SAD 43 has shown little progress toward meeting state educational standards.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

RUMFORD – SAD 43 administrators aren’t happy with the just-released Maine Educational Assessment test scores.

The tests, taken in March by the district’s fourth-, eighth- and 11th-graders, show little progress toward meeting state educational standards, known as the Maine Learning Results. Scores were reported at Monday’s board meeting in mathematics, science and technology, social studies, and visual and performing arts.

“We have to find ways to do things better,” said Anne Chamberlin, principal of Rumford and Virginia elementary schools. “Our staff is already working as hard as they can. We’ll have to look at other ways.”

Each grade level showed a decline in raw scores for most subjects. But of even more concern to administrators was how SAD 43 students did in meeting educational standards compared with their peers across the state.

The few improvements in raw scores were at Virginia Elementary School, where students scored 534 in math, compared to 532 statewide, and 537 in social studies compared with 534 statewide.

‘This is important’

Mountain Valley High School Principal Bruce Lindberg said he believes students at the school are as bright as any in the state. The problem is, some don’t believe the MEAs are important.

“We’ve got to make sure the parents and the kids know this is important,” he said.

Results from tests in the 11th grade show up on college applications, military paperwork, and oftentimes, on job applications.

“Their results are put on school transcripts. Someone will be making a judgment from them,” Lindberg said.

While the average of students statewide showed progress toward meeting state standards in two of the subjects, no progress was made at MVHS. In math, 38 percent of 11th graders statewide in 2002 did not meet the standards, compared with 43 percent of MVHS students. That number increased to 41 percent statewide in 2003, while 48 percent of MVHS students did not meet them.

In science and technology statewide, 30 percent of 11th graders in 2002 did not meet the standards, compared with 34 percent of MVHS students. In 2003, that statewide percentage climbed to 32 percent, and MVHS to 39 percent.

For social studies, 30 percent of students statewide did not meet the standards in 2002, and 33 percent did not meet them in 2003. For MVHS, 45 percent did not meet standards for both years.

And while student averages across the state in visual and performing arts showed 41 percent did not meet the standards in 2002, and 43 percent in 2003, 47 percent of MVHS students in 2002 and 54 percent in 2003 did not meet them.

“I’m not panicked by these numbers, but I am concerned,” said Lindberg, adding that he is encouraged by the curriculum work that’s under way. “A significant portion of students have not taken the test seriously.”

Raw scores for Mountain Valley Middle School eighth-graders were all below the state average, generally continuing a three-year slide in MEA scores.

Principal Charles Lever said changes in the student population to include more transients who remain at the school for only a short time can account for some of the decline. He said a high number of students were retained this year, so some of the same students took the test two years in a row.

‘Difficult’ town

He also said his school has twice the number of students with some sort of disability as compared with the state average. Statewide, 13 percent fit into a disability. At MVMS, 25 percent at in that category.

“This town is getting really difficult. The town is changing and we have to change with it,” he said.

Student progress toward meeting state standards lagged behind in each of the four subjects, with social studies suffering the most. Statewide in 2002, 28 percent of students didn’t meet the standards. That number improved to 22 percent for 2003. At MVMS, the 2002 figure was 40 percent, and in 2003, 38 percent.

Two special community forums are set to explain the importance of standards-based reporting that report cards in grades kindergarten through nine will carry in December. Such reporting shows parents how well their children are doing toward meeting state educational standards.

These are set for 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Nov. 5, for part I, and 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 for part II.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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