NEWARK – The latest round of testing results shows that in spite of a new system, students in Worcester County Public Schools continue to perform better than most in Maryland.
Half of the grade levels tested scored the highest in the state on the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams, according to Worcester County Public Schools Superintendent Jerry Wilson.
“It undeniably demonstrates the outstanding efforts put forward across our schools among teachers and staff to adapt to the new standards and the new testing,” Wilson said. “Our scores illustrate our school system teams have made great strides.”
Results released last month showed that Worcester County students exceed state averages on the high school level tests. Data showed that 58.5 percent of Worcester County students who took the English 10 PARCC assessment scored at Level 4 or 5, the highest levels on the scoring scale. In Algebra I, 56.6 percent of students achieved a Level 4 or 5 rating.
Scores released this month for grades three through eight show that the county’s younger students performed well against state markers too. In English/Language Arts, 54 percent of students scored at Level 4 or 5 compared to 40 percent statewide. In math, 41 percent of students scored at Level 4 or 5, compared to 30 percent statewide.
“In every category, we were above expectations which is very exciting,” said Karen Baker, local accountability coordinator for the school system. “First place in seven of 14 categories. That’s very encouraging.”
Baker said that on the English exam, Worcester County had the highest percentage of students in the state scoring at college and career ready—Level 4 or 5—in third grade, seventh grade, eighth grade and tenth grade.
On the math test, Worcester County had the highest percentage of college and career ready students on the algebra exam at 56.6 percent. On the math assessment in grades three through eight, local students scored consistently higher than their counterparts from throughout the state. Worcester County students ranked the best in the state in grade three and grade seven, while grade eight ranked third in the state.
Baker said now that the first administration of PARCC had been completed, several improvements would be made to the process.