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Drop in MCAS Scores Raises Concerns

4/8/10
A School Committee member is troubled by a low MCAS showing by Pierce Middle School students.

According to a presentation given to the committee last week, the number of Pierce students scoring in the proficient or advanced ranges on the science MCAS has dropped from 49 percent in 2008 to 37 percent in 2009. At the same time, the number scoring in warning or needs-improvement ranges has jumped from 52 to 63 percent. The numbers are also below the state average for 2009.

“These are significant drops. It’s disconcerting,” School Committee member Beirne Lovely said during the presentation at the March 30 meeting. “I expect us to exceed the state.”

The data was presented as part of a science curriculum review team mid-cycle report, led by Science Department Director Barbara Plonski and Pierce Assistant Principal Dr. Karen Spaulding.

Because it was a mid-cycle update, the presentation did not include recommendations for improvement. Spaulding said the science curriculum team continues to “dig into the data” to determine the best approach.

“We started this in January,” Spaulding said, outlining a review-team plan that will include data and needs assessments, teacher surveys, and K-12 classroom observations. The plan is to present findings and recommendations to the School Committee in June, she said.

Preliminary findings pointed to earth and space sciences as the strengths and biodiversity, evolution and engineering as weaknesses among Pierce students, according to the presentation. Plonski said that largely mirrors what is being seen throughout the country. She pinpointed engineering as a particular trouble spot, as she said there is a struggle as to mode engineering principles into middle school science curriculum.

“Engineering is 23 percent of the [science] MCAS, and that’s not something we can fit into the science curriculum,” Plonski said, adding that some school systems have chosen to offer the subject as an elective. “It’s not something teachers get much exposure to.”

“Nobody seems to know how to handle [engineering], particularly at the middle school level,” said School Committee member Glenn Pavlicek.

Lovely asked if changes in the science curriculum could account for the low test scores. Plonski said the curriculum was changed last year so that Pierce students no longer have one science subject; they take a third-year each of physical, life and earth science. Last year’s eighth-graders were affected by the switch, according to Assistant Superintendent John Phelan. The science MCAS is taken in fifth grade, eighth grade and high school.

“One whole [middle school] class missed out on some topics when we integrated the curriculum from one year to the next,” Plonski said.

Good News
While school officials attempt to reverse the middle school trend, elementary schools continue to improve in science.
At Collicot, for example, the number of students scoring in the proficient and advanced ranges

jumped from 60 percent in 2008 to 77 percent in 2009. At Cunningham, the jump was even greater – from 42 to 67 percent.

According to the presentation, high school students are equally excelling at science. The data shows that

74 percent of Milton High students scored in the proficient and advanced ranges in 2009, up from 65 percent in 2008.

– Scott MacKeen