Ferndale High School Lags State on 2013 Michigan Merit Exam

This story was written by Brooke Tajer and Leslie Ellis.

Ferndale High School students' scores on the 2013 Michigan Merit Exam declined in most categories compared to 2012 and lagged statewide averages, according to data released Monday.

The MME assesses students in the eleventh grade each spring based on Michigan high school standards, according to the Michigan Department of Education. The test includes the ACT college entrance exam, along with other state proficiency tests.

Student performance falls into one of four categories: advanced, proficient, partially proficient and not proficient. Students must score either "proficient" or "advanced" to be considered proficient in that subject.

Students' scores took a hit in 2012 due to new scoring standards adopted by the Michigan Department of Education in September 2011. There was little recovery shown in the 2013 scores.

The new cut scores — which went into effect for the MME and Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) in 2012 — are more rigorous than previous standards: Students now need to get roughly 65 percent of the answers correct to “pass” the state test, instead of the previous benchmark of 39 percent.

State Superintendent Mike Flanagan noted that while the results continue to show a four-year upward trend in student proficiency, the MME student proficiency scores (statewide) declined slightly when compared to 2012.

“Over the past four years, more high school students are being taught challenging content and are becoming career-and college-ready. This upward trend is good news for students, educators and our state," Mike Flanagan said. “While assessment score fluctuations are not unusual when comparing different classes of students, results show the need to continue the state’s strong commitment to high standards."

The percent of Ferndale High School students who scored either proficient or advanced on the 2013 MME decreased in every subject except math. The biggest decrease was in writing. In 2012, 51 percent of Ferndale High School students were proficient or advanced in writing; in 2013, that figure dropped to 42 percent.

The only increase in 2013 MME scores at Ferndale High School was in math. In 2012, 21.9 percent of students tested scored proficient or higher; in 2013 that figure increased to 22.5 percent.

The ACT composite average for Ferndale High School in 2013 was 18.4, down from 19.2 in 2012 and below the state composite average of 19.7 in 2013.

Ferndale High School MME (percent proficient)

Math

2013: 22.5

2012: 21.9

Science

2013: 18.5

2012: 22.9

Reading

2013: 43.4

2012: 50.5

Writing

2013: 42

2012: 51

Social studies

2013: 32

2012: 36.5

Ferndale High School ACT (average)

2013: 18.4

2012: 19.2

Statewide MME (percent proficient)

Math

2013: 28.6

2012: 29.1

Science

2013: 25.7

2012: 25.8

Reading

2013: 53.5

2012: 55.9

Writing

2013: 49.3

2012: 49.4

Social studies

2013: 38.6

2012: 40.5

Statewide ACT (average)

2013: 19.7

2012: 19.6

Source: Michigan Department of Education