Marblehead MCAS: District Scores Hold Strong Amid Pandemic Year

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Marblehead student results from the MCAS mostly exceeded scores from across the state that showed while older students maintained relatively stable results from 2019, especially in English, younger students slipped in math and science during remote and hybrid learning.

The percentage of students in third through eighth grade receiving a score of "meeting expectations" or higher in math and English each dropped from 2019 statewide, according to Department of Elementary and Secondary Education results released on Tuesday. The most recent previous year the test was given was 2019 after the exams were skipped in 2020 amid the sudden pivot to remote learning.

But Marblehead results showed 86 percent of 10th-grade students exceeded or met expectations in English in 10th grade and 70 percent did so in math. That is an increase of 7 percent in English and a decrease of 8 percent in math.

The results were also more encouraging than the statewide trend in younger grades where 64 percent of students in grades 3 through 8 met or exceeded expectations in English and 56 percent did in math. That is an increase of 1 percent and a decrease of 7 percent, respectively.

"I am pleased with our MCAS results, they are very solid and from a year that was anything but normal," Marblehead Superintendent John Buckey told Patch on Tuesday. "Our teachers did an exceptional job in meeting our students where they were and taking them to the next level."

While much of the state results dropped considerably in science for fifth and eighth grade, Marblehead was again ahead of the curve where 60 percent of eighth-graders exceeded or met expectations (a 2 percent increase) and 64 percent of fifth-graders made the grade (holding even with 2019).

"I am impressed by the overall growth we are seeing in students at all grade levels and in each subject area," Buckey said. "The next step will be disaggregating the data and getting into strand analysis, which will help our teachers know how to target instruction."

Statewide results showed the percentage of math proficiency for third- through eighth-graders fell from 49 percent in 2019 to 33 percent in 2021, while English dropped from 52 to 46.

In high school, the percentage of 10th-graders who met or exceeded expectations was up from 61 to 64 percent in 2021, while the math grade dropped from 52 to 50 percent.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: MCAS Results Show Slide In Massachusetts Scores During Pandemic