The district does not have firm course guidelines and many teachers are left to devise their own lessons, he said. Pontiac parents said they weren't surprised by the district's poor scores. I frankly get so frustrated with the lack of progress the district has made. A substantial drop means the district should take a close look at what its doing, not only at scores, but at the big picture. Big swings on scores on the writing tests probably are no reason for celebration or alarm, she said.
Writing is a one-item test.
Science scores have been more erratic. Schools focus more on math and reading and they put more resources into those subjects. Teachers may need more professional development opportunities in science. Room to improve While Westwood saw the most improved test scores in Metro Detroit, the district still ranks relatively low in the number of students who are proficient in math, science, reading and writing. Still, for a district that has been floundering near the bottom of Metro Detroit schools for years, officials were glad to see that scores are improving.