Madison schools shows key area improvement, large achievement gaps

Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham, right, announces improvements in several key areas, shown in the school district’s second annual report (Abby Becker/Madison Commons)

In the Madison school district today, more students are proficient in reading and math, according to the second annual school district report released July 27, although a severe racial achievement gap remains.

School board members, teachers, students, families and community leaders joined Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham in supporting the framework.

“Everything we do in our district is aimed at raising student achievement for all and addressing the gaps in opportunity that we believe lead to gaps in student achievement,” Cheatham said at a press conference held in Elvehjem Elementary School’s library. “We want to be a model for what a successful thriving public school district looks like, and together I believe we’re well on our way.”

Elvehjem Elementary, highlighted in the report as a leading indicator school, saw increases in overall reading and math proficiency scores in addition to improved black and special education student proficiency rates.

“We listened, made adjustments along the way and were able to support our students meeting the high expectations we set,” Elvehjem Principal Sarah Larson said.

Madison Metropolitan School District’s strategic framework, essentially its improvement plan, is meant to uphold the belief that “every school will be a thriving school that prepares every child for college, career and community,” according to the report.

This Year's Numbers

According to the report, the district’s high school graduation and completion rates increased one percentage point from the year before to 79 percent and up three percentage points from the 2013-2014 academic school year.

More students also are taking the ACT, with participation rates that are 25 percent above the national average. Student scores are in the 60th percentile.

Reading and math proficiencies and growth were recorded for fifth and eighth grade students, according to the Measures of Academic Progress exam. Fifth and eighth graders increased in proficiency for both subjects, except for eighth grade reading. 

However, fewer than half of fifth and eighth graders were considered proficient in reading and math for the 2014-2015 school year despite the growth.

Forty-four and 48 percent of fifth graders tested at proficient levels in reading and math, with scores increasing four and six percentage points respectively from the 2013-2014 school year.

Eighth graders who tested proficient in reading, 39 percent, was down one percentage point from the previous year. Forty-two percent of eighth graders tested proficient in math, up one percentage point from the 2013-2014 school year.

Achievement Gap Persists

When student performance is broken down by race, Madison still shows a large achievement gap. For years, minority students have performed worse than their white peers, and reports have noted Wisconsin as having the worst achievement gap in the nation.  

Fifteen percent of fifth grade black students and 18 percent of fifth grade Hispanic students are considered proficient in reading compared to 68 percent of white students. 

In the eighth grade, only 7 percent of black students were proficient in math compared to 62 percent of white students. Twenty-one percent of Hispanic students were proficient in math, which was up three percentage points from the previous year.

Cheatham said an increased focus on the eighth and ninth grade, which experienced lower levels of improvement, will include stronger professional development and purchasing common instructional resources for literacy.

“This is an opportunity to wrap our arms around ninth graders and make sure that they attain the academic and the social, emotional skills that they need to be successful in high school,” Cheatham said. 

This is the second year since the district has released its report, and Cheatham said the district needs to learn more about all students with an emphasis on adolescence.

“The more that we know about our students and respond to their individual needs as opposed to try and implement some cooking cutter approach .. the better off our students will be,” Cheatham said. 

For an in-depth look at Madison’s achievement gap, madisoncommons.org will be publishing a special report called Bridging the Gap in late summer.