WESTFORD — After voters approved a ballot initiative that eliminated a graduate requirement for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System statewide, Westford School Committee members discussed district-wide results which reflect two different post-pandemic trends across grade levels.
Graduation requirement eliminated
On Nov. 5, 59% of voters statewide sided in favor of eliminating the graduation requirement for the exam, while just 48.7% of Westford voters supported the measure.
The competency exams, system of English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and civics tests which students in third grade through sophomore year of high school have taken since 1998, have been a graduation requirement across public high schools since 2003.
Though students no longer need to pass the exam to receive their diploma, students are still expected to take the exam in the spring, pending district guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The measure did not eliminate MCAS testing nor did it change the use of the exams in the state’s accountability system, used to measure which districts need support and intervention.
“Westford Academy did share with us that on the day after voting, some students skipped into the school thinking that they were not going to have to do their retests,” Assistant Superintendent Courtney Moran said.”Our administration did the right thing and encouraged everybody that we are going to stay the course in terms the retest, it’s still state law through state law until Dec. 5 I believe.”
School Committee discusses results
The School Committee on Tuesday discussed last year’s results, which show two different post-pandemic trends.
Students in grades three through eight scored at or above state levels. Of those students, 61% met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts, 71% met or exceeded expectations in mathematics, and 69% met or exceeded expectations in science.
State data shows that in 2019 – one year before the COVID-19 pandemic – 75% of Westford students in grades three through eight met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts, 78% met or exceeded expectations in mathematics, and 78% met or exceeded expectations in science.
“Some of our students are still struggling to embrace and hone in on their foundational skills, while others are working more on their application skills. When we look at MCAS, it’s not just taking a look at ‘do you know how to read, write and complete mathematics,’ but how do you incorporate that, analyze it and explain it,” she said.
However, results from Westford Academy paint a different picture. This year, 89% of tenth grade students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts, 86% met or exceeded expectations in mathematics and 88% met or exceeded expectations in science according to state data.
In 2019, 82% of district tenth-grade students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts and 85% met or exceeded expectations in mathematics and 97% of students met or exceeded expectations in science.
Though results slipped slightly during the height of the pandemic in 2021 and 2022, the Academy’s results have remained consistent through the pandemic.
Statewide, 57% of 10th grade students meet or exceed expectations in English Language Arts, 48% meet or exceed expectations in mathematics and 49% meet or exceed expectations in science this year.
Guidance from DESE
23 students participated in an MCAS Alternate Assessment, which is an alternative test where a teacher creates a portfolio of the student’s work sample that meets the test standards. This test is offered to students with significant cognitive disabilities, according to DESE. Of those students, 65% are progressing in English Language Arts and 78% are progressing in mathematics.
The district is currently awaiting further guidance about alternative state-wide standards for high school graduation from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with guidance expected in early December.
