StrategicPlan-Phase2 - Flipbook - Page 26
26 STRATEGIC PLAN - PHASE 2
PRIORITY 03:
READY FOR HIGH SCHOOL
All Maryland students enter high school on track
to meet the college and career readiness standard
by the end of 10th grade, and are engaged socially,
emotionally, and academically to succeed in
progressively challenging and advanced level
coursework aligned to college and career pathways.
Scientists have long known that the human brain develops more rapidly in the first five years of life. But recent
advances in brain imaging have revealed that a second spurt occurs in early adolescence, a phase generally
defined as spanning ages 11 to 14. A growing body of research indicates that the middle grades are the “make it
or break it” years when many students begin to disengage from school, increasing the likelihood of dropping out
of high school.
A Maryland student’s learning experiences in the middle grades is a selection of classes they go through in
a day. If they experience inconsistent expectations across those classes, they and the school will struggle to
achieve high outcomes.
A strong research base for effective instructional practices in the middle grades does exist. Providing researchbased instruction that enhances learning in the middle grades is critical for Maryland students’ success in high
school and beyond.
MATH PERCENT PROFICIENCY: GRADE 8 STUDENTS
MARYLAND STATEWIDE: ASSESSMENTS TAKEN IN GRADE 8
YEAR
MATH 8
ALGEBRA I
ALL MATH ASSESSMENTS
2017
37,868
21,156
63,425
2018
37,471
22,364
64,264
2019
36,356
21,606
64,461
2021
31,127
15,676
52,909
2022
41,265
17,185
67,082
Note: Assessments for 2021 (SY 2020-2021) were shortened tests and were administered in Fall 2021. The category ‘All Math Assessments’ includes Math 8,
Algebra I and II, and Geometry.
In Maryland grade 8 students taking the grade 8 math test have been trending down over time. Students taking a high school
math test in middle school, although consistent before the pandemic, also declined in 2021.
