Troy's 2012 MEAP Results Show Overall Gains

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment.

The annual MEAP results, released Monday morning, showed academic improvement in most areas for Troy students in the last year.

The results show students maintaining a higher level of proficiency in every grade level and every subject than peers statewide.

The 2012 Michigan Educational Assessment Program measures progress in subjects such as math, reading, writing, science and social studies for third through ninth-graders.

In the data released publicly Monday, 77 percent of Troy's sixth-grade students were ranked proficient in math - meaning they met or exceeded state standards - versus 69 percent in 2011. Fourth-grade students also saw changes in their math scores, with 83 percent proficiency in 2012 versus nearly 78.5 percent proficiency in 2011.

In math, scores were up across the board except for third-graders, who fell from 75.1 percent in proficiency in 2011 to 72.2 percent in 2012.

Science scores fell in the fifth grade, from 36.7 percent proficient in 2011 to 25.4 percent in 2012. Science scores also fell in the eighth grade, from 34.7 percent proficient in 2011 to 28.7 percent in 2012.

Reading scores were up 6.8 points from 2011 to 2012 in the eighth grade, from 80.4 percent to 87.2 percent. Reading scores also rose in seventh, sixth, and third grade, but fell in fourth and fifth grade.

Social studies scores rose in the sixth grade, from 51.8 percent proficient in 2011 to 56.7 percent in 2012. Social studies scores also rose in the ninth grade, from 52.8 percent proficient in 2011 to 56.4 percent in 2012.

Writing scores rose in the fourth grade, from 78.5 percent proficient in 2011 to 74.1 percent in 2012. Writing scores also rose in the seventh grade, from 69.1 percent proficient in 2011 to 73.1 percent in 2012.

Locally, several districts saw profiency ratings drop in 2011 due to new cut scores from the state.  The new scores were based on students getting more of the answers correct than in year's past. And this year's results are the first apples-to-apples comparison based on those new guidelines.

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

Statewide reading, mathematics and writing scores saw positive gains compared to the previous year, the Michigan Department of Education said in a press release.

“These gains demonstrate Michigan’s teachers and students are rising to the challenge of the rigorous standards established last year,” State Superintendent Mike Flanagan said in a press release. “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.”

Last year, Troy students' results took a hit due to new cut scores — the passing scores that distinguish between whether a student is advanced, proficient, partially proficient or not proficient in certain subjects — which were adopted by the State Board of Education in Sept. 2010.

This year, Troy Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barbara Fowler said that students and staff had reason to feel proud.

"Troy’s scores continue to be strong and have improved in a number of areas," Fowler said via e-mail. "There is a great deal of information for us to review and we always pay attention to our student performance as we want to show continuous improvement. Troy has a very talented staff and that is reflected in our student achievement."

With the more rigorous cut scores, students need to get roughly 65 percent of the answers correct to "pass" the state test, instead of only 39 percent that was the previous benchmark. Here's a look at last year's results.

Here's a look at the 2012 MEAP results: 

MEAP Reading Results

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

MEAP Math Results

MEAP Writing Results

MEAP Science Results

MEAP Social Studies Results

Source: Michigan Department of Education