Our MCAS scores are in, and we are a Level 1 school!
Whittier Tech has regained its Level 1 status after MCAS scores released today pushed them back to the top in the school rating system used by the state department of education.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced the following MCAS results for Whittier Tech’s Class of 2019:
· English - 100% passed – 30% advanced, 65% proficient, 5% needs improvement
· Math - 98% passed -- 46% advanced, 39% proficient, 13% needs improvement, 2% failing
· Science & Technology - 94% passed – 28% proficient, 51% proficient, 15% needs improvement, 6% failing
“We are thrilled,” said Whittier Superintendent Maureen Lynch. “I’m honored to be the superintendent of a Level 1 district where everyone works so hard to ensure success for our students. With our Early College Program and 1:1 iPad instruction for every student, we are really moving our students forward in significant ways on the academic side, and continue to offer top-notch vocational-technical education that leads students straight to promising careers.”
On the English test, there was a 2% increase from last year in the advanced ad proficient categories. In math, there was a 5% increase and science and technology saw a 3% percent increase.
Whittier slipped from a Level 1 to a Level 2 school in 2015 and 2016 due to not meeting target growth standards set by the state for high needs, disabled and Hispanic students in English, math and science.
But, today it has met all of the performance benchmarks set by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Whittier is one of 70 districts out of 383 in the state who have met this level. Beginning with the Spring, 2012 results, districts and schools are measured with the Progress and Performance Index. Whittier has met the PPI target for all of its students, giving them the Level 1 rating.
It’s been a steady climb in scores for Whittier since the MCAS was first implemented as a graduation requirement in 2003. For example, in the past five years, the number of Whittier students who have scored at the advanced level in English Language Arts has jumped from nine to 30 percent. Ten years ago, DESE had Whittier “on watch” status for its low test scores.
Ms. Lynch attributes a large part of Whittier’s success to the willingness of teachers to work together. They meet weekly in Professional Learning Communities to integrate technology as they plan lessons, instructional strategies and common assessments to measure student progress in the subjects and grade levels they teach.
As a result, Whittier students have again made large gains from their 7th grade MCAS scores, said Katrina Jensen, Director of Data and Assessment at Whittier. The average growth rate from their English MCAS scores from 7th to 10th grade was 51percent. In math, the growth rate was 56 percent.
Tenth graders took all three tests as sophomores in March, May and June of 2017 and students will receive their official results in the mail. Those that did not pass the math or science and technology sections will retake the tests during the school year. Whittier students have enjoyed a ten-year streak of 100 percent of its students passing all sections of the MCAS test by graduation day.
The regional school educates 1300 students from 13 cities and towns – Haverhill, Amesbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Ipswich, Georgetown, Newbury, West Newbury and Groveland. Its Open House for 8th graders and their parents is Nov. 5th, 1-4 p.m., 115 Amesbury Line Road. For more information or to apply online, go to: whittiertech.org