Ingram releases results of MCAS, state of the district
Date: 9/27/2011
Sept. 26, 2011By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD — Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alan J. Ingram released two inter-related reports last week: his annual assessment about the state of the school district and the results of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Survey (MCAS).
Ingram said the city’s Level 4 schools — those classified by the state as failing — showed improvements in MCAS scores. Overall, the Level 4 schools experienced a three-point Composite Performance Index (CPI) gain in math and .9 in ELA this year. Since 2008, Level 4 schools have experienced a 2.4 gain in science; a 2.2 increase in ELA; and a 4.7 gain in math.
Azell Cavaan, the district’s chief communications officer, explained to Reminder Publications the results do not immediately change the schools’ Level 4 status. She said the schools have a three-year period to make marked improvements and currently they are at the beginning of the second year.
The district has been following the 2009 to 2012 Strategic Plan to improve the Level 4 schools and Cavaan said there have been no changes or amendments made to the plan because it is “so comprehensive it addressed all Level 4 issues.”
Ingram released a statement that said the plan has guided “all that we have done.”
“By staying the course and remaining true to strategic goals and priorities, the district has seen many positive developments,” he added.
“While there remains much work to do, Springfield Public Schools has much to be proud of,” Ingram said in his report. “Student achievement has shown positive results yet there is still much more work to be done and rest assured we are all working diligently to get it accomplished.”
Level 4 schools were not the only schools to experience MCAS gains this year. Combining all grades, Springfield Public Schools’ MCAS performance was greater than the state’s overall average gains in proficiency or above in English Language Arts and math by one point each, according to Ingram’s report.
Ingram said there are also other important measures to the district’s progress. These include the number of students taking Advanced Placement exams has increased from 377 in 2008 to 740 this year as well as the number of students taking the Standard Assessment Tests (SAT) increasing from 1,748 in 2008 to 2,236 this year.
Also, the percentage of core academic courses taught by highly qualified teachers has gone from 84 percent in 2008 to 95 percent this year.
This year CPI gains were made in English Language Arts (ELA), math and science in the majority of Level 4 schools. Zanetti School, Homer Street School and the High School of Commerce experienced “significant gains” in all areas, the report said.
The scores included:
• Zanetti experienced a 17.3 gain in math; a 9.4 gain in ELA; and a 7.5 gain in science. Since 2008, that school has experienced a 24.8 gain in math; 18.2 gain in ELA and a 20.2 gain in science.
• Homer Street School this year experienced gains of 16.1, 11.2; and 6.1 in math, ELA and science, respectively. Since 2008, the school has had gains of 8.0 math, 4.9 in ELA and 7.8 in science.
• The High School of Commerce this year saw gains of 8.6 in ELA, .7 in math and 3.4 in science. Since 2008, the school’s CPI gains in those subjects are 6.7; 5.1 and 10.5, respectively.
• Brookings School this year experienced 7.7 gain in ELA and a 12.3 CPI gain in math. Since 2008, that school has had gains of 11.8 in ELA and 22.7 in math. In addition, Gerena School improving 5.9 points in ELA and 13.4 points in math. Those increases represent a 15-point jump in math since 2008 and a 7.6 point increase in ELA since 2008.
• At White Street School, ELA CPI improved 4.3 points this year and math CPI went up 5.1 points. Over the past three years, White Street School has seen a 7.6 point improvement in ELA and 13.4 point increase in math.
Noting that significant change could take between three to five years to complete, Ingram said, “Although we have made progress, long-term organizational change and permanent improvement do not occur overnight. While we continue to make progress in many areas, patience and persistence are needed to take Springfield schools to new heights.”
