(September 19, 2023) Today, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released this past spring’s MCAS results. As returning students and families will recall, our focus last year was on accelerating student learning through implementing the following:
- Rigorous academic instruction at the correct grade level.
- Small group intervention in Math and Reading based on students’ current academic level
- A continued focus on students’ social emotional development using community meetings, structured breaks and leveraging our mental health counselors.
We are incredibly proud of the way in which our KIPP Massachusetts community came together to accelerate unfinished learning last school year. The spring 2023 MCAS outcomes confirm both that our students made meaningful progress last year and that we have continued work to do. We are seeing positive growth and recovery in math, our high schoolers are on track to graduate, and our performance in ELA 3-8 demands a deeper commitment to providing more robust programming in literacy to increase growth and achievement.
What’s the next step?
Our goals and expectations for our students remain as high as ever. Our students are brilliant, and we are committed to ensuring we provide both the academic rigor and support needed for every student to reach their full potential. Our goal continues to be that we meet or exceed the state average on the ELA and Math MCAS.
In order to continue the growth we see in math and increase the growth we need to have in ELA, we are committed to the following:
- Providing high-dose, individualized, tutoring in Reading for over 300 students in grades K-8, with a focus on our most vulnerable students and grade bands (particularly 3rd and 4th grade). Research shows that tutoring in small groups has significantly greater effect on student test scores than changes in class size, longer school days, or summer-school-type program
- Refining Targeted Math and Reading intervention for Grades 3-8 to ensure that we are monitoring student progress and providing real time changes to our instruction to meet the needs of students and close gaps in their learning.
- Restructuring our school day in grades K-2 to provide daily math and reading small group intervention blocks. All interventions will start with a diagnostic so that the experience provides personalized support for each student.
- Continuing Play Based Learning blocks in grades K-2 to advance social emotional learning and set students up for the academic rigor in 3rdd grade where we see some of our largest gaps in growth and achievement.
- Ensuring students in grades 3-12 continue to participate in project based learning. Project based learning disrupts traditional teaching and learning methods. The implementation of rigorous project-based learning in our schools centers student passions and strengths, builds engagement, and develops critical consciousness in order to prepare students for lives of choice and impact.
- Executing on a unified, Region-wide approach to instruction and progress monitoring with fidelity and consistent oversight from regional leaders.
We are committed to harnessing the tremendous potential that our students possess and connecting that with rigorous, joyful academic instruction that puts them on a path to a fulfilled life.
