2010 MEAP Scores

The fall 2010 MEAP data have been released by the State of Michigan. The updated reading, writing (only given in 4th grade), math, and science (only given in 5th grade) scores for King show below. We are very, very proud of King students and how they performed on the test. We analyze the data from the test to help us understand what is needed next in our teaching.

3rd Grade
Reading - 96% proficient, 73% advanced
Math - 100% proficient, 84% advanced

4th Grade
Reading - 99% proficient, 70% advanced
Writing - 91% proficient, 42% advanced
Math - 97% proficient, 87% advanced

5th Grade
Reading - 97% proficient, 88% advanced
Math - 99% proficient, 91% advanced
Science - 92% proficient, 78% advanced

Based on the 2010 MEAP, Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School ranks as the sixth highest scoring elementary school and the twelfth highest scoring school overall in the state of Michigan.  We are a strong school community and these scores are certainly reflective of the commitment that exists from all stakeholders in the community to providing excellence in education.  

Thank you to the King staff and parents for their work in supporting out students.  Most of all, congratulations to our students for their fine efforts!!!

The fall 2009 MEAP data:

The fall 2009 MEAP data has been released by the State of Michigan. The updated chart of the King scores shows below for reading, writing, English language arts (ELA), math, and science (only given in 5th grade). We are very, very proud of ALL King students and how they performed on the test. We analyze the data from the test to help us understand what is needed next in our teaching.

3rd Grade
Reading - 100% proficient, 69% advanced
Math - 100% proficient, 91% advanced

4th Grade
Reading - 96% proficient, 81% advanced
Writing - *
Math - 100% proficient, 93% advanced

5th Grade
Reading - 94% proficient, 74% advanced
Math - 97% proficient, 93% advanced
Science - 94% proficient, 81% advanced

* As of 4/14/2010, writing scores have not been released.


The fall 2008 MEAP data:

3rd Grade
Reading - 96% proficient, 69% advanced
Writing - 93% **
ELA - 96%**
Math - 100% proficient, 97% advanced

4th Grade
Reading - 94% proficient, 73% advanced
Writing - 78% proficient, 0% advanced
ELA - 94% **
Math - 97% proficient, 92% advanced

5th Grade
Reading - 97% proficient, 80% advanced
Writing - 93% **
ELA - 99%**
Math - 99% proficient, 93% advanced
Science - 99% proficient, 85% advanced

** The last year for the writing test in third and fifth grade was the 2008-09 school year. Since ELA (English Language Arts) was a combination score representing reading and writing proficiency, 2008-09 is also the last year it could be calculated.

MEAP Letter To 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade Parents

Dear Parent/Guardian,

During the period of October 13-29, your child will be taking the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) test. Students in grades 3-8 will take a two-part Reading test and a Mathematics test; students in grades 4 and 7 will take a Writing test; students in grades 5 and 8 will also take a Science test, and students in grades 6 and 9 will take a Social Studies test. The state has scheduled specific dates for each subject area test and make-ups:

Subject Area Scheduled Date Make-up Date
Mathematics (Grades 3-8) October 20 October 21
Reading Session 1 (Grades 3-8) October 13 October 14, 19, 21
Reading Session 2 (Grades 3-8) October 15 October 19, 21
Writing (Grades 4 and 7) October 22 October 26
Science (Grades 5 and 8) October 22 October 26
Social Studies (Grades 6 and 9) October 22 October 26
General Make-up Sessions October 26-29


All students in these grades should take the tests. We are required by the federal “No Child Left Behind” legislation to give the test to all students, and individual schools are held accountable for full participation of their students. If you have concerns about a child with a disability or with limited English proficiency taking the test, please contact me to discuss available accommodations in the testing process.

