Arizona AzMERIT Scores Show Mild Improvement

While there is evidence of growth, there is still much work to be done.

The Arizona Department of Education has released the preliminary AzMERIT results for the 2015-2016 school year and the results are mixed. While less than half of the state’s students are proficient in English and math, there have been small improvements from the 2014-2015 school year.

In total, nine grades were tested on English and math for a total of 18 preliminary scores. Of these 18 scores, 12 saw an increase in proficiency while only four showed a decline and two remained unchanged (see table below for more detail).

In fact, some grades saw a significant growth in their scores. For example, the greatest growth was in fifth grade language arts with a 13 percent increase over 2015. This was followed by a 7-point increase in ninth grade language arts and a 6-point increase in scores for fifth- and sixth-grade math.

Ultimately, these preliminary results should be encouraging. While the overall proficiency of our students is not yet sufficient, we cannot expect to see our current situation improve overnight. As Greg Miller, the Arizona State Board of Education president has suggested, any exceptionally large increase in scores would call into question the validity of the AzMERIT exam. This year’s scores are definitely a step in the right direction.

To see how each grade scored, check out the table below. For more detailed data, the full report will be released in late August.

 

Determined to keep moving your students’ scores in the right direction? Read about six ways to expand students’ vocabulary using technology.  

Mathematics                                                            

Test Level	% Passing
	2015	2016
Grade 3	42	46
Grade 4	42	44
Grade 5	40	46
Grade 6	33	39
Grade 7	31	32
Grade 8	34	26
Algebra I	32	36
Geometry	31	34
Algebra II	30	30

English Language Arts

Test Level	% Passing
	2015	2016
Grade 3	41	41
Grade 4	42	46
Grade 5	32	45
Grade 6	36	37
Grade 7	33	38
Grade 8	35	34
ELA 9	27	34
ELA 10	32	29
ELA 11	31	29