by Dr. Thomas Jefferson, Superintendent of Schools
The results of the 2010 MCAS testing were received this week. Tenth-grade results remain strong, third-grade results were up, and all subgroups at Hildreth Elementary School met the ELA goal for the first time in four years.
The first scores examined in the test results are those of our 10th graders. Passing the MCAS at that level is a graduation requirement. I'm pleased to report that we again will be in the highest echelon of districts. Our 10th-grade English Language Arts (ELA) showed a strong gain, with only 3 percent of students not scoring in the proficient or advanced levels. Tenth-grade math was again distinguished: 100 percent of students were at least proficient, with a whopping 88 percent in the advanced category.
We were also quite pleased to see a dramatic increase in grade 3. In ELA, "proficient plus advanced" moved from 64 percent to 82 percent. In math the combined number jumped from 61 percent to 77 percent. In most other grades there were less dramatic changes, with a mix of increasing and decreasing percentages. Overall scores remained strong.
As people may be aware, scores are reported for subgroups as well as grade levels. This year we've identified a recurring need to focus on math proficiency for students with special needs at the elementary and middle grades. This previously identified area has been the focus of professional development this past year, including daylong interdepartmental workshops designed to strengthen this area of student performance.
All subgroups at Hildreth Elementary School meeting the ELA goal for the first time in four years was a big achievement. If we reach this target next year as well, we will be upgraded from the "No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Improvement, year 2" subgroup status.
Last year, for the first time, the state released growth-model data. This measure shows how a school or grade did when measuring the gains of individual students based on their MCAS performance of the previous year. We look forward to reviewing this data in the weeks ahead as another lens through which to examine student learning.
Again, we see MCAS as only one measure of student learning. Our administrators, department leaders, and teachers use this data to evaluate overall program effectiveness and inform our instructional practices and interventions. Mailings of individual results will be sent out as soon as we receive them.
I congratulate the students and staff of the Harvard Public Schools for their hard work, which yielded such strong results.