By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The School Committee expressed concerns about Lynnfield Middle School’s MCAS scores on two exams during a Nov. 4 meeting.
After an overview of the middle school’s MCAS scores was given to the school board, School Committee Vice Chair Jim Dillon aired concerns about the sixth grade MCAS math exam scores. According to the grade 6 math exam results, there were 6 percent of LMS sixth graders who Exceeded Expectations, 44 percent Met Expectations, 43 percent Partially Met Expectations and 8 percent Did Not Meet Expectations.
“We had 50 percent Meet or Exceed Expectations in sixth grade math,” said Dillon. “When those kids were in the fifth grade, 66 percent of those kids Met or Exceeded Expectations, so about 30 kids who were at grade level in math in the fifth grade were no longer at grade level in the sixth grade. That has kind of been a pattern.”
Dillon said the average score for fifth graders who received a combined Exceeded Expectations or Met Expectations score on the MCAS math exam was around 70 percent for the past three years.
“There is a precipitous drop in the number of kids who are Meeting or Exceeding Expectations at grade level,” said Dillon about the sixth grade math scores. “Can we attribute that to anything in the curriculum? In sixth grade math, 7 percent of the students in the state Exceed Expectations and 6 percent of our sixth graders do. We have got 87 12-year-olds last year who did not reach the standard for math.”
Dillon said, “sixth grade math is very important because it builds a critical foundation for future math success, particularly for algebra and high level courses.”
“Key concepts included such as ratios, proportional relationships and basic algebraic expressions are fundamental for high school and college level work,” said Dillon. “A strong performance in sixth grade is a strong predictor of high school graduation and college readiness.”
Dillon said all five School Committee members are tasked with overseeing the district, which is why he was airing his concerns.
“What can we do to help those students in the sixth grade achieve at a level closer to the fifth grade?” asked Dillon. “What is the plan to get away from the drop-off here?”
Before Dillon aired his concerns, LMS Math/Science Director Katie Ambroise said the middle school has implemented the Reveal Math curriculum in sixth grade this year.
“Instead of waiting, we decided to go full force this year,” said Ambroise. “The two teachers in sixth grade have started implementing it. I am very hopeful that will give us more of an anchor and help us implement all of the standards this year. Of course there is a learning curve that comes with the program, and I am very grateful for them being very willing to get started with the program this year.”
After Dillon raised his concerns about the grade 6 math scores, Assistant Superintendent Adam Federico said school officials made “a resource decision” by deciding to implement the Reveal Math curriculum this year.
“We said let’s put the resources in place,” said Federico. “Our goal is to ultimately align K-8 mathematically with Reveal. We put the money where we felt it was needed, which was sixth grade.”
Dillon asked if the sixth grade math teachers believe that the Reveal Math curriculum is “going to be more effective?”
“When we are talking about English, it is a literacy test,” said Dillon. “Does the child understand what they read? Can they convey their ideas in writing at grade level? That is what that is. You can argue what the state of Massachusetts has decided as grade level is fairly ambitious, particularly in mathematics in some of these grades. It is nothing like what anybody sitting in this room had in sixth grade math, but nevertheless, it is what is.”
Federico said school officials “have made a commitment” to implement the Reveal Math curriculum in grades K-4, and is looking to expand the curriculum to all four grades at LMS. He said the curriculum requires students to use “thinking routines” when they approach problem-solving.
“We feel this program supports that kind of thinking,” said Federico.
Ambroise said the two sixth grade teachers have been using the Reveal Math curriculum since September and both educators received professional development (PD) on the new curriculum. She said the two teachers will continue receiving professional development.
“They have noticed there is definitely a lot more discourse with this program,” said Ambroise. “There are very high expectations for this program. If you were to go into a classroom, you would see students working collaboratively on a problem or a question, and are really digging in deep. There is a lot going into each layer of these lessons. The teachers have definitely commented on the rigor of it so far this year, which is great.”
Dillon asked if students’ collaborative work has helped them understand the Reveal Math curriculum better.
“Absolutely,” said Ambroise.
Dillon also expressed concerns about the grade 8 MCAS science exam results. According to the grade 8 MCAS science exam revealed that 5 percent of LMS eighth graders Exceeded Expectations, 35 percent Met Expectations, 48 percent Partially Met Expectations and 12 percent Did Not Meet Expectations.
“Science is a little different because the fifth grade science test is measuring everything the child was learning in grades 1-5,” said Dillon. “(The state) is moving towards the scientific process, the scientific method and things like that as opposed to content. But when (eighth graders) were in the fifth grade, 65 percent of them Met or Exceeded the standard.”
Dillon said the 40 percent of eighth graders who Exceeded Expectations or Met Expectations on the MCAS science exam resulted in 41 students who were at grade level in fifth grade were no longer at grade level in eighth grade.
“The other three subjects were in the 60s for Meets and Exceeds, but that subject was 40 percent,” said Dillon. “I know it is different because it is three years of curriculum.”
Ambroise said LMS officials and teachers are “trying to work more vertical alignment” into the science curriculum.
Federico said school officials recently conducted an “analysis of high-performing districts that are comparable to us.”
“We looked at what programs they are using, and looked at who has similar programs as us,” said Federico. “We are doing some outreach to look at if there is something we are missing. I know Katie is going to connect with Belmont later in the week.”
LMS Principal Stephen Ralston said eighth grade science teachers do not go back and review “content from grades 6 and 7.”
“They have enough on their plate to get through eighth grade,” said Ralston. “The thinking, the discussions and the lab activities are really inherent in the OpenSciEd program. I have seen a huge increase in scientific thinkers and students who are well-prepared for the biology, chemistry and physics classes that they are going to need in high school.”
Dillon asked if the state is “measuring the wrong thing” on the grade 8 MCAS science exam.
“The test is still very content laden and is not capturing a lot of the science skills we are really using our program for,” said Ralston. “Content is important and I am not saying it is not, but there is also a lot more that goes into that.”
Federico concurred with Ralston’s viewpoint.
“We recognize this is an area that we need to look at and look at more closely,” said Federico. “We are going to take a close look at it, work with our teachers and figure it out. I think alignment is a huge part.”
While School Committee member Jamie Hayman applauded the work LMS officials and teachers have undertaken to prepare students for the MCAS exams, he said he shares Dillon’s concerns about the middle school’s sixth grade math scores. He said the decline in MCAS math scores from grade 5 to grade 6 is a “precipitous drop off.”
Hayman also expressed concerns about the middle school’s MCAS science exam results, but noted the scores improve when they get to Lynnfield High School.
“Grade 10 science data is really grade 9 science data because that is when they are taking it,” said Hayman. “We do see a bump up from eighth grade to ninth grade when they are taking that biology MCAS.”
While Hayman said the middle school should consider doing “something differently” in regards to preparing eighth graders for the science MCAS exam, he does not believe the science scores are “reflective of what we can accomplish in Lynnfield.”
School Committee member Kim Baker Donahue thanked LMS officials and teachers for “everything you are doing and being proactive in trying to identify the focus and get ahead of things going forward.”
In response to a question from School Committee member Kate DePrizio about the sixth grade math curriculum’s pacing, Ambroise said the Reveal Math curriculum has a pacing guide.
“The layout is very prescribed so you can get through all of the units and address everything at a good clip as you are going throughout the year,” said Ambroise. “That pacing has improved.”
DePrizio said she shared Dillon and Hayman’s concerns about the grade 6 MCAS math and science scores.
After the LHS MCAS results were discussed, Hayman asked Science Department Head Scott Gordon if the school board was “overreacting” about the eighth grade science exam scores.
“Are we finding that students are prepared and ready for the rigor of the high school’s science curriculum?” asked Hayman.
Gordon said Hayman asked “a good question.”
“In my opinion, the students are coming up prepared,” said Gordon. “They are not only coming up prepared for science classes, but they are coming up prepared with the ability to write, the ability to do math, debating, rewriting and revising. It’s not just the science classes because I like to think science incorporates all of those things and brings them in.”
Gordon noted that high school students are “more mature” than middle school students.
“When we get them, they are a little bit better at what they do,” said Gordon. “The people who teach biology at the high school are outstanding, but I think the students coming up from the middle school are prepared. I applaud what they do in middle school. I am not sure how they manage students in that age range.”