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State data show racial disparities on reading-instruction assessments; MSDE to share further disaggregations
Summary
MSDE presented five-year pass-rate data for the Foundations of Reading and Praxis Teaching Reading: first-attempt pass rates lag for candidates of color; board asked MSDE for deeper, state-level disaggregations and vendor turnaround times.
MSDE presented aggregated, five-year pass-rate data Feb. 6 for the two reading-instruction assessments approved for Maryland licensure: the Foundations of Reading Assessment (Pearson) and the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary Assessment (ETS).
Addison Smith, MSDE educator data coordinator, told the board the dataset covered examinees from Sept. 1, 2019, through Aug. 31, 2024. For the Foundations assessment (passing score 240) national first-time pass rates were 62 percent and rose to 67 percent when examinees’ best attempts were considered. For the Praxis teaching-reading assessment (passing score 159) the larger national dataset showed a similar pattern: first-attempt pass rates were lower than best-attempt pass rates. MSDE highlighted that candidates of color pass both assessments at lower rates than White candidates in the national datasets presented.
Board members requested additional, state-level analysis. Dr. Shockley asked MSDE to request vendor-supplied, state-disaggregated pass rates by licensure area (elementary, early childhood, special education and ESOL) and asked about vendor score turnaround times; MSDE staff said they will ask both Pearson and ETS for turnaround statistics and additional breakdowns by licensure area and candidate background. Board members suggested further disaggregation (for example by undergraduate degree or candidate pathway) so educator-preparation programs and districts can target supports.
MSDE staff noted the Foundations of Reading assessment was approved by the State Board of Education in December and has been in effect only since that approval; the dataset for Foundations therefore covers a shorter implementation window than Praxis. MSDE said it will provide the requested state-level disaggregations to the board and to educator-preparation programs for follow-up.
