Schools
Brighton Schools Lead Livingston County in Michigan Merit, ACT Scores
Brighton Area Schools scored higher than any other school district in Livingston County.
Brighton students scored higher this year than any other students in Livingston County on the Michigan Merit Exam (MME), a standardized test which high school juniors take in place of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP).
Brighton students also scored more than one point higher on average than students at any other Livingston County school on the American College Testing (ACT) test.
Both sets of scores were released Tuesday by the Michigan Department of Education.
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Despite what the numbers say, Laura Surrey, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction for Brighton Area Schools, said scoring higher than other districts in the county is not the district's goal.
"It's not a competition -- it's not in my mind, it's not in the other curriculum directors' minds," Surrey said. "It might be in a community's mind to look from one community to the next, but it's not a competition to me. It's just about getting as many of our kids into that proficiency category."
Find out what's happening in Brightonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The MME tests students in five areas: reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies.
Brighton Area Schools saw 83 percent of students reach or exceed proficiency level in reading, down slightly from 2010, and 76 percent of students reach or exceed proficiency level in math, the same as last year. But the district saw improvement in the other three subject areas.
"Overall, the district over the last couple of years has gotten better at finding the kids in the lower grades who are struggling and getting them assistance so they're coming to high school a little better prepared," Surrey said.
Brighton students scored an average of 22 points out of a possible 36 in 2011. The next closest average in Livingston County is in Hartland, where students scored an average of 20.6.
The statewide average is 19.3.
Livingston County Rankings for the 2011 Michigan Merit Exam
Reading
Writing
Math
Science
Social Studies
ACT
Brighton
1
1
1
1
1
1
Hartland
2
2
2
3 (tie)
5
2
Howell
4
4
3
5
2
3 (tie)
Fowlerville
3
3
5
3 (tie)
3 (tie)
5
Pinckney
5
5
4
2
3 (tie)
3 (tie)
Source: Patch analysis of Department of Education scores
Livingston County Results for the 2011 Michigan Merit Exam
Reading
Proficient or Advanced (%)
Writing
Proficient or Advanced (%)
Math
Proficient or Advanced (%)
Science
Proficient or Advanced (%)
Social Studies
Proficient or Advanced (%)
ACT
Average
Brighton 83 70 76 82 9222.1
Hartland
74
58
68
71
79
20.6
Howell
70
51
63
69
86
20
Fowlerville
71
53
50
71
81
19.6
Pinckney
69
50
55
72
81
20
State average
63
47
52
61
78
19.3
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