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09-03-2003

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 6 months ago

August 3, 2003

ROMNEY LAUDS STUDENTS’ HIGH SCORES ON 2003 MCAS

Students outperform previous peers on both English and math sections of exams

 

Governor Mitt Romney today released the statewide results of the latest administration of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam, which show continued improvement in test scores.

 

Romney said that students in every grade hit an unprecedented high on the 2003 MCAS test, with more 10th graders of all ethnic backgrounds passing both the math and English portions of the exam on their first try than ever before.

 

“Education reform is working in Massachusetts,” Romney said. “I am proud of the progress shown by our students,” said Romney. “My Administration will continue to push for high standards that will restore the value of a high school diploma and better prepare our students for life after school.”

 

According to the results, 75 percent of all 10th grade students earned their competency determinations by passing both exams administered in May, up from 69 percent in 2002 and 68 percent in 2001, the first year students took the exams knowing they needed to pass to earn a high school diploma.

 

This improvement is especially evident in 10th grade results when broken down by ethnic group: 80 percent of all Asians passed both exams, up from 68 percent in 2001; 52 percent of African-Americans passed both exams, up from 37 percent in 2001; and 44 percent of Hispanics passed both exams, up from 29 percent in 2001.

 

“These scores serve as proof positive that what we are doing is working in all grades, in all subjects and with students of every ethnicity,” said Education

 

Commissioner David P. Driscoll. “But while it is encouraging to see that more of our minority students are passing the 10th grade MCAS exam on the first try, I would like to see the percentage continue to rise.”

 

A record 89 percent of 10th graders passed the English exam, and 80 percent passed the math. Among the students, 87 percent of males and 91 percent of females passed the English exam, and 79 percent of males and 81 percent of females passed the math.

 

Last year, 86 percent of all 10th graders passed the English exam and 75 percent passed the math exam on their first try.

 

The percentage of students passing the English exam rose in all grades and the percentage passing the math exam rose in grades 4, 6 and 10. Sixty-seven percent of eighth graders passed the math exam, the same percentage as last year.

 

The 2003 results also showed:

 

 

 

The tests on which the highest percentage of students performed at the advanced or proficient levels were grade 7 English (66 percent), grade 10 English (61 percent) and grade 4 English (56 percent).

 

 

More than 98 percent of all students enrolled in grades 3, 4 and 7 participated in the English exams, as did 95.5 percent of 10th graders. More than 99 percent of students in grades 6 and 8 participated in the math exams, as did 98.7 percent of fourth graders and 96.7 percent of students in grade 10.

The MCAS exam has been given annually as part of the state’s Education Reform law since 1998. Local results from the May administration will be released later this month.

 

For more information on the MCAS exam, go to www.doe.mass.edu/mcas.

 

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