Take Time to Smell the Roses!

Come-on. Stop and think what Friday’s headlines about MME results were saying about Michigan’s high schools ---- They’re improving academically.

Hey, from a statewide average of 18.8 in 2008 to now 19.3, that is darn good. It means a lot of educators, and students, and people working for classroom success are working together to get the job done. An improvement of 0.01 on a statewide average is a big deal. A .5 improvement in three years is great!

July 23rd Detroit Free Press headline:
Michigan Merit Exam scores at highest ever

As a young high school principal, I was blessed to have the retired principal who held my job for 20+ years occasionally stop by to visit. I remember him counseling me saying there aren’t many days “when you can smell the roses.” He would add, “don’t forget to stop and smell the roses when you get a chance.”

I give you this same advice today. Stop and enjoy these words of encouragement and praise.
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Michigan Department of Education Press Release

July 22, 2010

LANSING - The rigorous state high school graduation requirements signed into state law four years ago are paying off with higher test scores, the Michigan Department of Education reported today.

Michigan high school students are continuing to improve their performance on the Michigan Merit Examination (MME), which includes the ACT college entrance test. The percentage of students scoring in the proficient or advanced categories was at its highest level ever in four subject areas: math, science, reading, and writing.

Likewise, the more than 110,000 students taking the MME this spring scored an average 19.3 on the ACT portion of the test, marking the third consecutive year with an increase (up from 19.0 in 2009 and 18.8 in 2008).

"Four years ago we created a college prep curriculum for high school students with the goal of doubling the number of college graduates in Michigan," said Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. "We must have a well-educated workforce if Michigan is to compete globally and attract jobs and investment here. These test scores show student performance is improving which is the best proof that the more rigorous curriculum is working."

Recommended to the Legislature by the State Board of Education, the state high school graduation requirements include four credits each of math and English language arts; three credits each of science and social studies; two credits of world language; one credit each of health/physical education and visual/performing arts; and one online course.

The high school juniors who took the Michigan Merit Exam this past spring are the first students required by law to complete the new high school requirements in order to graduate. The two-credit world language requirement first takes effect for the graduating class of 2016.

While acknowledging that scoring at a "proficient" level equates to having only a basic understanding of the subject content, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan is encouraged by the early results of the new high school graduation requirements.

"We were confident that when all students were taught the rigorous subject content, like Algebra II and chemistry, they would be able to learn the basic concepts, if not more," said Flanagan, the original architect of the state's rigorous graduation requirements. "This is a very positive trend and shows hope for the future."

Flanagan added that younger students will benefit even more as Michigan continues to ratchet-up its college- and career-ready standards.

In writing, the percentage of Michigan public school 11th graders who scored at the proficient or advanced levels improved three years in a row from 40 percent in 2007, to 44 percent in 2010.

Reading scores improved from 60% scoring at the proficient or advanced level the previous year to 65% in 2010.

Mathematics scores increased from 46 percent proficient or advanced two years ago to 50 percent this year.

Science scores increased from 56% proficient or advanced the previous year to 58% in 2010.

Only social studies saw a decline, with 79% scoring proficient or advanced compared to 81% the previous year and 83% in 2007.

"To see these improvements, and especially those consistent over multiple years in writing and mathematics, is a tribute to the efforts of our students, teachers, administrators, and those who support them," Flanagan said.

The Michigan Merit Exam is given each spring to Michigan 11th grade students. Testing is accomplished by most students during a period of three days. During the testing period, students take the ACT Plus Writing college entrance exam on day one, three portions of the WorkKeys employability skills assessment on day two, and additional items in mathematics, science and social studies needed to complete the assessment to meet Michigan standards on day three.

In addition to information provided by the MME to meet state and federal legislative requirements, schools receive a variety of printed and electronic reports, including Parent Reports that show their student's performance on this statewide assessment. Schools are to make available to parents the printed Parent Reports when students return to class this fall, or mail the Parent Reports home upon receipt. Parents are encouraged to contact their school's Guidance Office if they do not receive their student's printed Parent Report by mid-September.

MME results also provide students with an opportunity to obtain, at no cost to the student, college reportable ACT scores needed for admission to most colleges and universities.

The WorkKeys® employability skills assessment portion of the MME includes sections titled Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information. These assessments allow students to qualify for the WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Student scores for the WorkKeys® are reported directly to high schools for distribution to students and parents.

The MME scores are divided into four performance levels: Advanced, Proficient, Partially Proficient, and Not Proficient. Students who placed in either the Advanced or Proficient levels are considered to be "proficient" in that subject.

While individual student scores are protected by the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), summary data about an entire school or district are available to the public at http://www.michigan.gov/mme> . From there, click on "MME Test Results" on the left side of the screen. Documents available online for the Spring 2010 MME are Demographic Reports, Frequently Asked Questions, a School and District Data File, School and District Summary Reports, and Statewide Results.
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Free Press story attached