LYNN — Much like the trend seen across the state, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) scores are down in Lynn.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Tutwiler shared the district’s student-assessment data, which included MCAS results from 2021, with the School Committee on Thursday night.
Much of the presentation consisted of comparing the district’s MCAS results with scores from 2019, the last time the test was administered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tutwiler stressed context in regards to the test scores, saying that Lynn was one of the hardest-hit communities in the commonwealth, in terms of how it was impacted by the pandemic during the last school year.
He said that students in grades 3-8 had the option to take the test remotely; this was the first time the state has allowed this alternative. Twenty percent of third- to eighth-grade students chose the remote option for MCAS, according to Tutwiler.
In the ELA section of the test, grades 3-8 saw a nearly 10-point drop in test scores from 2019. The grade that was most impacted was the youngest (third-graders) who saw an 11-point overall drop in scores.
“As predicted, across each grade level, there were smaller numbers of students who exceeded expectations and a larger percentage of students not meeting expectations on the assessment,” Tutwiler said.
Tutwiler said this data proves that the district’s younger learners were the group that was most impacted by the pandemic.
Math was similar in terms of the test scores. Overall, grades 3-8 saw a 17.4-point decrease in test scores. Once again, third-grade students were the most affected class, with a 23.9-point decrease in scores from 2019.
“Students performed much better in ELA,” said Tutwiler. “There (was) a significantly higher percentage of students not meeting expectations (in math).”
In grade 10, where the test was conducted in-person, there was a much lower drop in scores; 10th-grade ELA scores dropped by 4.7 points and math scores dropped by 11.9 points from 2019.
At the end of his presentation, Tutwiler noted that an improvement effort was already underway, with a particular “measured urgency” around meeting the needs of the district’s younger learners, who saw the largest drop in scores during the pandemic.
Some of these efforts include continuing with the district’s “Every Student, Every Day” attendance initiative, taking a deep dive at the assessment data to respond to areas in need of improvement, and ensuring that all students have access to grade-level work and instruction with just-in-time scaffolds, or support, when appropriate.
“We still have work to do,” Tutwiler concluded.
