Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 11/22/2022
CHICOPEE – Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability Matthew Francis showcased the first portion of Chicopee Public School’s State of the District report during the School Committee’s Nov. 16 meeting.
The annual State of the District report provides an overview of statistical information from students’ performance during the prior school year. Labeling this year’s report as “The Road to Recovery,” Francis said the school district estimates a three to five year process before students can fully recover from learning loss incurred during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Last year I stated it was going to take three to five years to get back to pre-pandemic in regard to our performance,” said Francis.
The first portion of the analysis focused on the school district’s MCAS scores. Due to 2020 shifting towards an online model during the coronavirus pandemic, no students took MCAS tests in 2020. Students in grades 3-8 then took half of the MCAS in 2021, while grade 10 students completed the full exam.
Francis shared that 2022 marked the first year since COVID-19 that both student groups completed the full MCAS. The MCAS remains most essential for grade 10 students – with students needing to score passing grades for the English language arts (ELA), mathematics and science and technology/engineering (STE) MCAS tests before graduation.
Students needed scores of 472 for ELA and 469 for mathematics in 2022. Going forward, students will now need scores of 486 in ELA and mathematics due to new guidelines established by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Francis stressed that COVID-19 continues causing testing roadblocks for students. Grade 10 students who took the MCAS in 2022 completed their first full MCAS test since grade 7, according to Francis. Going forward, Francis said that 2022 testing results will represent a new baseline for data after a state mandate.
“[The state] is creating a new baseline for all cities and towns throughout the commonwealth to start with accountability next year,” said Francis.
Looking at the school district’s 2022 MCAS results, Francis said test scores pale in comparison to the state averages. A total of 73 percent of grades 3-8 either partially met expectations or did not meet expectations on ELA tests compared to 59 percent on a state level. In mathematics, 74 percent partially met or did not meet expectations compared to 60 percent for the state averages.
For grade 10, 54 percent of grade 10 students partially met or did not meet ELA expectations while the state featured a figure of 42 percent across both scoring groups. Mathematics showcased a similar disparity as 63 percent of student partially met or did not meet expectations compared to 50 percent on a state average.
Francis also shared that 68 percent of Chicopee grade 9 and grade 10 students either partially met or did not meet STE expectations compared to 54 percent on a state level. The 2022 STE test was the first of its kind, according to Francis.
Francis did note some improving test scores in the district from 2021. Grade 10 mathematics scores improved from 32 percent meeting or exceeding expectations to 37 percent. Chicopee grade 10 students additionally tested above most cities, such as Springfield and Holyoke, with an average ELA score of 497 and mathematics score of 493.
“This is another level that’s showing progress going back to pre-pandemic levels,” said Francis.
For areas of improvement, Francis explained that learning gaps in early literacy and high school math remain points of concern. Chronic absenteeism was another concern. Francis revealed that 41.8 percent of Chicopee students missed 10 percent or more of their 2022 classes, including several absences tied to COVID-19 case spikes during last year’s holiday season.
“If they aren’t here, we can’t teach them … Without fixing chronic absenteeism, you can’t fix anything else,” said Francis.
The School Committee will look at part two of the State of the District report during their Dec. 7 meeting.