A slide shows the academic achievement in math among Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District students in grades 3-8 this year.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
WILBRAHAM — The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District has made some gains since last year, but there is still work to be done. That was the takeaway from the accountability report presented by Superintendent John Provost at the Dec. 19 School Committee meeting.
Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the district began using a school quality survey for grades 4, 5, 8 and 10. The survey asked students and teachers questions on topics ranging from bullying to engagement.
Provost began the presentation by saying that both students and teachers across all schools responded that there is effective instruction in classrooms. He said that was “one of the many metrics that cannot be measured by MCAS, statewide standardized tests that are administered to students in grades 3-8 and grade 10.
The results of this year’s school quality survey showed that the percentage of learning experiences in which educators were ranked as needs improvement of unsatisfactory was less than half the state average, as was instances of teachers instructing students in a class outside their field or with instructors with less than three years of experience.
Children in grades 4 and 5 responded with a moderate positive difference between last year and this year in perceptions of bullying and safety, both emotional and physical. However, middle and high school respondents did not note an improvement. Student engagement relationships and cultural competence in grades 4, 5 and 10 held steady, but there was a moderate negative change among those in grade 8.
When it came to the schools’ environment around mental health, instruction and discipline, the elementary grades saw no difference, but eighth graders reported a moderate decrease, while 10th graders said their experience was a little better than in the past. Apart from students who identify as Hispanic or Latino, at least 50% of student interactions were rated positively.
Student achievement
Looking at student achievement, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education groups schools with others in the state that share similar characteristics. Among these districts, HWRSD students scored below average in terms of the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations in grades 3-8 English language arts, at about 43%. Among those who scored lowest compared to their peers in similar districts were English language learners or those considered high needs. The district’s students who identify as Black, or Hispanic or Latino scored significantly lower than average among this peer group. Students categorized as female scored lower than males as compared to their peers, however, males scored only a few percentage points high than females, reflecting a greater range of male scores.
While performing less than average among similar districts, compared to peers in other districts within the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, HWRSD students in grades 3-8 English language arts represent an average academic achievement.
Data for the 10th graders was far different. Not only do about 68% of all students meet or exceed expectations, but students in nearly all demographics and categories ranked average of above compared to students in similar districts. In terms of racial disparities, HWRSD students who identify as Black scored the highest of the districts in its DESE-determined cohort. Students who are Hispanic or Latino, however, scored near the bottom compared to their peers in cohort districts. When compared to other LPVEC districts, HWRSD students ranked higher than average in student achievement.
Student achievement in math for students in grades 3-8 hovers just over 40%. Apart from English language learners and students who identify as Black and or Asian, HWRSD’s students performed near the bottom of the range for similar districts. While LPVEC districts ranged a little closer to HWRSD, the district still performed lower than average except for Black or Asian students.
By grade 10, students in the district show a dramatic turnaround in math achievement. Just over 70% of students meet or exceed expectations and the district’s students rank above average when compared to similar districts. The two categories where this is less true is with Hispanic or Latino and students with disabilities. The data is similar in comparison to LPVEC districts. Provost called the 19th-grade math scores “amazing.”
Science achievement was also measured for grades 5 and 8, and grade 10. About 54% of the elementary and middle grade students met or exceeded expectations, with students with disabilities scoring the lowest. Those students, as well as students identifying as Asian, scored below average when compared to peers in similar districts. As shown with the data from other academic subjects, HWRSD students performed better than average compared to other LPVEC districts. Again, Black and African American students in the district outperformed their LPVEC peers.
The pattern of above-average science achievement continued with the 10th-grade students as compared to both the other LPVEC students and the DESE-defined cohort. That said, among Hispanic and Latino students in similar districts, HWRSD students showed the lowest achievement scores, with about 37% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
Causes and correlations
Chronic absenteeism, defined by DESE as missing 10% of the school year, was highlighted as a factor in low achievement levels. Of students in grades 3-8 who were chronically absent, just 19-29% metro exceeded expectations, depending on the subject. Those rates jumped to 42-56% for those who did not miss that amount of school. The correlation between academic achievement and chronic absenteeism in high school is equally striking. Between 46 and 65% of chronically absent students met or exceeded expectations, whereas 66-73% of peers who are not chronically absent met that threshold.
Provost pointed out that the number of suspensions had decreased dramatically from previous school years, when it was not uncommon to have more than 100 suspensions. This year there have been just four.
School Committee member Sean Kennedy asked if behavior in class had become worse. He said he did not want teachers to shoulder the weight of disciplinary changes.
There are still consequences to behavior, Provost said. But rather than taking students out of instructional time, the focus has shifted to restorative justice, conflict mediation, Saturday detentions and “check-in, check-outs,” in which students talk to teachers and administrators at the beginning and end of the day. Provost noted students who identify as male and those with disabilities still represent the highest number of disciplinary incidents.
