State AccountabilityRresults in: Brockton High,
North Middle Rise to Level 1 Status
The Brockton Public Schools had its best year ever in the state accountability system with Brockton High School regaining its Level 1 status as befits one of the top achieving urban high schools, while North Middle School joined East Middle and the John F. Kennedy Elementary schools at the highest status of Level 1.
Brockton also continued its unmatched record of being the only large urban district to have never had a single school in the Level 4 or 5 category.
Five other schools including the Louis F Angelo School, Ashfield Middle School, Edgar B. Davis K-8, Plouffe Academy and West Middle School scored in the impressive Level 2 category. The district's scores for 2016 remain statistically steady, despite an inadequate state funding formula that continues to cause burgeoning class sizes and decreased programs, academic supports and supplies.
Superintendent Kathleen A. Smith, JD, expressed her deep respect and gratitude for all Brockton schools' efforts: "We have been asking our teachers, administrators and students to do more with less," she said. "While it is frustrating to be challenged with a funding formula that underfunds Gateway cities like Brockton, I am pleased with our results. We have our highest number of Level 1 and Level 2 schools ever, this is truly a testament to the excellent work of our staff."
Brockton is a Gateway city with a diverse population; 20 percent of its students are English Language Learners and more than 80 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch.
"We embrace all of our students and we always have," Smith said. "However, the funding formula does not adequately recognize that more than one third of our students' first language is not English nor our rates of poverty."
Overall, the district's ELA scores remained steady, increasing slightly from the previous year. The math scores were unchanged. The student growth scores remained strong in ELA beating the state median. The math scores slipped five points below the state median.
Deputy Superintendent Elizabeth Barry said Brockton's mindset played a role in the success: "We have worked for many years in Brockton to make sure all students receive a rigorous education," Barry said. "That happens because of the commitment the district has shown to translating content expertise into strong instructional practice, and being tireless in our efforts to improve."
Executive Director of Grades 6-12, Clifford Murray, singled out North Middle school for praise.
"While I am proud of the accomplishments of all our schools, North Middle School climbed from Level 3 to Level 1 status this year," Murray said. "By focusing on improving instruction and deepening student learning, the accountability success followed."
Executive Director of PreK-5 Education, June Saba-Maguire, saw positive signs in the elementary school data: "We are thrilled with the Kennedy maintaining its Level 1 status," Saba-Maguire said. "There were other schools that merit praise. The Raymond school showed dramatic gains of 7.7 points in ELA achievement, 6.6 points in Math, 22 points in ELA student growth and 16.5 in Math growth. Principal Carol McGrath and her staff worked extraordinarily hard to accomplish this improvement."
Brockton High School Principal Sharon Wolder said, "It is great to start the school year off with this type of acknowledgement for our school and the work that happens at Brockton High School. The Level 1 status speaks to the hard work of our faculty and students. BHS strives to provide students with a rigorous and relevant education that ensures they are college and/or career ready and we are happy to know the Department of Education indicates our work is meeting their Level 1 standard."
Superintendent Smith added that she is very proud of how Brockton teachers and administrators pull together and ensure all students receive an award-winning education, "and thanks go to our school committee, parents and all of the Community partners who have worked together to ensure that ALL BROCKTON KIDS COUNT."