November 16, 2022 Submitted by Hingham Public Schools
On Monday, November 14, Hingham Public Schools (HPS) Interim Assistant Superintendent Kathryn Roberts, K-12 English and Language Arts Director Mary Andrews, K-12 Math Director David Jewett, and K-12 Science Director Michelle Romano presented Spring 2022 MCAS data to the Hingham School Committee. During the presentation, the curriculum team reviewed achievement data, provided subgroup analysis, and outlined district strategies to promote learning acceleration coming off the COVID-19 pandemic.
On September 29, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released MCAS test scores for all Massachusetts public schools. Statewide there were some signs of learning loss recovery post-pandemic, including modest recovery in math and science, but progress was uneven across grade levels, subject areas, and sub-groups.
Hingham’s data mirrors some of the state-wide trends, but the pandemic losses were mitigated overall relative to the state, with exit outcomes for Grade 10 students particularly strong relative to comparable districts and state-wide data. HPS data suggest areas for targeted focus including achievement levels of students with disabilities and other high-needs categories. Examples of high-needs categories include English Language Learners and students with low-income status.
“It is a hopeful sign that exit outcomes for students in Grade 10 were strong for HPS students across content areas. We continue to focus efforts on those cohorts and subgroups with demonstrated achievement gaps by strengthening our core curriculum, instructional strategies, and tiered system of supports.” - Interim Assistant Superintendent Kathryn Roberts.
During the presentation, Roberts outlined some of the initiatives currently in progress to promote learning acceleration, including the implementation of new elementary diagnostics and an individualized learning platform to tailor intervention to student needs. Instructional initiatives to further accelerate student learning are already underway. These initiatives include the elementary mathematics professional development series, the pilot of a new elementary reading program, and the adoption of a new middle school science curriculum.