DPS: Detroit Students Doing Better In Reading, Math
DETROIT (WWJ) - The Detroit Public School district says its students are making improvements on math and reading testing.
DPS Emergency Manager Roy Roberts says National Assessment of Educational Progress scores released on Wednesday show Detroit is headed in the right direction.
"Of the urban districts participating on the NAEP in 2011, Detroit was one of only six districts nationally to show increases in student test scores. Detroit scores trended up in all grade levels in both subjects tested. Detroit Public Schools exceeded the State of Michigan in gains in mathematics," Roberts said.
According to DPS, Detroit's scores trended up in all grade levels on both subjects tested, and Detroit exceeded the state of Michigan in gains in mathematics and reading. Detroit also had the highest gains in any city in any subject on mathematics.
Roberts said stability is key to continued improvement.
"Despite the progress, we have much, much work to do," Roberts said. "Detroit students' scores remain the lowest although the gap is closing. I am committed that DPS must not only be a part of the comeback in this city, it must lead it, and to do so we must show continued improvement."
But challenges remain, with many students still below basic levels in both subject areas. Sixty-six percent of fourth graders scored below the basic level for math and 71 percent of eighth graders were below a basic level.
"The people of Detroit should be encouraged by substantial improvement in the reading and math scores of its public school students on the latest edition of the nation's toughest test, NAEP," said Michael Casserly, Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools, whose member districts encompass 65 of the nation's largest urban school districts. "In the face of flat statewide performance and a difficult economy, the Detroit Public Schools have shown a positive step forward."
