Analyzing 'Record High' Math Scores And 'Strong' Reading Scores In CPS Schools
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson announced record high math scores and strong reading scores in CPS schools.
CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports CPS students are doing better, but unfortunately, a large percentage of students continue to struggle.
The mayor received a warm welcome as he entered a classroom at Haines Elementary School, while surrounded by smiling students and monitors showing a steep increase in test scores for students in second through eighth grade.
"Today we celebrate an accomplishment," Emanuel said.
CBS 2's Vince Gerasole took a closer look at the data. The graph displayed math scores from 2013 to 2018. The graph, provided by CPS, had 45% on the bottom and 65% at the top. If you change the scale on the left from zero to 100, the big climb really isn't so big.
Reading statistics were the same. The CPS chart was not made on a zero to 100 scale either.
UIC education professor Susan Goldman analyzed the numbers.
"It depends on how people look at these graphs," she said. "And whether they mistake this for 100%. The fact is it is good news the numbers are going up – better than flat or down."
A record 56% of CPS students are meeting or exceeding standards in math and 61% in reading, but that means 44% and 39% are below average.
"Attention needs to be placed on those 40% who were not reaching," said Goldman.
Plunging into a CPS data base, CBS 2 learned success rates vary greatly from school to school.
At several selective enrollment schools, like Lane Tech on Chicago's north side, 100% of students were at or above standards.
At economically challenged neighborhoods, like Englewood, results at Nicholson Public School were much different. In math, only 13.8% of the students at the STEM Academy reached or exceeded standards.
At Auburn Gresham's Barton Elementary School, 18.1% reached or exceeded standards, and at Dett Elementary near the United Center, just over 15% were meeting standards.
A year from now, CPS officials say they would like to see 8th grade math scores at 70%, which would be a more than 5% increase. Some scores at troubled schools would need significant, double-digit increases to reach that goal.
