Mayfield Woods Middle Fails in State Assessments for Some Students

in Elkridge was one of three Howard County middle schools that failed to reach proficiency, according to the Maryland School Assessments (MSA), the results of which were released Wednesday. 

Mayfield Woods failed to progress in meeting some students’ needs, according to the 2011 Maryland Report Card. The other two schools were Oakland Mills Middle and Wilde Lake Middle in Columbia. 

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, all students must be proficient in reading and math by 2014. In Maryland, schools administer the MSA in both reading and math in third through eighth grades to keep institutions on track for meeting that goal.

To reach 100 percent proficiency, the school must demonstrate that the number of students who improve is growing every year. Students are measured as a whole and as subgroups, which include race, special education, non-native English speakers and students who receive free and reduced price meals.

Mayfield Woods students in the free and reduced-price meal service (FARMS) did not meet the standards in math or reading for 2011, according to the Maryland State report card.

Schools with students who don't improve enough each year, as a whole or in subgroups, will fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

“Last year Mayfield Woods met the AYP targets in mathematics for all groups except students receiving special education services and in reading for all groups except students receiving special education and FARMS students,” wrote JoAnn Hutchens, the school’s principal, in an e-mail to parents on Wednesday.     

Schools that fail to make AYP for one year will undergo an assessment of their performance, but will not face serious consequences until after failing to make AYP for more than three years in a row.

“Obviously, we will need to focus our efforts more on the needs of our students receiving FARMS services to ensure that they meet their academic goals, learn the Howard County curriculum and experience academic success,” wrote Hutchens.

The principal said that the school would respond accordingly to bring the FARMS students up to speed.

“During the coming year,” Hutchens went on, “we will continue to implement best practices that are most likely to bring all students to proficiency, seek technical assistance when necessary, and provide appropriate interventions within and in addition to the school day.”

In Maryland, scores grew or stayed the same when compared to 2010, with at least 70 percent of students in every grade scoring as proficient or advanced for 2011. Across Maryland, elementary school reading scores are almost at 90 percent proficient or advanced for 2011. 

Hutchens said she planned to discuss the tests with parents during Back to School Night on Sept. 26.