ROCK HALL — In reviewing Kent County Public Schools’ scores from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) for the 2023-24 academic year, Superintendent Mary McComas told the board of education that data can be used as a flashlight to help school systems see where they need to improve.
“Our data has shined a light on our need to focus on our math and writing skills throughout the year,” she said at the Sept. 9 regularly scheduled board meeting. “I have absolute confidence that we strive for improvement in all areas for our students.”
McComas is three months into her tenure as schools chief in Kent County, beginning a four-year term on July 1.
According to the Maryland State Board of Education, federal and state mandates require an annual assessment of students in grades 3-8 and once in high school in English Language Arts (ELA), math and science.
Students are ranked 1 through 4 based on test scores.
A ranking of 1 indicates a beginning learner, someone who has not yet demonstrated proficiency in a skill, and a ranking of 4 indicates someone who has an advanced proficiency of a skill.
In layman’s terms, a 1 is below grade level; 2 is approaching grade level; 3 is at grade level; and 4 is above grade level.
Gina Jachimowicz, director of teaching and learning for KCPS, made a PowerPoint presentation during the Sept. 9 meeting that broke down MCAP results by grade level and school for both ELA and math.
Unlike in the past, there were two different types of tests in 2024 for ELA, which made it difficult to compare data from previous years, Jachimowicz said.
Students in grades 6-8 were given adaptive tests. As the test progressed, the more questions the student answered correctly, the more difficult the test would become.
Students in grades 3-5 were given a more traditional linear test; the difficulty level of the questions did not change throughout the test.
While all three KCPS elementary schools saw improvement in their scores, H.H. Garnet Elementary in Chestertown and Rock Hall Elementary performed better than the state average, according to the data.
“We are seeing growth and a steady improvement in our scores thanks to the work of our teachers and principals,” Jachimowicz said.
She pointed out that for the third year in a row, 10th grade students at Kent County High School continued to outperform their peers across the state when it comes to the ELA portion of the MCAP. This year, 58% of KCHS sophomores were considered proficient leaners compared to the state’s 55.3%.
According to the state data, when looking at all tests combined (all grades), 48.4% of students were proficient in ELA. In Kent County, that number was 41.2%.
Like many public school systems across the state, Kent County students continue to struggle with the math portion of the MCAP. None of the grades tested met the state average, according to the data, but all saw improvement in overall scores.
According to data from the state, 24.1% of all public school students in Maryland are proficient in math. In Kent County that figure is 12.6%.
McComas said the standard of mathematics has changed from understanding formulas and how to solve equations to students’ ability to reason through a problem.
“It is not just linear equations, but the dreaded word problem. Students must have strong literacy fluency to be able to move through math problems now,” she said.
Jachimowicz pointed out that the entire math portion of the MCAP was adaptive. She said that may have prevented some students from being able to move up a level in the test.
She said it would be unfair to compare Kent County to other school systems across the state because each jurisdiction is unique, with different challenges and access to resources.
To get a more accurate assessment of how a school system is doing, Jachimowicz said, compare grade level data year-to-year in that district.
McComas said the improvements in the younger grade levels will build a strong foundation for literacy fluency at the older grade levels as students move through the school system.
“There is no magic wand, but hard work. Our elementary school principals have rolled up their sleeves and done the hard work to look at the student data and really dig into it to see what is working, what is not working, how to best reach all students,” she said.
Moving into the fall, Jachimowicz said teachers and principals have worked on collaborative ways to improve literacy and math scores, including increased progress monitoring, individual focus during learning blocks and practice MCAP tests.
For more information on the MCAP test and results, see https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2024/0827/Maryland-Comprehensive-Assessment-Program-2023-2024-A.pdf
Trish McGee, owner and publisher of The Evening Enterprise, is an elected member of the Kent County Board of Education. She did not contribute to this reporting.