Based on the state Grade Level Content Expectations, these tests reflect the knowledge and skills that will be important for students in today's world. Because the test is being given in the fall, it tests content covered in previous grades; for example, 3rd graders will be tested on content through the end of 2nd grade. The tests will help to identify those skills your child has learned and which skills may need strengthening. Here in the Ann Arbor Public Schools we use these results to help us improve the school program and work with individual students. In addition, the MEAP is used as the primary measure for state and federal accountability requirements. Additional information about the MEAP is available on the state website: www.michigan.gov/meap.

You can help your child do his/her best on the test by:

1) making sure that your child attends school on the days of testing;
2) making sure your child gets a good night's sleep before testing;
3) reminding your child to ask the teacher questions if she/he does not understand the test directions;
4) encouraging your child to do his/her best on the tests because the results will help him/her get a better education; and
5) letting your child know that you are confident in his/her ability to do his/her best.

Please call me or your child's teacher if you want additional information or have further questions or concerns about the tests.

Sincerely,
Kevin Karr

MEAP Testing Schedule for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades

Families of children in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade:

The schedule for the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests this year is as follows:
10/14 - MEAP Math Test
10/16 - MEAP English Language Arts (ELA) Part 1
10/19 - MEAP-Make-up Math
10/21 - MEAP English Language Arts (ELA) Part 2
10/22 - MEAP-Make-up ELA Part 1
10/23 - MEAP Science
10/27 - MEAP-Make-up ELA Part 2
10/28 - MEAP-Make-up Science
10/29 - MEAP-Make-up any subject as needed
10/30 - MEAP-Make-up any subject as needed. No testing is allowed after today.

Tests can only be administered on a day the test is scheduled or on a scheduled make-up day. I know everyone does their best to avoid absences from school. Of course, please do the same on MEAP testing days.

Mr. Karr's End of Year Update

June 13, 2008

Dear MLK Families,

It has been a great year at MLK! I continue to appreciate being a part of this very special community and look forward to continuing our hard work together next school year. Wherever the summer months take you, please be safe and take your King PRIDE with you.

In this end of the year update, I am sharing information I think you’ll find interesting J: achievement, writing, good-byes, thanks, information about the front drive, and some dates for next fall!

Achievement Update

At the beginning of the year during Curriculum Night, I shared that writing shows as the most significant academic need at MLK. As of June 2008, it is still the greatest need even though we’ve reformed so much and seen major changes since the 2006-07 school year. The most visible of these changes have been adopting new writing curriculum and hosting several parent writing education evenings at school. Other less visible changes include development of an implementation calendar for writing, new district writing assessment tools, and professional development for teachers.

We measure the results of our writing efforts using both report card (classroom) data and MEAP data. The MEAP data from this school year was recently released, and it shows below. When you look at it, please know that the “Advanced” and “Proficient” columns represent passing MEAP scores while “Partially Proficient” and “Not Proficient” represent MEAP scores that are not passing. The three columns on the right show the overall passing rates for MLK School, the AAPS, and the State of Michigan.

3rd MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	69.7	30.3	0	0	100	94	86
Writing	0	84.8	15.2	0	84.8 *	76	57
English Language Arts	54.5	45.5	0	0	100	91	81
Math	94.2	5.8	0	0	100	96	90

· 57 out of roughly 2600 elementary schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 3^rd \grade 2007 MEAP writing test. MLK was the highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 3^rd grade MEAP writing test.

4th MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	69.9	30.1	0	0	100	92	85
Writing	1.4	79.5	19.2	0	80.8 **	62	44
English Language Arts	56.2	42.5	1.4	0	98.6	87	76
Math	85.3	14.7	0	0	100	94	86

** 17 out of roughly elementary 2600 schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 4^th grade MEAP writing test. MLK was the highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 4^th grade MEAP writing test.

5th MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	65.3	33.3	0	1.4	98.6	90	82
Writing	2.8	76.4	19.4	1.4	79.2 ***	74	59
English Language Arts	47.2	48.6	4.2	0	95.8	88	78
Math	80.6	18.1	1.4	0	98.6	91	74
Science	67.3	31.9	0	1.4	98.6	90	82

*** 190 out of roughly 2600 elementary schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 5^th grade MEAP writing test. MLK was the fourth highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 5^th grade MEAP writing test.

