Scores show many MPS students not 'proficient' in English, math
Recent results from the Alabama State Department of Education Comprehensive Assessment Program indicate that a majority of Montgomery Public Schools students were not proficient in the tested subject areas.
The ACAP test, which is designed to test student progress on the Alabama Courses of Study Standards, are given once a year in the spring. It tests the students in English language arts and math in grades two through eight. Students are tested on science in grades four, six and eight.
According to the tests, Montgomery County schools had a math proficiency of about 11%. More than 96% of the district participated.
High schoolers had proficiency at about 24%. At the high school level, the only MPS school with a majority proficient score was Loveless Academic Magnet Program at roughly 95%. Booker T. Washington and Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School were at about 33%.
Free books:River Region United Way partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
They were supposed to help:Alabama sends kids to mental health facilities despite abuse claims
On the science test, 22% of those tested were considered proficient. The science test had a 93% participation rate.
On the science test, about 27% of high schoolers were proficient. Like in math, the only high school that was over 50% proficient in science was LAMP at around 94%. BTW had a proficiency at around 60% and BrewTech had a proficiency of around 55%.
On the English language arts, around 32% of MPS students were proficient. High schoolers were roughly 29% proficient.
All three magnet high schools—and only the magnet high schools—were deemed to be majority proficient. LAMP had an 100% proficiency rate. BTW was 69% proficient and BrewTech was 66%.
In comparison to the previous year, the scores remained roughly consistent, if not slightly higher. The 2020-2021 school year had a science proficiency of roughly 31%, math proficiency of about 9% and science proficiency about 22%.
As first reported by Trish Crain of Al.com’s Education Lab, Alabama overall had a slight increase overall in the ACAP scores.
In comparison to pre-pandemic scores, the proficiency rates have dropped. During the 2018-2019 school year, math was at roughly 30% proficient, science was at about 25% and reading was roughly 40%.
The scores for the literacy portion of the test were released over the summer to better prepare for the implementation of the Alabama Literacy Act. Under the Literacy Act, students who are not reading on grade level by the end of third-grade will be asked to retake the year. Exceptions are available that allow some students to not retake the test.
Of the 2017 third graders who took the ACAP test in the spring, 697 tested below grade level. Statewide, around 22% of third-graders are not on grade level. The data is used to better prepare third-graders for the upcoming school year. Educators have had access to the scores since around mid-May.
Forest Avenue Academic Magnet and MacMillan International Academy for Humanities, Communications and Technology had the best scores in the district, with only around 1% and 2% not meeting grade level, respectively. Other high-ranking schools are Bear Exploration Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology School with about 4% not on grade level, Wilson Elementary School with about 10%, and Carver Elementary and Arts Magnet School with about 11.5%.
MPS spokespeople Jade Jones and Scott Johnson could not be reached for comment.
Jemma Stephenson is the children and education reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at jstephenson@gannett.com or 334-261-1569.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama Comprehensive Assessment scores show students not testing well
