MCAS scores are in. Why two districts were cited as needing state help to improve

Framingham and Dover-Sherborn school districts are on the path forward after the state flagged them for needing state assistance or intervention due to their performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).

2023 MCAS results were released in late August. Along with test scores, the state also released accountability data, which identified several schools in MetroWest as requiring assistance or intervention. Those included seven schools in Framingham as well as Dover-Sherborn Middle School.

Marybeth O'Brien, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for Framingham Public Schools, said the district partners with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and its Statewide System of Support (SSOS). According to its website, SOSS provides assistance to districts that have one or more schools categorized as requiring focused or targeted assistance, as defined by the Massachusetts Accountability System.

In Framingham's case, support can look like the district consulting with the SOSS.

"We can focus our priorities so we can have a trickle-down effect from the district to the principals to the teachers," O'Brien said.

O'Brien noted that a big initiative is focusing on English literacy and looking at a literacy curriculum anchored in the science of reading. She also noted that the entire district made progress in student attendance, which is one of the district's focuses.

"We're working on building the muscle of teachers and our leaders at all grade levels," she said. "Ultimately, it's a team effort at the district level."

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Framingham can use the recently released data to look at what needs improvement and to help the district build opportunities for students, improve access and create high-level thinkers in the classroom, according to O'Brien.

"The data informs us of where we're falling flat and that's where we're focusing initiatives," she said. "It's not a one-and-done thing — we're looking at closing the learning and opportunity gap and meeting all of our students' needs."

Why Framingham needs state assistance

Seven schools in Framingham were flagged by the state for needing assistance or intervention, according to a news release sent to the Daily News by Framingham Public Schools.

Barbieri Elementary School was also ranked among the 10% lowest performing schools in the state but neverthless achieved "substantial progress" toward academic targets. The school saw low student performance in the low-income, Hispanic, English learner and former English learner and high-needs student subgroups.

Making moderate progress toward state goals, Brophy Elementary was also among the state's 10% lowest performing schools. The school requires assistance or intervention due to low student performance in subgroups such as students with disabilities, low-income, Hispanic and Latino, English learner and former English learner and high-needs subgroups.

Harmony Grove Elementary School was flagged for needing assistance or intervention due to low group performance in students who identify as white and Hispanic and Latino students; students with disabilities; and high-needs students.

King Elementary School showed moderate progress toward targets and had low student group performance in the low-income student subgroup. Stapleton Elementary was flagged for needing assistance for the same reason, but the school met or exceeded targets.

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Fuller Middle School was also ranked among lowest performing 10% of schools. While Fuller made moderate progress toward targets, there was low student group performance in certain subgroups such as low-income, Hispanic and Latino students, English learners and former English learners and high-needs students.

Framingham High School showed limited or no progress toward state targets, according to the district's news release. This is due to low MCAS participation rates in the Hispanic and Latino, and English learner and former English learner subgroups.

Dover-Sherborn also flagged for MCAS participation

Dover-Sherborn Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth McCoy called the accountability scores a "statistics game."

Dover-Sherborn Middle School (DSMS) was flagged for needing state assistance or intervention due to MCAS participation rates in certain subgroups of students. The state's education department has 95% MCAS participation threshold for all students and students in certain subgroups. However, certain student subgroups at Dover-Sherborn Middle School did not meet those MCAS participation threshold.

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"At Dover-Sherborn Middle School, in three categories we didn't hit 95%" McCoy explained in an interview with the Daily News. "For example, we have 29 students who identify as Hispanic or Latino. Two of those students didn't take the MCAS... take two out of 29 and you're at 93%."

Other middle school student subgroups also did not meet the participation threshold. According to the state's website, 91% of DSMS students with disabilities and 93% of students with high needs participated in the MCAS.

"I imagine we'll come up with a corrective action plan to ensure how they (the student subgroups) will take the test," McCoy said.

Despite the flagging, Dover-Sherborn's district was among the top performing districts in the state. Dover-Sherborn Regional High School scored in the 94th percentile in the state's accountability ratings, an indication of the school's overall performance relative to other schools that serve similar grades. The score is calculated using multiple years of data for all accountability indicators.

Dover-Sherborn Middle School scored in the 89the percentile.

"I'm proud of Dover-Sherborn students and teachers for performing so well," McCoy said. "It shows we're teaching to the state's framework and are a measure to show students are learning at a high level."

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham, Dover-Sherborn MCAS scores land districts on help list