The data above shows King School is doing very well in writing (and even exceptionally well) when compared with other schools. However, I still sometimes think “with all this work, focus, and energy being expended on writing, are we seeing the gains we expect and want?” My quick answer is we are seeing a lot of what we expect, but here are two pieces of context about where we are:

1. We have been using our new curriculum for a short amount of time (instructionally speaking). It will take longer before our kids have experienced the “full program” and the full benefits can be seen. Our teachers will also get better at implementing the curriculum over time, which will have an additional positive impact. This isn’t all that different than what occurred after adopting Everyday Math years ago—we saw gains in achievement more significantly over time than we did at the beginning.


2. We see differences between the writing achievement in classrooms at King and what shows in the MEAP writing scores. I would hope and expect that the two sets of data would be close to the same because the classroom assessments and the MEAP assessment are both based on the same Grade Level Content Expectations. Other schools in Ann Arbor are seeing similar discrepancies. So . . . it begs the question “why does this difference exist if we are all supposed to be measuring the same things?” I’m not completely sure at this point but will be investigating over the summer and into next year. One piece of figuring out what is happening will occur this summer when several King teachers and I will “audit” our MEAP writing. We will read the writing produced by our students, score it using the MEAP assessment guidelines, and compare our scores with what MEAP scorers assigned the same piece of writing. Our score and the MEAP score should be the same. However, if there is a difference, the AAPS may choose to appeal the score. I hope to have more to share at Curriculum Night on September 9.

Writing This Summer

I hope our kids don’t stop writing this summer. Here are a few ideas about including writing in your summer plans. Please feel free to vary them or come up with your own.

1. Write a family journal about your summer. Talk about what happens during the summer, and then each person can write a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a page—whatever—about the summer events. Do this regularly and you’ll end up with journals that will be read over and over for years. Even the youngest pre-writers can share verbally what they want written.


2. Get an idea by reading (or rereading) the information shared at one of the parent education evenings over the past two years: http://karrskingblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/report-from-parent-writing-workshop.html


3. Sign up for an 826michigan.org writing program. Check them out on the Web or check the MLK website.


4. If your child was in fourth of fifth grade this year, they can participate in a MyAccess writing prompt from any computer connected to the Internet. Heck—parents could try one too. Students use the same username and password as they did this year at school. If parents choose to try one, they should use their child’s username and password. Check the King website for more information.

Saying Goodbye

We’re saying goodbye to an MLK School legend and a couple who have been with us just a short time at King. Here is the complete goodbye list:

1. First and foremost, Mrs. Cheryl Jones is retiring after dedicating 39 years to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School community. She is an exceptional teacher and person, I’m positive that years from now people will still say “Remember Mrs. Jones from King School? It was amazing when she . . .” For me, she is one of those people you meet in life and feel lucky to have shared some time and space together. Just like the students she has helped, I’ve learned a lot from her too. Hopefully she will come back to visit often.


2. Ms. Caroline Hughes, our media specialist, is moving to Boulder, Colorado after only one year at MLK. She’s done a wonderful job in our media center, but life has led her in a different direction and to a different state. We wish her all the best.


3. Mr. Jeff Taylor, who taught fifth grade this year after coming from Clague Middle School is returning to his middle school roots. I know this year’s fifth graders will enjoy seeing Mr. Taylor at Clague next year. Keep up the good work, Mr. T.

Thanks to Laurie Barnett

It isn’t often we single out a parent volunteer because there are so many great parents who put in long, long hours on behalf of the kids at King. However, we’d also be remiss to not note Laurie Barnett’s selfless contributions to the school. In just the last four school years alone Laurie has served two years as the PTO president, two years as the School Improvement Team co-chair, has worked closely to coordinate the PTO Silent Auction, and contributed significantly with fifth grade efforts to go to Space Camp. In addition, this year she had a major hand in rewriting the PTO bylaws. And I’m sure I’ve probably missed two or three other ways she’s contributed! Most significantly, I’ve seen Laurie represent and support the King community positively each day—and she’s done it in ways that did not necessarily benefit her or her family. All I can say is WOW! Thank you, Laurie! We’ve all benefited from knowing you and watching you contribute to this community.

