Baltimore City Students Achieve Notable Literacy Gains in Statewide Assessments

Baltimore City students have demonstrated impressive improvements in their literacy skills, as evidenced by the latest results from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) released on Tuesday. The assessments, which cover grades three through eight and select high school classes, highlighted a trend of growth that outpaces state averages, particularly in English Language Arts.

Statewide, nearly all grades showed gains in both reading and math, with the most significant advancements occurring in English. Baltimore City has continued this upward trajectory, experiencing a notable increase in English scores that has more than doubled the previous rate of improvement over the past decade.

Carey Wright, the State Superintendent of Schools, attributed this success to Maryland's shift toward the science of reading, while Sonja Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, expressed optimism about the ongoing progress. She emphasized that the implementation of explicit writing instruction and a more rigorous curriculum has positively impacted high school performance.

Despite these gains, Baltimore City still faces challenges, as it recorded the lowest proficiency rate in the state at 31.2%, compared to the state average of 50.8%. Among the grades assessed, third, fourth, and fifth graders in the city scored the lowest within their respective cohorts. However, last year's fourth graders, who experienced the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic during their early education, managed to achieve a 1.6 percentage point gain.

In contrast, tenth graders in Baltimore City achieved the highest proficiency rate at 42.6%, marking an increase of over 8 percentage points. The city's overall math scores mirrored the state’s gains, rising for the third consecutive year, although the proficiency rate remains low at 12.6%.

Moving forward, Santelises indicated that the district would intensify its focus on mathematics, drawing from successful strategies applied to literacy. She noted that since her tenure began in the 2016-17 school year, the city has improved its overall reading score significantly, while math improvements have been more gradual.

Among the success stories, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School achieved the largest gains in Maryland, increasing its English proficiency score from 40.1% to 63.4%, surpassing the statewide average.

As Santelises prepares to conclude her leadership of the nearly 77,000-student district, she expressed encouragement about the momentum built during her time, acknowledging both the progress made and the work that remains.

Reported by HarborBeat based on thebanner.com (source).