School Committee Examines MCAS Progress
– Allison Goldsberry
It’s been four years since passing the MCAS exam became a graduation requirement.
Now, students are tested at every grade level from the third grade through the tenth grade, and high school students must also pass a science exam in addition to the math and English exams.
The state has set the bar high for achievement and is requiring every school district to have every student score at the advanced or proficient level on each exam by 2014.
That goal encompasses all students- including those whose performance is closely monitored in subgroups, such as low-income students, non-native English speakers, Special Education students, and students of color.
School Superintendent Roy Belson said that while the schools continue to work hard and make progress, it’s unlikely Medford or any other school district in the state will reach this lofty goal by that time.
Medford’s MCAS scores, like many communities, are a mixed bag. There are some bright spots, such as nearly 90% of high school students passing both the math and English exams on their first try.
And there were some low points, such as the middle schools’ progress on the math exam. Though scores have improved, the middle schools’ performance on the exam is below the state average.
The performance of the middle schools on the math exam, particularly the Andrews, has led to some curriculum tweaks to boost performance.
Sixth grade students at the Andrews Middle School will have extra math instruction instead of a foreign culture course aimed to prep kids for the 7th and 8th grade foreign language courses.
Some parents attended Monday night’s School Committee meeting to question this apparent disparity in foreign language instruction between the city’s two middle schools.
Supt. Belson said both schools receive equal staff and resources and that the Andrews Middle School is not treated differently than the McGlynn Middle School and is not considered to be “subpar.â€
McGlynn Middle School principal Jim Deveney and Andrews Middle School principal Tim Blake said they work closely together and the decision to focus on 6th grade math at the Andrews was based upon the needs of those students.
Blake said he would consider scheduling the foreign culture course later in the year after reviewing the progress students make in the math course.
Both principals agreed they could do a better job of communicating with parents about their decisions. Deveney said Blake and he keep their school websites up to date.
Another group of parents attended the meeting with concerns about progress on the MCAS exam.
Members of the African-Culture Parent Group said African American students continue to lag behind their peers with their performance on the exam and they would like help from the school administration in boosting their scores.
Parent representative Lisa Haden said the group has established afterschool programs “with great success†but is interested in obtaining grant money to hire more tutors for the students.
Supt. Belson credited the group with increasing students’ scores from last year, noting that Medford’s African-American students made more progress than other subgroups.
“The good news is that we did make progress with this particular subgroup [African-Americans]. The bad news is that this achievement gap still exists,†said Belson.
More on the MCAS…
Supt Belson: Medford is Making Progress on MCAS
See all of Medford’s MCAS results
See how Medford’s scores compare over the past four years
Results by School…
Medford Vocational-Technical School
More from Monday night’s School Committee Meeting…
High School Improvements Move Along
Today was the first day the newly renovated gym opened to students with a new floor, bleachers, and dividers. According to Operations and Management Director Jack Buckley, the new security cameras are up and running, and new cafeteria furniture will greet students when they return from winter break. Looking ahead to next summer, new lockers will be installed as well as an elevator at the Community Schools entrance.
No School on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6
There will be no school on Tuesday, November 6, Election Day. Teachers will have a mandatory professional development day.