Middle school, high school students see improved test scores

“Policies that y’all have in place, the funding that we’re providing the schools, are starting to show dividends,” Madison County Schools Superintendent Mitch McGhee told the Board of Education (BOE). “And I really do believe that this is just the beginning.”

The middle school saw a four-percent jump in those meeting proficiency (70 percent to 74 percent) on the writing test and 9.5 percent jump (2.5 percent to 12 percent) in those exceeding proficiency.

At the high school, test takers exceed the state average in six of seven categories on the winter EOCT.

McGhee noted the efforts of MCMS writing coach Melissa Dimmick and Peggy Terrell in raising the middle school writing scores, and the leadership of associate superintendent Allen McCannon and district curriculum director Jane Fitzpatrick in working with the principal and teachers at MCMS.

McGhee said the jump in those exceeding proficiency was particularly commendable.

“It’s four times as many there in that level 3,” McGhee said. “And that’s tough to do. That’s what a lot of school systems and schools get stuck on.”

While the scores are official, there’s no word yet on how MCMS compared to the state on the writing test.

“We’re looking forward to that information because we think we’re going to stack up very nicely,” McGhee said.

The high school’s impressive performance came after it struggled last year on the winter EOCT, scoring below the state average in five of seven areas.

“We were not happy with our end of course test scores last year,” McGhee said.

But McGhee applauded the steps that first-year MCHS principal Tommy Craft and the teachers took to remedy those scores.

Not only did MCHS students consistently score above the state mark, they upped their scores significantly from last year in some areas.

“We’re very happy with this progress,” McGhee said. “We’re not satisfied. We’ve got one more (area) to get to the state average and we want the others to get even higher.”

Elementary school students will take the all-important CRCT test in a month. Scores on the CRCT weigh heavily in Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports.

“We’re excited for those results coming up as well,” McGhee said.