Comparing HCS and M-E Academic Performance

November 2, 2013

According to research, mergers work best when the two school districts are very similar (and geographically very close together). Mergers between dissimilar districts lead to tensions and conflict. Although Hamilton and Morrisville-Eaton are good neighbors and similar in some ways, we are also quite different in others. For example property values and voting records. Hamilton's property values are over 40% higher than Morrisville-Eaton's.  Our response to cuts in state spending has also been different: Hamilton has voted to raise our tax rate to retain programs, while Morrisville has not.

In terms of academics, Hamilton consistently outscores Morrisville-Eaton. First, the data, and then a discussion of what we should do about it:

NY State Assessment Test Results, ELA/Math 2013

Tables:

ELA = English Language Arts		Level 1: Students performing at this level are well below proficient in standards for their grade.	Level 2: Students performing at this level are below proficient in standards for their grade.	Level 3: Students performing at this level are proficient in standards for their grade.	Level 4: Students performing at this level excel above the standards for their grade.		Level 3+4: Students who are performing at or above the standards for their grade
Morrisville-Eaton
Group	#Tested	%Level 1	%Level 2	%Level 3	%Level 4	Mean Scale Score	% Passed=L3+L4
Grade 3 ELA	50	52	40	8	0	276	8
Grade 3 Math	51	56.9	25.5	15.7	2	274	17.7
Grade 4 ELA	60	36.7	45	16.7	1.7	290	18.4
Grade 4 Math	60	40	40	16.7	3.3	287	20
Grade 5 ELA	51	45.1	33.3	13.7	7.8	290	21.5
Grade 5 Math	51	54.9	27.5	17.6	0	287	17.6
Grade 6 ELA	54	29.6	48.1	11.1	11.1	296	22.2
Grade 6 Math	56	51.8	33.9	8.9	5.4	277	14.3
Grade 7 ELA	54	29.6	46.3	16.7	7.4	299	24.1
Grade 7 Math	54	44.4	38.9	16.7	0	289	16.7
Grade 8 ELA	53	34	30.2	28.3	7.5	298	35.8
Grade 8 Math	52	32.7	46.2	21.2	0	296	21.2

Hamilton Central School
Group	#Tested	%Level 1	%Level 2	%Level 3	%Level 4	Mean Scale Score	% Passed=L3+L4
Grade 3 ELA	51	27.5	39.2	27.5	5.9	309	33.4
Grade 3 Math	51	25.5	29.4	35.3	9.8	308	45.1
Grade 4 ELA	46	23.9	41.3	28.3	6.5	302	34.8
Grade 4 Math	46	32.6	41.3	17.4	8.7	293	26.1
Grade 5 ELA	37	35.1	40.5	13.5	10.8	300	24.3
Grade 5 Math	37	29.7	37.8	21.6	10.8	303	32.4
Grade 6 ELA	40	15	47.5	12.5	25	311	37.5
Grade 6 Math	40	25	27.5	15	32.5	315	47.5
Grade 7 ELA	31	9.7	19.4	35.5	35.5	329	71
Grade 7 Math	31	16.1	29	38.7	16.1	320	54.8
Grade 8 ELA	41	26.8	26.8	24.4	22	311	46.4
Grade 8 Math	41	29.3	41.5	24.4	4.9	297	29.3

Data source: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/ela-math/2013/2013ELAandMathemaitcsDistrictandBuildingAggregatesMedia.pdf

NOTE: in 2013, the NYS Assessment test was revised to fit the Common Core standards. As a result, statewide scores dropped significantly compared to previous years. The statewide average for passing (Level 3=Level 4) was 31%.

HCS has also outscored on the SAT:

School	Class of:	# of Test Takers	Reading	Math	Writing
HCS	2009	34	519	518	520
M-E	2009	27	468	486	457
HCS	2010	31	512	526	520
M-E	2010	35	501	487	462
HCS	2011	44	522	510	502
M-E	2011	35	499	505	497
HCS	2012	41	549	538	530
M-E	2012	40	469	470	442
HCS	2013	31	533	550	541
M-E	2013	35	470	430	450

Data: HSC School Board report average SAT scores in 2013.)  

One reaction to this information is to conclude that HCS should merge with M-E because this will help M-E students perform as well as HCS students. I have thought a lot about this, and I have concluded that there are some problems with this view.  

First, it is condescending and snooty, assuming that wonderful Hamiltonians would be the savior for those "poor" M-E kids.  

Second, what evidence do we have that a merger would improve academic outcomes for M-E? In order to fix a problem, you need to know that source of that problem and have good reasons to believe that the solution you choose addresses that source. 

According to Diana Bowers, the gap in academic outcomes is due to assessments and reforms conducted at HCS. She says that if you look at the test scores from 10 years ago, HCS was not doing this well. But they ran an assessment to figure out what the problems were, and changed their teaching practices accordingly. M-E hasn't done that, but they plan to do so soon. My impression of Diana's comments is that she expects them to improve just like HCS did, without a merger.
 
We also know the following:

• Research shows that disadvantaged and/or disadvantaged students populations perform better in smaller schools than in larger ones (see Leithwood & Jantzi’s 2007 article, Review of Empirical Evidence About School Size Effects.) High performing students do well in either kind of school.  
• In a merged school district, students from both M-E and Hamilton would be spending more time on the bus. That will not help their academics.
• Mergers are disruptive, and the transition period would be unsettling. That would also be distracting from academics. (If the merger does pass, I would hope that members of both communities would put in our best effort to make it as smooth as possible regardless of how they voted. But some disruption and distraction is just unavoidable.)
• The merger is not likely to yield more resources for academics. A merged district will have just as many buildings to heat and run, plus more bus runs to fuel. A merged district will have to have single tax rate. I can't imagine that Morrisville can easily raise their rate to match Hamilton's, but if we lower our tax rate to match theirs, that's less money for the school. (If the merger fails, both communities will still need to figure out how to address financial shortfalls for their schools. I hope that everyone would pitch in energetically to help with this, regardless of how they voted.)