All Edison Schools in Baltimore Post Dramatic Gains on Citywide Standardized Test Tuesday, April 23, 2002 Edison Schools announced today that all of its Baltimore schools posted strong gains on this year's Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), the nationally-normed achievement test for all Maryland public schools. These most recent gains build on the significant achievement progress made at Furman L. Templeton Elementary, Gilmor Elementary, and Montebello Elementary last school year, when Edison took over their management via a unique arrangement with the Maryland State Board of Education. Over the past two years, the three Baltimore Edison schools have made an average median percentile gain of 42 in math and 18 in reading across all grade levels. This year's CTBS results reveal exceptional progress Edison-wide over the past year, with successive groups of students scoring, on average, 27 percentile points higher on math and 7 percentiles higher on reading than last year. The schools have also shown improvement with same cohort groups of students. Gilmor students gained an average of 11 percentile points per year in all grade levels and subject areas, with sixth graders gaining 31 points in reading and 33 points in math above their fourth grade results from two years ago. This trend was echoed at Furman-Templeton, where sixth graders made 16 and 29 percentile gains in reading and math over the past two years. Montebello continued its outstanding performance on its CTBS results from last year, with this year's first graders finishing in the 90th national percentile in reading and the 94th percentile in math. Overall, the school has raised its scores 23 percentage points per year among successive groups of students in all grade levels and subject areas. "We are very pleased, but not surprised at these results. These schools have had an immense focus and dedication to student achievement in the past two years," said John Chubb, Chief Education Officer. "We are particularly excited because achievement gains of this magnitude, especially when sustained year after year, have a tremendously positive effect on a child's chances for attending college and success beyond school," he noted. The gains at all three schools are very encouraging, said Maryland State Schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick. These schools have been very successful in sustaining their focus on good quality teaching for all of their children. We are hopeful that the trend will continue. Historically among the lowest performing schools in the city of Baltimore, Furman-Templeton, Gilmor, and Montebello have undergone a significant change not only in academic performance but also in school culture since Edison took over their management in the fall of 2000. Student attendance has improved and discipline referrals, truancy, and vandalism are down. Parent involvement has also increased substantially. Having led a successful effort to add a sixth grade at the three schools last year, parents are currently lobbying for the expansion of the Edison program to include a seventh grade.
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