February 9, 2023 For Immediate Release
Insight: Math results are more than just one number
Measuring student achievement is more complex than quoting numbers from a spreadsheet and writing inflammatory media summaries and headlines to earn internet clicks. It is important that you understand the facts in their proper context.
On January 24, 2023, City Schools shared its 2022 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program results. Overall, the district closed the gap with the state of Maryland in 7 of 14 tested grades and subjects (generally math and English Language Arts) between 2019-2022. We were encouraged but neither pleased nor satisfied.
This week, a repeatedly ill-intentioned news outlet thoroughly ignored that progress. It focused on a single data point – the number of schools where students demonstrated a lack of proficiency in math.
Undeniably, students, especially those struggling before the pandemic, would produce lower levels of achievement after 24 months of change. Virtual learning and the multiple interruptions of the pandemic reduced classroom time and opportunities to keep students on track. As a result, City Schools, like school districts across the country, experienced decreases in math results between 2019 and 2022.
We knew that even with the modest progress demonstrated in the 2022 MCAP results, there is still much work to be done. During the heart of the pandemic, we anticipated this impact and began implementing programs and strategies to build a foundation for improvement, especially at schools where proficiency was the lowest.
We brought our students back to in-person learning in March 2021, before most Maryland school districts, to give them a head start on recovery.
We have small-group learning time daily for math learning, paired with high-quality instructional materials and personalized learning platforms.
Since the 2021-22 school year, City Schools has invested more than $17 million in high-dosage tutoring as a critical academic recovery strategy.
The district has expanded professional development for teachers with a focus on mathematics - similar to what we have already committed to in literacy.
We have initiated an extended learning period at the end of the day, at all schools, for prioritized students with unfinished learning.
We want to answer your questions and ensure you get the real story, not the contrived headlines of a company that rarely supports Baltimore City public school children. If you have questions, please email communications@bcps.k12.md.us.