Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)Preface • District scores include the scores of students in out-of-district placements. • Scores are reported as Advanced +

Massachusetts ComprehensiveAssessment System (MCAS)

Arlington Public Schools

MCAS Analysis

2010

Presented by: Dr. Wallis Raemer, Interim Assistant SuperintendentPrepared by: LeiLanie D’Agostino, Director of Data Integration

Preface• District scores include the scores of

students in out-of-district placements.• Scores are reported as Advanced +

Proficient = A+P• Presentation will look at the following:

District grade level performance Cohort performance Subgroup results Growth data

District Overview

• High achieving district with moderate to very highstudent growth

• Achievement well above state averages (range of9%-30%)

• Cohort group analysis shows markedimprovement in achievement as students movefrom elementary grades to high school

• 88% of APS rankings are in the top quarter in thestate

29%82nd/28328%78th/28339%109th/28310

14%40th/28222%61st/28211%30th/2828

17%47th/28417%49th/2847

25%79th/31312%38th/3136

4%12th/30812%38th/30817%53rd/3085

11%34th/30012%35th/3004

22%66th/30311%33rd/3033

%

(top)

Science

Rank

%

(top)

Math

Rank

%

(top)

ELA

Rank

Grade

Level

Arlington Public Schools Ranking on2010 MCAS

District ELA2010

On average 85% of our students scoredAdvanced or Proficient

2010 ELA Proficiency (A+P)Scores

• Stratton is ranked #8 in the state in 5th grade ELA.• Notable gains in 8th grade.

2008 2009 2010(APS) 2010(State) 10th Grade 89% 92% 87% 78% 8th Grade 90% 89% 93% 78% 7th Grade 85% 90% 88% 72% 6th Grade 88% 85% 88% 69% 5th Grade 87% 84% 80% 63% 4th Grade 75% 79% 77% 54%

3rd Grade 78% 81% 82% 63%

The effect of the reading initiative continuesto be reflected in the

2010 MCAS reading scores.

2%16%82%20103

3%16%81%20093

2%20%77%20073

4%18%78%20083

WarningNeeds

Improvement

Advanced +

Proficient

YearGrade

Current Grade 11 Cohort ELA MCAS Results Over Time

51%

36%

9%4%

22%

68%

6% 4%

24%

56%

17%

3%

0%10%

20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

90%100%

Advanced/Above

Proficient

Proficient Needs Improvement Warning/Failing

Pe

rce

nt S

co

rin

g

Grade 10 2010 Grade 8 2008 Grade 4 2004

District Mathematics2010

On average 75% of our students scoredAdvanced + Proficient

2010 Math Proficiency (A+P)Scores• Stratton is ranked #2 in the state in 5th grade.• Brackett is ranked #5 in the state in 4th and 5th grades.• Significant increase in performance in 7th grade.

2008 2009 2010(APS) 2010(State)

10th Grade 89% 86% 87% 75%8th Grade 71% 70% 69% 51%7th Grade 63% 62% 72% 53%6th Grade 77% 75% 75% 59%5th Grade 79% 79% 77% 55%4th Grade 72% 75% 69% 48%3rd Grade 78% 81% 80% 65%

Current Grade 11 Cohort: Math MCAS Results Over Time

34%

9%

34%

71%

16%

9%4%

37%

20%

34%

29%

3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Advanced/Above

Proficient

Proficient Needs Improvement Warning/Failing

Pe

rc

en

t S

co

rin

g


District Science2010

Grade 5 ranked in the top 4% in the state!

2010 Science Proficiency (A+P)Scores

• Brackett is ranked #1 in the state in 5th grade.

2008 2009 2010(APS) 2010(State)

10th Grade 83% 82% 81% 65%8th Grade 64% 63% 63% 40%5th Grade 84% 79% 84% 53%

Current Grade 11 Cohort Science MCAS Results Over

Time

32%

49%

17%

2%4%

60%

29%

7%

40%43%

10%7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Advanced/Above

Proficient

Proficient Needs

Improvement

Warning/Failing

Pe

rc

en

t S

co

rin

g


District SubgroupsMCAS 2010

Overall Arlington Subgroups perform well abovestate averages but still show gaps in achievementas compared with majority peers

