40.2% Reading 87.8% 90% 68.2% Social Studies 49% 46.5% 29.7%

Grade 7

Birmingham 2012 Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Math 76.1% 70.4% 38.4% Reading 83% 83% 62% Writing 74.9% 73.5% 51.7%

Grade 8

Birmingham 2012 Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Math 67.2% 62.5% 32.5% Reading 83.4% 82.3% 65.7% Science 30.8% 27.1% 15.9%

Grade 9

Birmingham 2012 Birmingham 2011 Michigan 2012 Social Studies 55.4% 48.8% 28.6%

Source: Michigan Department of Education

For more

  • 2011 MEAP Scores: Birmingham Students Top State Averages
  • 2011 MEAP Scores: A School-by-School Breakdown


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