State: Achievement Gap Between Elementary Schools Widens

There are "wide variations in proficiency rates across the eight elementary schools" in Framingham, according to a Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Education District (DESE) Review report.

The State's DESE review report looks at data from 2007 to 2011 and made in person visits to 12 of the 13 Framingham Public Schools in May 2012.

"The differences in proficiency between the highest- and lowest-performing elementary schools widened during this period for both ELA (English language arts) and mathematics," concluded the report.

Framingham does not have neighborhood elementary schools, instead parents have a limited school choice. Parents prioritize from 1-8 which elementary school they would like their child to attend. The District, after placing students with specific needs like ELL or special education, and after keeping siblings together then place kindergarten students into schools, based on that prioritized list.

The ELA and math proficiency rates between the highest- and lowest-performing elementary schools widened from 2007 to 2011, concluded the state in its report.

For example, Hemenway Elementary School had proficient rates in the 70s, with a 79 in ELA and a 77 in math in 2011. In comparison, Wilson Elementary's proficiency rate fell from 43 percent to 33 percent between 2007 and 2011 for English language arts - that means of every 100 kids who took the MCAS exam, only 33 percent were considered proficient.

At Barbieri Elementary, the student proficiency rate fell from 50 percent in 2007 to 36 percent in 2011.

Note: Charts showing the Math and ELA rates for each elementary school between 2007 and 2011 have been attached to this report.

"In 2007, there was a difference in (ELA) proficiency of 33 points between proficiency rates of the highest-performing elementary school and the lowest-: McCarthy at 76 percent and Wilson at 43 percent."

"In 2011, the difference in (ELA) proficiency between the highest-performing elementary school and the lowest- had widened to 46 points: Hemenway at 79 percent and Wilson at 33 percent," noted the state report.

The achievement gap for math also widened between 2007 and 2011, concluded the state.

"The district’s three Level 3 elementary schools, Barbieri, Brophy, and Wilson, had the three lowest proficiency rates of the elementary schools in ELA and math in each year from 2007 to 2011," noted the state report. "Each of these schools had a lower proficiency rate in both ELA and math in 2011 than it did in 2007."

"Considering that the Level 3 elementary schools educate the highest proportions of the district’s ELLs and of students from low-income families, questions are raised relating to the programs and support systems in place for these students," stated the state report.

Framingham School Committee members, during the state's visit in May, told the district review committee "inequities in the district were 'a reality' and the committee was 'working to make a fair distribution of resources'," noted the state report.

The state's report concluded Framingham is not doing enough to help struggling students.

"The district has many programs, services, and practices to support students, but insufficient data-driven targeted assistance in ELA and mathematics for struggling students. The Framingham Public Schools have an array of programs, services, and practices to support students’ learning needs, but targeted assistance for specific students who have consistently performed below proficiency on MCAS tests is limited. Many of those students are in the three high-needs subgroups of English language learners (ELLs), students with disabilities, and students from low-income families," concluded the state in its report.

The district’s overall MCAS proficiency rates in ELA and mathematics remained nearly flat from 2007-2011, with differences in proficiency between the district and the state widening, concluded the state.

In 2010–2011, the Framingham Public Schools had 8,182 students enrolled  in 13 schools. In In contrast, two elementary schools, Hemenway and Potter Road, were identified as Level 1 schools.

Editor's Note: This is the first of several reports on the state's review of the Framingham Public Schools. The state report is a very detailed 68 pages.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) visited Framingham Public Schools from May 21–24, 2012. The site visit included 34 hours of interviews and focus groups with over 90 stakeholders ranging from School Committee members to district administrators and school staff to Framingham Teachers’ Association representatives and high school students. The review team conducted focus groups with 1 elementary, 6 middle school, and 10 high school teachers. In addition, the team interviewed a number of coordinators, coaches, and other instructional support personnel from the elementary, middle, and high schools. The review team also conducted visits to 12 of the district’s 13 schools.