The Maryland Department of Education released 2014 scores in what will be the final administration of the Maryland School Assessment.  Officials say the across-the-board drop was expected, because the state is transitioning to new college and career-ready standards:

The results of the final MSA administration speak directly to the important changes that have been taking place in Maryland classrooms.  The change in sequence and instructional shifts to higher standards are most apparent in mathematics.

The percentage of students scoring at proficient levels in MSA science also was affected by changes in standards, as schools moved toward implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).  The percentage of elementary students scoring in the proficient range in science fell 2.8 percentage points between 2013 and 2014, while the percentage of students scoring at the proficient range in middle school science dipped 2.0 points.

The Maryland State Board of Education in 2013 adopted the NGSS, which are aligned with the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards.  School systems began implementing those new science standards this past school year, with full implementation by 2017-18.  New assessments based on the NGSS are in development.

Click here to view the 2014 assessment and trends for public schools serving Hyattsville: