A deep dive into local MCAS results

By NEIL ZOLOT

WAKEFIELD — The state Comprehensive Assessment System test report given to the School Committee at their meeting Tuesday, October 29 indicates State Accountability Ratings classify all schools as “not requiring assistance or intervention.”

The Dolbeare Elementary School was classified as Meeting or Exceeding Targets, the Walton and Woodville Elementary Schools were classified as making Substantial Progress Towards Targets and the Galvin Middle School and Wakefield Memorial High School were classified as making Moderate Progress Towards Targets.

Dolbeare was also named a School of Recognition, which “demonstrate high achievement and high growth and meet or exceed targets.”

The state Department of Education or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education classifies Wakefield’s 2024 District Assistance Level as Moderate Progress Towards Targets.

In its DOE/DESE determined cohort of 11 similar communities, Wakefield ranked 6th for the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations in grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA), with 53 percent.

For grades 3-8 Math Wakefield was 10th with 52 percent; for grades 5 and 8 Science it was 8th with 54 percent; for grade 10 ELA it was 11th with 59 percent and for grade 10 Math it was 10th with 57 percent.

North Andover and Wilmington are the closest communities in the cohort. North Andover had 46 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in grades 3-8 ELA, 58 percent in Math, 52 percent in grade 5 and 8 Science, 59 percent in 10th grade ELA and 57 percent in 10th grade Math.

Wilmington had 47 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in grades 3-8 ELA, 55 percent in Math, 52 percent in grade 5 and 8 Science, 70 percent in 10th grade ELA and 66 percent in 10th grade Math.

The town of Wayland led the cohort in all categories, exceeding 70 in three categories and 80 percent in two, perhaps calling into question the accuracy of the comparisons. Other communities include Easton, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Marshfield, Milton and Nashoba.

Of similar communities not in the cohort, Melrose had 58 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in grades 3-8 ELA, 61 percent in Math, 57 percent in grade 5 and 8 Science, 77 percent in 10th grade ELA and 65 percent in 10th grade Math.

Reading had 61 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in grades 3-8 ELA, 64 percent in Math, 57 percent in grade 5 and 8 Science, 73 percent in 10th grade ELA and 67 percent in 10th grade Math.

The accuracy of the cohorts has been questioned for years. Melrose’s cohort also includes Grafton and similar Walpole, but dissimilar Arlington and Sharon. Similar communities Marblehead and Swampscott are not in the same cohort. “We have a lot of questions about three of the districts currently in the cohort and are waiting for the new data to come out from DESE to dig into the data a bit more,” School Superintendent Doug Lyons said.

Wakefield is also in a cohort with Marblehead that also includes Grafton, Holliston and Wayland. In that cohort, Wakefield rated 7th in grades 3-8 ELA, 9th in grades 3-8 Math, 9th in grades 5 and 8 Science, 11th in grade 10 ELA and 10th in grade 10 Math.

The school system fares better when measured against statewide results, generally having an equal or close number or more students exceeding or meeting expectations and an equal or close number or less partially meeting or not meeting expectations. That means more Wakefield students are doing well than the state average and fewer are doing poorly, but it’s a double edge sword. Statewide statistics include not only communities at the high end of the MCAS scale, usually wealthy suburbs, but those at the low end, impoverished cities, which lends some credibility to the cohort numbers.

In grades 3-8 ELA 10 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 7 percent. Forty three percent were meeting expectations compared to 32 percent statewide, while 35 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 40 percent statewide and 12 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 21 percent statewide.

In grades 3-8 Math 9 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 8 percent. Forty four percent were meeting expectations compared to 33 percent statewide, while 39 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 42 percent statewide and 9 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 18 percent statewide.

In grade 5 Science 7 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 7 percent. Forty six percent were meeting expectations compared to 37 percent statewide, while 32 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 36 percent statewide and 14 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 20 percent statewide.

In grade 8 Science 9 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 6 percent. Forty five percent were meeting expectations compared to 34 percent statewide, while 37 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 41 percent statewide and 9 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 20 percent statewide.

In grade 5 Science 7 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 7 percent. Forty six percent were meeting expectations compared to 37 percent statewide, while 32 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 36 percent statewide and 14 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 20 percent statewide.

In grade 10 ELA 9 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 14 percent. Fifty percent were meeting expectations compared to 43 percent statewide, while 34 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 31 percent statewide and 7 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 12 percent statewide.

In grade 10 Math 9 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 12 percent. Forty seven percent were meeting expectations compared to 36 percent statewide, while 40 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 39 percent statewide and 3 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 13 percent statewide.

In High School Biology 10 percent of Wakefield students were exceeding expectations compared with the state average of 12 percent. Fifty six percent were meeting expectations compared to 37 percent statewide, while 31 percent were partially meeting expectations, compared to 40 percent statewide and 2 percent not meeting expectations, compared to 11 percent statewide.

“We use this data to inform our decisions,” grades 5-12 Joanne Marks reported.

The report also pinpoints Focus Areas for Growth as to decrease the achievement gap between high needs and all students, increase the number of students earning “exceeds expectations,” move from Moderate Progress to Substantial Progress on the district accountability score and increase the differential between Wakefield and the state when looking at the percentages students meeting or exceeding expectations. “I think we’re getting there,” Assistant Superintendent Kara Mauro said.