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Portsmouth posts district-wide gains; Melville earns RIDE five-star rating
Summary
At its Jan. 14 meeting the School Committee heard Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) accountability results showing Portsmouth with three 4‑star schools and one 5‑star school; Melville earned a 5‑star rating. Committee members raised questions about RIDE’s rule that a school’s overall rating cannot exceed its lowest category score.
Portsmouth’s School Committee on Jan. 14 received Rhode Island Department of Education accountability results showing district improvement, including one five‑star school and three four‑star schools.
Dr. Viveiros, presenting RIDE’s 2024 accountability data, said the state rates schools on three measures—academic performance, student success and college and career readiness—and assigns a five‑star system based on those measures. “Portsmouth received a new milestone with 3 4 star schools and 1 achieving the prestigious 5 star rating,” Dr. Viveiros said.
The committee heard how RIDE’s rules require a school’s overall star rating to equal its lowest‑performing measure. Mr. Ferber asked, “I don’t understand why the lowest score rules,” and later pressed whether the district could urge RIDE to revise that method.
RIDE’s academic performance measure includes achievement and growth in English language arts, mathematics and science; student success captures attendance and suspension indicators; and college and career readiness includes graduation and post‑secondary measures. At the high school level the presentation noted Portsmouth High School received 5‑star ratings in graduation rate, diploma‑plus measures and school quality, but a 4‑star score in achievement and growth, producing an overall 4‑star rating under the state rule.
Committee members applauded the results and agreed to recognize Melville at a future meeting. The presentation materials and committee discussion showed the district is tracking the category scores to target improvements where growth or achievement lagged.
The district will continue to monitor RIDE reporting and the committee asked staff to pursue clarifying information from RIDE about weighting and the lowest‑measure rule ahead of the next meeting.
