According to a study in Bridge Magazine, Oxford Schools is performing below expected levels on standardized tests as it relates to socioeconomic status.
The magazine put out its yearly Academic State Champs, in which Oxford was ranked 414 out of 507 schools in the state. Last year, Oxford ranked 357 out of 540 and the year before, it was 385 out of 560.
In year’s past the Champs was based upon three grades, which included fourth and eighth grade MEAP (Michigan Education Assessment Program) tests and eleventh grade MME (Michigan Merit Exam) and ACT (American College Testing) scores for both public and private schools. However, this year the Champs was based upon 2013-14 test results in eight grades, which included MEAP scores from not only fourth and eighth grade, but also third, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth grade, as well as the MME and ACT scores from 11th-graders.
?(Having scores for eight grades) means we can reward overall district excellence, as we have in past years, but also recognize leading districts at the elementary, middle and high school levels,? according to the magazine’s website www.bridgemi.com
Chief Academic Officer Ken Weaver said the study is ‘one of those things you take with a grain of salt.?
‘You look at the ranking and see where you’re at,? he said. ‘The thing is though their methodology. I’m not a statistician. I haven’t looked behind that part, but there are sometimes political agendas with those kinds of groups and those types of things so you don’t always know if they’re accurate, have they done what they said they did, so you always wonder about that.?
However, Weaver is glad the study ‘at least claims to try and take into account socioeconomic status, which really has the biggest impact on student achievement.?
‘It’s no secret that students? scores follow poverty trends,? he noted.
Oxford had a student count of 5,244 for the 2013-14 school year with 20 percent being low-income students. Districts with scores between 99 and 101 are meeting expectations, taking into account the percentage of low-income students. Those districts scoring above 101 are exceeding expectations, and those below 99 are falling short, the study stated.
Oxford scored 96.5 overall, 95.03 at the elementary level, 98.33 at the middle school level and 96 at the high school level.
Lake Orion ranked 99 with 7,508 students with 21.2 percent low-income. Overall, they scored 104.2 overall, 102.1 at the elementary level, 106.27 at the middle school level, 106.26 for high school. Clarkston ranked 283 with 7,873 students and 21.5 percent low-income. They received an overall 99.9 percent, 99.16 percent for elementary, 99.24 for middle school and 101.3 for high school.
Brandon Schools ranked 403 with 2,972 students and 38.2 percent low-income. They scored 96.8 overall, 94.15 at elementary, 95.73 at middle school and 100.49 at high school. Oxford’s neighbor to the north, Lapeer ranked 257 with 5,584 students and 49.3 low-income. Overall they scored 100.5, 102.61 at elementary, 100.18 at middle school and 98.83 at high school.
Weaver said the scores can be used as a rallying point for staff
‘We have got great kids, great staff, but we can do better and try and focus on those areas that we think will help us in the long run,? he said.
But just like any other standardized test data, Weaver said, ‘It’s not a complete measure of a student, school district or teacher.?
‘A test or a standardized test is just a snapshot in time and there (are) a lot of factors that go into that, especially with younger kids when they’re taking a test,? he added.
For example, he said if a kid got into an argument with somebody, had a bad day, thinks nobody likes them or something similar, this can ‘radically affect? test scores, Weaver said.
‘That’s where I think the accountability movement has probably crossed the line and maybe gone a little too far with things as they want to boil it all down to this test score and this indicates whether your school is performing or not,? he continued. ‘When really that measure should be way more than that, it should be what the parents and community think of their school system (and) what the students especially think of their school system; teachers as well.?
While Weaver believes there are many other measurers that could be incorporated to see where a school is at, he does understand that test scores are what people use as a reference point.
‘We think we give a quality education and quality opportunities to kids,? he added. ‘We would like our test scores to reflect that.?