Letter from The Superintendent 

Dear Friends,

Each year public school students in grades 3-9 are required to take the MEAP test. Students are tested in Mathematics, Reading, Writing, Science and Social Studies. The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law requires all students in grades 3 through 8 to take the reading and mathematics assessments. Eleventh grade students take the MME and the ACT with an additional writing component. The MME assesses students in English Language Arts (reading and writing), Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

Recently, the state Board of Education adopted more rigorous standards for scores on the achievement tests effective this school year. This shift forward better reflects whether schools are preparing their students to be on-track to being college-capable and career-ready when they complete their high school education. Michigan now is only the third state in the nation (including New York and Tennessee) to have moved to this rigorous level of assessment scoring. Like in those other states, this action will result in an adjustment in schools’ overall scores on the MEAP and MME tests, but one that is more accurate to where schools need to be. The state has worked with national and statewide experts, including: ACT Measurement & Research staff, the National Center for Educational Achievement; and other experts to identify college-ready benchmarks.

“Cut scores” are essential components in defining the levels of performance (e.g., Advanced; Proficient; Partially Proficient; or Not Proficient) on a given test, in consideration of the content being measured. The previous passing scores for the state assessments were set at a very basic level – enough for a basic trade in our old manufacturing economy, not in the advanced “global” economy of the future that requires significantly higher levels of academic proficiency. Our scores will go down initially, like all districts. But, for the future, it will produce higher standards which will result in improved learning for all students, it will provide parents with a more realistic picture of their students’ academic progress, and students will more likely be "College, Career and Life Ready.”

West Ottawa has a tradition of maintaining high standards for all students. We have outstanding schools, with teachers that are committed to the success of all students. The change in the cut scores provides us an opportunity to have a better picture of where our students are and how we can assist them in their progression toward meeting their academic goals.

Sincerely,

  
Thomas K. Martin
Superintendent of Schools