Front Drive Update

This past week, the representatives on the Building Renovation Team voted to not have the front drive redesign plans put out for bids this summer. Despite widespread recognition of safety issues based on some parent behavior during drop off and pick up, the overwhelming input from the community has been that the “engineered” redesign of the front drive was not necessarily safer.

This being the case, I am excited to announce that our PTO has instituted a Safety Committee for next year. The group has already met with me once to more concretely define procedures around drop off and pick up. As we begin the 2008-09 school year, you will likely see the beginning outcomes of our collaboration in a summer mailing, the first day of school packet, the MLK website, and eNotes. We hope to have information written in several languages to facilitate communication with our newest families who may not be proficient in English. Thanks to Amy Cell, Susan Gechter, and Eve Losman so far for their effort and input.

School Dates Coming Up

Aug. 27: Welcome Night for New Families, 7-8 PM

Sept. 2: First Day for students

Sept. 2: PTO Welcome Coffee –9-9:30 AM, All Parents Welcome - MLK Multipurpose Room

Sept. 5: Spirit Friday at MLK—Wear your blue and yellow or the colors of your favorite colors.

Sept. 9: Curriculum Night at MLK –Parents only please. This is the one evening of the 2008-09 school year where there is no childcare.

o 6pm - Curriculum Night Presentation #1 in classrooms

o 6:45pm - All MLK Community Presentation - MLK multipurpose room

o 7:10pm Curriculum Night Presentation #2 in classrooms

Sept. 12: Spirit Friday at MLK

Sept. 16: PTO meeting, 7pm

Sept. 19: Spirit Friday at MLK

Sept. 26: Picture Day

Check the MLK website for a full calendar for next year: http://king.a2schools.org

Sincerely,

Kevin Karr

Attention: Fifth Grade Parents

Dear 5th Grade Parents,

You may have heard or read about the recent news story concerning a security breach on the 5th and 6th grade MEAP writing test that occurred in another district in the state. The prompt for essay portion of the writing test in those two grades was mistakenly printed in that district’s local newspaper and its website. In order to assure fairness to all students and to protect the validity of the scores reported for the test, the Michigan Department of Education has determined that all 5th and 6th graders should be given a replacement writing prompt, regardless of whether they have already taken that portion of the test.

To prevent any other security breaches, the state has designated the morning of Wednesday, November 7 as the time when all 5th and 6th graders will take the replacement test, as the first school activity in the morning. Consequently, we will be administering the test at the time. The test is untimed, but is estimated to take about an hour for the students to complete. Students who are absent that day can make it up within the week that follows.

While it is unfortunate that our students will have to spend the time to take the replacement test, we will endeavor to have it run as smoothly as possible in order to provide fair and accurate scores for all of our students.

Sincerely,

Kevin Karr

Safety and MEAP Scores

March 4, 2007


Dear King parents,

I write today with some of the most exciting news of the year—and some of the most disappointing news, which is where I’ll start.

Safety—Drop Offs—Pick Ups
The disappointment: several parents approached me recently to express dissatisfaction and disappointment with safety during drop-off and pick-up times. After watching in the front drive of the school on several occasions, I couldn’t agree more. Our problems during these times are serious and are on-going issues. We need to come together to address this NOW!

What’s wrong and why it should be changed:
• Parents are dropping off and picking up students from the left hand lane of the circle drive in the front of the school. This means students cross in front of other cars to get to and from the school—and as unthinking, sometimes too rushed drivers leave the school, students could be hit and hurt or worse.
• Parents backing their cars up—even if just for a couple feet—in the front drive. Students may be standing in driver’s blind spot (or may step out from the curb) while some unthinking, unknowing driver backs up and hits them, hurts them or worse.
• The above two bullets exemplify parent practices that are not acceptable. Other unacceptable parent practices include driving too fast around the school, parking in the front of the school during pick up and drop off, and standing in the left hand lane of the front circle drive.