MCAS Subgroup: Grade 3 ELA

55%

76%

61%

70%

42%

86%

59%

84%

70%

53%

47%

67%

43%

59%

67%

38%

25%

34%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Whi

te

Asian

Black

Hispa

nic

LEP/F

LEP

SPED

Low In

com

e

Subgroups

Pe

rce

nt

Sco

rin

g A

dva

nce

d +

Pro

fice

nt

District % State %

MCAS Subgroup: Grade 3 Math

82%

39%

84%

63%

40%

79%82% 82%

78%

36%

45%

73%

65%65%

78%

42%

30%

43%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Whi

te

Asi

an

Bla

ck

His

pani

cLE

P/F

LEP

SPED

Low Inc

ome

Subgroups

Pe

rce

nt

Sco

rin

g A

dva

nce

d +

Pro

fice

nt

District % State %


58%

53%

70%

40%

83%84%

78% 80% 80%

32%

68%

40%

58%

71%

37%

23%

31%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Fem

ale

Mal

e

Whi

te

Asian

Black

Hispa

nic

LEP/F

LEP

SPED

Low In

com

e

Subgroups- not enough district data for Black

Pe

rce

nt

Sco

rin

g A

dva

nce

d +

Pro

fice

nt

District % State %


80%

53%

43%

31%

77% 77% 77% 77%

25%

33%

62%

54%55%

74%

30%

18%

30%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%Fem

ale

Mal

e

Whi

te

Asi

an

Bla

ck

His

pani

c

LEP/F

LEP

SPED

Low Inc

ome

Subgroups-Not enough district data for Black

Pe

rce

nt

Sco

rin

g A

dva

nce

d +

Pro

fice

nt

District % State %


94%

67%

90%

82% 84%

59%

95%91%

95%

58%

76%73%

83%

55%

59%

36%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Female Male White Asian Black Hispanic SPED Low

Income

Subgroups-Not enough district data for LEP/FLEP

Pe

rce

nt

Sco

rin

g A

dva

nce

d +

Pro

fic

en

t

District % State %


71%

29%

47%

58%

28%

70% 69%

91%

12%

44%

52%51%

74%

25%

30%

13%

0%10%20%

30%40%50%

60%70%80%90%

100%


Income


Percent S

corin

g A

dvanced +

Profic

ent

District % State %


92%

57%61%

89%85%

82%

50%

74%

60%

84%83%

74%

81%

56%59%

38%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Income


Percent S

corin

g A

dvanced +

Proficent

District % State %


86%

65%

58%

68%

20%

92%87%

74%

47%

57%

76%81%75%

87%

43%

49%

36% 36%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Female Male White Asian Black Hispanic LEP/FLEP SPED Low

Income

Subgroups

Pe

rce

nt S

co

rin

g A

dva

nce

d +

Pro

fic

ien

t

District % State %

2010 Subgroup Summary

Keeping pace with majority peers:

Black students in Gr. 6 ELA Hispanic students in Gr. 3 Math Hispanic students in Gr. 6 ELA Hispanic students in Gr. 8 ELA

ELLs in Gr. 5 ELA and Math Students with disabilities and low income

students improve steadily over time from Gr.5-10

Student GrowthMCAS 2010

Moderate to very high growth is evidentat all grade levels

Growth Data: ELA All Grades

Growth Data: Math All Grades

State Commendations forHigh MCAS Growth in 2010

• Arlington High School

• Brackett School

• Peirce School

• Stratton School

Summary Points

• Areas of Overall Improvement:– Gr. 6 & 8 ELA achievement– Student growth in ELA– Gr. 7 Math– Gr. 5 Science– ELL and Low Income subgroup performance

• Areas in Need of Improvement:– Middle school science– Gr. 4 ELA –Writing: topic development– District Math achievement– Achievement gaps in ELA & Math for students with

disabilities and Math for Black and Hispanic students

Next Steps: ELA

• Increase progress monitoring & readingintervention for all Warning, Needs Improvement,and SLC students in Gr. 3-6

• Expand teaching and assessing Open Responsequestions (Elementary and OMS)

• Begin implementing Lucy Calkins writingprogram in grade 3 to address topic developmentweakness

• Implement Wilson program, Just Words, in grades4-6 to improve spelling and decoding skills

Next Steps: Math

Continue building content expertise fornew teachers, ELL and special educatorsExpand early intervention, AssessingMath Concepts (Number Sense) (KathyRichardson) to grade 2Expand math coaching & tutoring for lowperforming students in Title 1 schools &OMSContinue use of bilingual math glossariesfor ELL students

Next Steps: Science

MS Science is a concern for Arlington as well asother districts across the state.

• Continue to examine curriculum and frameworksalignment in middle school

• Continue MCAS item analysis for development ofremedial support for all students

• Monitor specific students in sub-groups

• Encourage more rigorous course selection forsubgroup students

Next Steps: Subgroups

• Deeper analysis of subgroup achievement data,attendance, and grades

• Continue to expand content expertise of specialeducators at all levels

100 % participation of elementary special educatorsin reading & math mentoring program (5 days)Arrange meeting schedules for special educators to

participate in CLTs

• Expand options for content inclusion at all levels,including Peirce co-taught program

• Ensure all eligible students take the MCASAlternative Assessment

College Readiness for All StudentsRequires…..

• Ongoing collaboration among specialeducators, ELL, METCO, supportpersonnel, administrators, department chairsand classroom teachers to share expertiseand knowledge

• High expectations for all students coupledwith appropriate interventions, supports andapproaches to ensure success

Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)Preface • District scores include the scores of students in out-of-district placements. • Scores are reported as Advanced +

Documents