The School Committee last week approved plans to improve performance on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests and increase the involvement of parents in the schools. The seven schools included these as main goals in their improvement plans submitted June 12 and 28 to the School Committee for approval. Next spring, 10th-graders will be the first class the members of which must pass the MCAS to graduate.
Most schools show below average test scores as their reason for nest year's emphasis on test taking.
For example, last year, state test scores showed 90 percent of students in Coburn Elementary School needed improvement and 10 percent of the students performed in the advanced category. Three percent of Tatham School students scored in the advanced range. The tests have put a lot of stress on the performance of our students and teachers because they are almost the only criteria by which a school is judged. There will also be a greater focus next year on activities and volunteer work for parents. Education is a partnership between teachers, parents and students.