Massachusetts grades its public schools
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Clive McFarlane
November 26, 2002
Of the 1,800 public schools in Massachusetts, the state yesterday declared 179 -- including 26 in Central Massachusetts -- "in need of improvement." That will allow qualified parents in some of the schools to receive free tutorial or other academic services through their school districts, or through a private provider.
Based on space availability, qualified parents in some schools will also have the option of having the district pay the transportation cost of transferring their children to higher-performing schools in the district.
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The state's accountability system is based on a performance index that is calculated using a point system that averages pupil scores at each performance level of the MCAS in both English and math. The goal is for schools and school districts to score 100 points on the performance index.
Schools are assigned improvement targets for the number of points they are expected to improve each year. Success in meeting those targets determines the improvement rating.
Overall, 83 percent of schools were at or above their target improvement in English, but only 55 percent in math. Thirty-seven percent of elementary schools statewide scored at or above their target in math.
Other than the middle-school or junior-high portions of some schools, no high school is on the needs improvement list.
According to the report, every high school in the state improved, with 99 percent scoring "on target" or above in English and 98 percent scoring on target or above in math. More than 80 percent scored on target or higher in both subjects.
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Under the federal law, a school labeled "in need of improvement" for two consecutive reporting periods must provide choice or supplementary services to parents.
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Superintendent James A. Caradonio [Worcester Public Schools] said eligibility for school choice and supplementary services will be based on income of the parents and the performance level of their students.
Mr. Caradonio said the new accountability system is flawed because it has the potential of creating failure, where there is success. He noted, for example, that compared to other urban school systems, the city had the lowest percentage of schools in need of improvement, and the highest proficiency index in both English and math among those schools.
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He noted, for example, that beginning next year, a school's proficiency index will be based on the performance of its lowest performing group of students. A school, for example, might be making adequate yearly progress overall, but still be labeled as in
need of improvement, if one or more subgroups -- Hispanic, African American, Asians, low income, for example -- are not making adequate progress.
S. Paul Reville, executive director for the Center for Education and Research Policy at the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, said that it is important that schools and school districts concentrate on raising standards of all students.
Mr. Reville, said, however, that he is concerned that the federal law has not taken into account that Massachusetts has substantially raised the bar for all students. "We run the risk of overburdening the system and causing a breakdown," Mr. Reville said of the new overlay of federal mandates.
