Saugus officials talk over MCAS tracking

SAUGUS – Saugus school officials are taking action on some of the lower MCAS scores in the district after results from the statewide test were presented to the School Committee Thursday night.Geoff Bruno, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, explained how schools are now measured after the state was granted a waiver for the federal No Child Left Behind mandate.The new way to track students is by the progress performance index, or PPI. The PPI is calculated by adding points earned for growth, achievement and improvement for math and English. Schools are ranked by 100 points for above target, 75 for met target, 50 for improved but below target, 25 for no change and zero for declined.Saugus? annual PPI was 50 for this year, a drop from 57 in 2011. Saugus had a PPI of 93 in 2012 and 54 in 2009.?This represents improvement, but not at target improvement,” said Bruno. “There are very few districts that are classified as 75 or above.”Saugus? Cumulative PPI over the last four years is 61.According to Bruno, the district dropped from a Level 2 to a Level 3 school because the Belmonte Middle School fell to a Level 3, even though the rest of the schools are at a level two.?As a district we?re right on the line,” said Bruno. “It was less than one percentage point. We?re obviously disappointed, but we will get some more grant money from the Department of Education.”Some of the MCAS highlights presented by Bruno include third-grade math, which jumped from nine to 24 percent in advanced, fifth-grade science and technology, which jumped form 37 to 46 percent in proficient and above, sixth-grade math, which increased from 59 to 66 percent in proficient and above, and seventh-grade math, which jumped from 41 to 48 percent in proficient and above.Despite the increases, School Committee member Arthur Grabowski pointed to eighth-grade math being 60 percent below proficiency, to which Michael Hashem, math curriculum supervisor, said “it?s a work in progress.”?I see the numbers too, and we?re working to try to rectify that,” said Hashem.Grabowski said the numbers reflect on teacher accountability.?We can?t accept below 60 percent from those teachers,” said Grabowski.Richard Lavoie, humanities supervisor, said he wants to emphasize literacy in language arts and social studies, and increase professional development opportunities after Saugus scored below the state average in open response and reading comprehension questions.?When we break it down, we?ll find that our weakest points are in open response and reading,” said Lavoie.Science supervisor Frank Woods said while there was growth in high school biology, results were “poor” at the middle school level, with eighth grade testing 78 percent below proficiency.Woods said brand new textbooks are being used for grades 6 through 8 and noted teachers have spent the last two weekends redesigning the curriculum.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said she sees the growth in the district, even though it?s a slow process.?We?re not there yet,” said Reed. “It would be nice if we can move a long a little faster, but I do see us moving.Regional MCAS scores by schoolDistrictSchool’12 proficiency in English’11 proficiency in English’12 proficiency in math’11 proficiency in mathNahantJohnson Elementary52%57%42%48%RevereA. C. Whelan Elementary School50%57%36%39%RevereBeachmont Veterans Memorial School43%47%32%42%RevereRumney Marsh Academy54%57%33%33%RevereAbraham Lincoln Elementary40%58%22%33%RevereWilliam McKinley Elementary40%36%36%41%ReverePaul Revere Innovation School47%48%30%46%RevereGarfield Elementary School37%43%29%32%RevereGarfield Middle School59%57%31%30%RevereSusan B. Anthony Middle School52%57%27%33%RevereRevere High57%57%30%29%RevereSeacoast School67%70%29%50%SaugusLynnhurst Elementary41%53%37%46%SaugusOaklandvale Elementary42%41%37%38%SaugusVeterans Memorial Elementary47%53%36%48%SaugusDouglas Waybright Elementary48%51%37%46%SaugusBelmonte Saugus Middle60%61%35%32%SaugusSaugus High65%64%