November 8, 2012
Back in October, I created a post for the Middle School division about some criteria points that can be used as evidence of an extraordinary Middle School. Since that time, I have collected some additional data that I believe provides evidence of an extraordinary Lower School as well.
When I created that first post, I was looking ahead to the admission season and our second year of being able to award a Malone Family Foundation Scholarship. Just last year, Mounds Park Academy was awarded a $2 million grant from the Malone Family Foundation. This grant funds scholarships for gifted students whose families are not able to afford the full cost of a Mounds Park Academy education.
As we began thinking about the current criteria and possible standardized assessments, I couldn’t help but think about the MPA program and its commitment to a challenging curriculum. I am excited about my findings and hope you enjoy them as well.
When Newsweek ranked its Top 20 High Schools, they looked at ACT scores and SAT scores. Middle Schools and Lower Schools do not have ACT and SAT results. So I dug further. What makes a National Blue Ribbon School a Blue Ribbon School?
One criterion is that the school is in the top fifteen percent of the schools in the nation in reading and math. One way to measure this stat is school achievement scores on the CTP 4. We currently administer the CTP 4 to students in grades three through seven. When looking to become a National Blue Ribbon School, they ask schools to report results in grades 4, 5, and 7. Our results and the comparisons are below.
Reading Comprehension:
Grade Scale Score at 85th Percentile MPA Scale Score
Grade 4 331 338
Grade 5 342 339
Grade 7 350 352.6
Mathematics:
Grade Scale Score at 85th Percentile MPA Scale Score
Grade 4 293 316
Grade 5 322 328.9
Grade 7 354 365.5
These results provide evidence that a focus on the entire child, a commitment to fine arts, and a desire for academic achievement can all flourish in one program. That one program is MPA. And, as I have said in the past and continue to see on a daily basis, the MPA Lower School is an extraordinary place to grow and learn!
Tony Reimers
PreK-8 Director
Mounds Park Academy
