Superintendent Cyndy S. Taymore
360 Lynn Fells Parkway
Melrose , MA 02176
For Immediate Release
Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Melrose Schools Receive Positive Scores on PARCC Exam, Five Out of Seven Schools Earn Level 1 Status
Three Schools Recognized for High Progress, Closing Achievement Gaps – Most in Massachusetts
MELROSE — Superintendent Cyndy Taymore is pleased to announce that Melrose Public Schools received positive results from the 2015 Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment, with five out of seven schools in the district earning the highest performance classification for their scores, or Level 1.
Results from the assessment indicated that the Melrose Public Schools are increasing their student growth percentile and composite performance index (a measure of the extent to which students are progressing toward proficiency) across English Language Arts (ELA) and math in grades three through eight.
The Lincoln Elementary School was named a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education for achieving superior standards of academic excellence and closing the achievement gap.
Additionally, the Hoover Elementary School was commended for the second year in a row for high progress and narrowing proficiency gaps.
The Winthrop Elementary School was commended for the first time for high progress and meeting their gap-closing goals.
Melrose is the only community in Massachusetts with three “commended” schools in the same district.
“I’m tremendously proud of the progress each of our schools has made. This was the first time our students took the PARCC exam and their performance is a reflection of their hard work and the hard work and tireless dedication of the faculty and staff here in Melrose.,” Superintendent Taymore said. “We are not done learning, however. We will continue to work to ensure the Melrose Public School district provides a world class educational experience for all of our students.”
Schools statewide are classified into levels 1 through 5. Those that met their gap-narrowing goals were designated as a level 1 and those that require additional assistance were placed in levels 3, 4, and 5.
Superintendent Taymore did not have students at Melrose High School take the PAARC exam, as passing its equivalent, the MCAS is required for graduation. MHS, however, did earn a level 1 status for students’ performances on the MCAS.
Melrose schools earned the following designations based on their scores on PARCC and MCAS:
- Hoover School: Level 1
- Lincoln School: Level 1
- Roosevelt School: Level 1
- Winthrop School: Level 1
- Melrose High School: Level 1
- Melrose Middle School: Level 2
- Horace Mann School: Level 3
While the Horace Mann School remained at a level 3 this year, it showed significant improvement. Averaging out the results, Horace Mann is expected to become a level 2 school next year.
Results from 2014 to 2015 at Horace Mann illustrated that the composite performance index in the “all students” category increased 18 points (from 61 to 79), meeting the school’s target goal. Additionally, all grades earned an “Average/Above Average” score in Math and ELA.
“The Horace Mann School has shown remarkable progress,” Superintendent Taymore said. “We are confident that this growth will continue and that the school will rise to level 2 next year.”
All five of the district’s elementary schools, along with the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School, took the pilot exam during the 2014-2015 school year.
The district will participate in PARCC again this year. It is expected that a new exam, MCAS 2.0, will be implemented by the state in 2017.
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