Framingham Schools Making 'Substantial Progress' To MCAS Targets

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham Public Schools are on their way to meeting MCAS targets, according to accountability data released Tuesday by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The district was classified as making “substantial progress toward targets,” having received a two-year cumulative rating of 57 percent for progress toward meeting targets. The designation means the district will not require intervention from the state.

This is the second year of the state's accountability system, marketed as a more "comprehensive look" at districts and schools in specific. The designations are given based on how districts and schools perform in six different categories:

• MCAS achievement in English Language Arts (ELA), Math and Science/Technology/Engineering (STE)
• MCAS growth in ELA and Math
• High school completion rates
• Progress toward English language proficiency for English learners
• Chronic absenteeism (missing 10% or more of a student’s membership)
• High school advanced coursework completion.

Framingham Public Schools students met targets for ELA, Math and Science achievement in grades 3-8. Although, the percent of students in the district meeting or exceeding expectations on the English and math MCAS was slightly lower than the statewide results. Statewide results showed students categorized as meeting or exceeding expectations in the range between 48 and 56 percent for ELA, and 47 and 51 percent for Math — Framingham students in that same range made up 40 percent of the ELA test takers and 37 percent for math.

The district met its targets for English language proficiency and exceeded its targets for reducing the high school dropout rate, but declined in chronic absenteeism, high school graduation, and advanced coursework completion rates.

Of the 13 schools in the district, eight were classified as "making substantial progress toward targets", two were classified as "meeting or exceeding targets", two others were classified as making "moderate progress" and only one was classified as needing "focused/targeted support."

Fuller Middle School remains a school requiring assistance or intervention through focused/targeted support because it is among the lowest 10 percent of schools statewide. In a statement, the district said Fuller developed a turnaround plan last year. "Fuller Middle School received feedback from DESE on its turnaround plan, indicating it met or exceeded the criteria in every category," the district said.

Scroll below for the 2019 MCAS results for next-generation tests. School-by-school scores will be provided in the coming days.

The state rolled out "next generation" tests in 2019, which have much higher expectations, especially in math and English. Sixty-one percent of 10th-graders statewide met or exceeded expectations on the new English MCAS, while 59 percent hit that mark for the max exam. Both percentages were well below the results from 2018 where 91 percent met those parameters for English, and 78 percent scored at that level on the old Math exam.

Thankfully for students, the state is taking that into account when determining passing scores. For the next two years, the passing score will be at the upper end of the "not meeting expectations" category.

Framingham Next-generation MCAS Results

English Language Arts (Taken by grades 3-8 and 10)

Meeting or exceeding expectations: 1,620 (40 percent)

Exceeding expectations: 296 (7 percent)

Meeting expectations: 1,324 (33 percent)

Partially meeting expectations: 1,688 (42 percent)

Not meeting expectations: 752 (19 percent)

Math (Taken by grades 3-8 and 10)

Meeting or exceeding expectations: 1,509 (37 percent)

Exceeding expectations: 229 (6 percent)

Meeting expectations: 1,280 (31 percent)

Partially meeting expectations: 1,816 (45 percent)

Not meeting expectations: 745 (18 percent)

Science (Taken by grades 5, 8 and 10)

Meeting or exceeding expectations: 464 (34 percent)

Exceeding expectations: 72 (5 percent)

Meeting expectations: 392 (29 percent)

Partially meeting expectations: 640 (47 percent)

Not meeting expectations: 253 (19 percent)