Here is one way to examine if students are successful. The following charts show how many students were enrolled in our high school Michigan Merit Curriculum courses. They also show how many students passed each of these courses during trimester one of the 2010-2011 school year and how many students failed. A passing percentage can then be calculated for each course.
As an example, 207 students were enrolled in our freshman level English course - BCL A. Of those 207 students who took the course during the first trimester of this school year, 187 students passed and 27 students failed. That means 87% of the students who took the course passed the course.
| Course | Enrolled | Pass | Fail | Passing % |
| English | ||||
| BCL A | 207 | 180 | 27 | 87.00% |
| Hon Eng 9a | 51 | 51 | 0 | 100.00% |
| ACL A | 130 | 123 | 7 | 94.60% |
| ICL A | 182 | 158 | 24 | 86.80% |
| GCL A | 168 | 159 | 9 | 94.60% |
| Math | ||||
| Algebra 1a | 77 | 65 | 12 | 84.40% |
| Algebra 1b | 143 | 119 | 24 | 83.20% |
| Algebra 2a | 182 | 155 | 27 | 85.20% |
| Algebra 2b | 49 | 49 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Geometry A | 195 | 164 | 31 | 84.10% |
| Geometry B | 33 | 21 | 12 | 63.60% |
| Course | Enrolled | Pass | Fail | Passing % |
| Science | ||||
| Biology A | 331 | 288 | 43 | 87.00% |
| Chemistry A | 234 | 201 | 33 | 85.90% |
| Chemistry B | 11 | 11 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Physics A | 64 | 54 | 10 | 84.40% |
| Social Studies | ||||
| Civics | 126 | 121 | 5 | 96.00% |
| Econ | 171 | 167 | 4 | 97.70% |
| US History A | 184 | 173 | 11 | 94.00% |
| World History A | 278 | 260 | 18 | 93.50% |
Several thoughts and questions pop into my mind as I look at these numbers. First, the passing percentage is really a neutral number. It is not good or bad.
What is more important is to know what is behind the number. Who is failing? Why are they failing? did they not do the work? Do they not have the skills to do the work?
Could we have identified who these students were earlier and tired to intervene?
How much earlier could we have intervened? Did these freshmen have trouble in 8th grade or 7th grade?
How do these grades relate to the MEAP tests and other standardized assessments that we give students? Do those assessments identify for us students who will struggle in class?
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Dr. Matthews,
ReplyDeleteI love looking at data. And I love that you do too... and that it prompts you to ask more questions.
Here are some things I want to know:
What percent of our high school students passed every course in the first trimester?
What percent failed just one course? Of this subgroup, was there a particular course that many failed?
What percent failed three? Four? Five?
What about grade level? Gender?
Of course, I like to look at data, but maybe we should only look at data that could help us improve. Sometimes that can not be done without looking at lots of data... then something pops. But for now, I do think my first two questions would be good to know... the first to see how wide-spread the F issue is in terms of students... the second because if students who only get one F are all getting it in the same course, one has to wonder about that course.
Thank you for sharing and communicating!!!
=)
John Mark Ellsworth