UPDATED: Worcester’s PARCC Scores are In and They Are Awful

Thursday, November 12, 2015

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Much of the discussion in Massachusetts Education circles, and especially in Worcester, this past year has been centered about the value of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests. Worcester’s tests results were released with all the districts today.

Statewide, 60 percent met the standard in English and 52 percent in math. In Worcester only 41 percent met the standard in English and a woeful 29 percent for math. In Auburn, 57 percent met the standard for math and 67 percent for English.

SEE WORCESTER'S RESULTS V. THE STATE AVERAGE BELOW

Statewide, 777 schools gave PARCC in grades 3-8, and school-level results ranged from having very few students score in the Meeting Expectations range to having almost all students score in that range. 76 schools had 80 percent or more of their students score in the Meeting Expectations range, and 31 schools did so in math. Among urban districts, Leominster stood out for having the highest percentage of students in grades 3-8 score in the Meeting Expectations range: 60 percent in English language arts and 53 percent in math, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Commissioner Mitchell Chester

"The results we're releasing today give schools and districts a close look at their first experience with a next-generation assessment," said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester. "I'd like to thank all of the districts who used PARCC this year, particularly those who made the leap to taking the test on a computer."

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is expected to vote on November 17 on what form future statewide assessments should take.

"These results help show schools and communities how students fared against a new measurement," said Education Secretary James A. Peyser. "I am glad to have these results in hand as the Board contemplates different options for statewide assessments."

Critics Fighting Against the Test

Donna Colorio, Chairwoman of End Common Core MA and a newly elected member of the Worcester School Committee previously said “it’s important that we make sure MCAS 2.0 is NOT simply a rebranding of PARCC, but actually an updated MCAS reflecting our high pre-2010 standards. We at Common Core Forum want to work with advocates and members of the Board who share that goal, but we reject any attempt to put lipstick on the PARCC pig.”

The scores for Worcester show the City’s students falling significantly behind the state in competency for this test.

Colorio who is Adjunct Professor at Quinsigamond Community College, said “It is time to say No to any version of PARCC, including MCAS 2.0 in Massachusetts. Its failure is obvious: only 6 low performing states out of the original 26 states who began with PARCC are still using PARCC.”

SEE WORCESTER'S RESULTS V. THE STATE AVERAGE BELOW

Related Slideshow: Central MA’s Top High Schools 2015

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#100 Nipmuc Regional High

Upton, MA

2014 Rank: #134

Enrolment: 627

Mascot: Warrior

Claim to Fame: Aerosmith played its first gig at Nipmuc Regional high on November 6, 1970.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 96.2% (+0.7%)

District spending per pupil: $11,900

Student-teacher ratio: 13:1

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#95 North Central Charter Essential

Fitchburg, MA

2014 Rank: #197

Enrolment: 217

Mascot: N/A

Claim to Fame: Students from over 30 cities and towns in central Massachusetts are eligible to enroll at North Central Charter Essential.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 78% (-8.3%)

District spending per pupil: $13,569

Student-teacher ratio: 9.4:1

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#90 Shrewbury Senior High

Shrewsbury, MA

2014 Rank: #117

Enrolment: 1,684

Mascot: Colonial

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Shawn Loiseau, who played linebacker in the NFL.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 94.9% (+0.2%)

District spending per pupil: $11,612

Student-teacher ratio: 14.8:1

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#87 Lunenburg High School

Lunenburg, MA

2014 Rank: #104

Enrollment: 427

Mascot: Blue Knights

Claim to Fame: Gordon Edes, a sportswriter for The Boston Globe, is a member of the class of 1972.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 98.2% (+1.4%)

District spending per pupil: $12,027

Student-teacher ratio: 12.4:1

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#73 Tahanto Regional High

Boylston, MA

2014 Rank: #80

Enrollment: 297

Mascot: Stags

Claim to Fame: Students, teachers, and faculty now enjoy a $32.2M building that opened in 2013.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 94.2% (+7.3%)

District spending per pupil: $11,644

Student-teacher ratio: 12:1

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#63 Tantasqua Regional High School

Fiskdale, MA

2014 Rank: #63

Enrollment: 770

Mascot: Warrior

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Joel Crouse (Country Singer) and James Lynch (Guitarist for the Dropkick Murphys).

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 91.7% (-3.2%)

District spending per pupil: $12,403

Student-teacher ratio: 9.6:1

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#51 Algonquin Regional High

Northborough, MA

2014 Rank: #33

Enrollment: 1,452

Mascot: The Tomahawk (T-Hawk)

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Mark "The Bird" Fidrych (former MLB pitcher), Ryan Gallant (professional skateboarder), Nathaniel Raymond (human rights investigator and anti-torture advocate), and Mike Sherman (former head coach of the Green Bay Packers), and current offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins).

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 97.1% (-0.4%)

District spending per pupil: $12,929

Student-teacher ratio: 13.7:1

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#45 Nashoba Regional

Bolton, MA

2014 Rank: #76

Enrollment: 1,075

Mascot: Chieftain

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Hal Gill (National Hockey League player with the Nashville Predators), Koren Zailckas (Author of bestselling book Smashed), and Clive Weeden (Professional basketball player).

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 95.3% (+0.2%)

District spending per pupil: $13,107

Student-teacher ratio: 14.2:1

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#40 Hopkinton High

Hopkinton, MA

2014 Rank: # 53

Enrollment: 1,122

Mascot: Hillers

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Keegan Bradley (Professional Golfer).

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 99% (-0.2%)

District spending per pupil: $13,005

Student-teacher ratio: 13.9:1

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#26 Westborough High

Westborough, MA

2014 Rank: #26

Enrollment: 1,045

Mascot: The Ranger

Claim to Fame: Westborough High offers a wide variety of curricular and extracurricular musical ensembles.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 97.1% (+0.5%)

District spending per pupil: $14,306

Student-teacher ratio: 12.7:1

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#14 Bromfield School

Harvard, MA

2014 Rank: #13

Enrollment: 414

Mascot: Trojan

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Keir O'Donnell (Starred in the popular comedy movie the Wedding Crashers) and Lynn Jennings (In 1992 she became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in long-distance track).

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 97.1% (-1.2%)

District spending per pupil: $14,691

Student-teacher ratio: 12.9:1

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#8 MA Academy for Math and Science

Worcester, MA

2014 Rank: #285

Enrollment: 97

Mascot: Gompei the Goat

Claim to Fame: Seniors at MA Academy for Math and Science take a full-time course load at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate:100% (0%)

District spending per pupil: $13,466

Student-teacher ratio: 13.1:1

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#5 Advanced Math and Science Academy

Charter School

Marlborough, MA

2014 Rank: #6

Enrollment: 569

Mascot: War Eagle

Claim to Fame: Advanced Math and Science Academy offers more than ten computer science classes to students: ranging from Game Design to Intro to Java/Networking.

2015 performance at a glance

Graduation rate: 99% (+0.4%)

District spending per pupil: $14,723

Student-teacher ratio: 12.3:1