Standardized Testing Update
Earlier this month, we sent to students' families a report on Bedford's 2016 MCAS-PARCC testing results. This mailing included an individual student's results, if applicable, as well as a more general report on how the district fared. To give further detail and clarification, I presented an Accountability and Next Steps Report to the school committee on Tuesday, October 18. Here are a few highlights of those two reports.
- Once again, Bedford High School ranks at the very high end of the state’s 358 public and charter high schools, with 98% of its students scoring Advanced or Proficient in English Language Arts, 91% scoring Proficient or Advanced in Math, and 87% scoring Proficient or Advanced in Science.
- Our educational system as a whole is in a testing transition, as tests are revised to meet relatively new standards in mathematics, English Language Arts, and science. In 2016 Bedford students in grades 3-8 took the PARCC test using pencil and paper in math and ELA; students in grades 5 and 8 took MCAS science, based on earlier rather than current standards; students in grade 10 took MCAS in math and ELA, tests that have gradually aligned to the new standards; most students in grade 9 took MCAS Physics.
- 2016 was the last year of PARCC testing. In 2017 students grades 3-8 will take MCAS 2.0 in math and ELA, revised tests that combine elements of MCAS and PARCC. Students in grades 4 and 8 will be taking these tests online as required by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). DESE's goal is to have all testing done online by 2019.
- In summary for grades 3-8, Lane students as a group ("all students") scored above targets set by the state, but several subgroups, including students with high needs, did not meet their specified targets for achievement and/or growth. JGMS students, while making considerable progress in several subgroups, did not meet their targets for growth and/or achievement. By not meeting these targets, Bedford has been deemed Level 2 on the accountability scale.
- Especially during this testing transition, it is difficult to determine progress or growth from these standardized tests because they are changing from year-to-year, there is very little release of individual items, and some districts were still taking MCAS in grades 3-8. The district is working, then, to examine our district measures, make sure they are well-aligned to all the new standards, to ensure that we have effective ways to measure and monitor student achievement and growth.
- Bedford High School continues its Level One status because both large groups ("All Students" and "High Needs Students") continue to meet or exceed their targets for achievement and growth. There are nevertheless several areas that need greater strengthening so that we can reach our own goal of 100% proficient or advanced in these tests without succumbing to "teaching to the test," a path that goes against our educational values.
- If you wish to see more detail on our accountability and how it is calculated, or on the next steps we have in place to continue our progress, the October 18th presentation to school committee is attached below. MLS