What needs to be done to act safely:
• Parents must obey traffic signs around the school;
• Parents must slow down when dropping off and picking up students. This does not only mean to drive more slowly but also means exhibiting patience to realize it makes more sense to make a second loop to the front drive than to pick up students in an unsafe manner;
• Use the left hand lane of the front drive for driving only;
• Never back up in the front circle drive;
• From 8:40 – 9:10 and from 3:30 – 4:00, you cannot leave your car while in the front drive (i.e. no parking allowed).
• If you are perpetrating any of the above-mentioned dastardly deeds, you should change your behavior. If you are not doing these things, talk with other MLK parents about the issues. We must raise awareness that what is happening is dangerous.

Beyond this we need to think, as a community, about how to best address this in an on-going, safer way. Some of the suggestions I’ve received this year:
• Ask the Ann Arbor Police Department to monitor traffic at school. I would love it if it were this easy but the AAPD gives tickets on Waldenwood Drive, not in the King driveway.
• Ask the PTO to form a Safety Committee to help address the issues. I would welcome the help from such a group.
I would be happy to receive additional suggestions about this topic. Thank you.

Now on to some of the more exciting news at MLK. Let’s get right to the fall 2006 MEAP scores, which were released not too long ago. Here you go:
3rd Grade
Reading- 96
Writing- 74
English/Language Arts- 96
Math- 97

4th Grade
Reading- 98
Writing- 83*
English/Language Arts- 97
Math- 99

5th Grade
Reading- 98
Writing- 91*
English/Lang. Arts- 98
Math- 98
Science- 100*

* denotes highest score achieved at King School in given area

As you can see, King School continues to perform on the MEAP tests at an exceptional level. Few schools in the state have shown this type of success from year to year. Nice job everyone!

During Curriculum Night in the fall of this school year, I shared the MEAP scores from 2005. Writing was the area that “stuck out” in our achievement data (as well as the achievement data for the AAPS and the composite data for public schools in Michigan). So, looking at the scores above, there is reason to celebrate! I hope you’ll join me in congratulating our students and teaching staff on this accomplishment. Effort, work and thought has gone into addressing writing—and it has shown signs of paying off!

As a learning community we need to continue to be committed to the improvement of writing beyond the scores above. So far this year, the following have taken place that contribute to our writing improvement:
• The King School Improvement Team and staff established writing as an area of focus in support of the AAPS Action Plan;
• K-2 and 3-5 teachers have participated in several sessions of professional development around writing instruction and implementation of the AAPS writing curriculum;
• Schedules for implementation of the writing curriculum have been established and are reviewed;
• Additional resources for the teaching of grammar have been purchased for teachers use;
• The State of Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations have been reviewed;
• In consultation and planning with me, fourth grade parents established an after-school writing program for interested students with the assistance of 826michigan.org;
• A parent writing program from the Eastern Michigan Writing Project was offered to a pilot group of parents and teachers including the School Improvement Team and the PTO board;
• Discussions and planning is underway to offer the parent writing program to other interested parents (hopefully in May!).
I’d like to give thanks to the King staff and our School Improvement Team members for their work and initiative around our efforts in writing. The School Improvement Team members for this year are Laurie Barnett, Mona Berry, Elizabeth Donovan, Kevin Karr, Susan Lake, Reema Jarjoura, Colleen McAlinden, Teresa McMahon and Laura Stidham. I’d also like to give thanks to fourth grade parents Ksenia Kozak and Monica Tecchio for their initiative on the 4th grade after-school writing program. It is my hope that we’ll identify others who may be interested in developing similar opportunities for other grades. If you are interested, feel free to contact Ksenia, Monica, Maneesha Gulati, the PTO educational chair, or me ☺.