Easton reviews MCAS gains, lays out curriculum steps; uncertainty remains over post‑Question 2 competency determination

Easton Public Schools officials on Dec. 19 reported districtwide gains in math and mixed results in English language arts and science on the 2024 MCAS, outlined building‑by‑building actions to address lower subgroup outcomes, and said they are awaiting state guidance to set a replacement competency determination after voters approved Question 2.

The presentation, led by Assistant Superintendent Chrissy Pruitt and principals Kelly Kavanaugh, Luke Carroll and Chris Getchell, said Easton exceeded statewide averages in several grades and subjects and highlighted notable growth in elementary math. "We're really excited about that," Pruitt said, noting improved performance in grades 3–6 math and gains in science at grades 5 and 8.

Why it matters: MCAS remains the state’s primary standardized assessment and is used in Massachusetts accountability measures. District leaders told the School Committee the test results are an important data point for curriculum, instruction and interventions; at the same time, recent ballot changes have removed MCAS as the only allowable competency determination for graduation and created uncertainty about how districts must document competency going forward.

Key results and context - Math: District officials said Easton showed improved achievement in grades 3–6 and outperformed most comparator districts in grades 3–8. "The cumulative effect" of consistent instructional materials and routines from early grades was cited as a reason for progress, Pruitt and principals said. - ELA: Officials said statewide ELA results fell in several grades; Easton showed mixed results, with third grade among the notable bright spots. Kavanaugh said the district has emphasized writing and idea development as an instructional priority: "It’s the ability to expand your ideas, with evidence from text and your own thinking." - Science: Scores rose in Easton at multiple grades; principals said vertical alignment and cycling content across grades helped produce the gains. - Subgroups and chronic absenteeism: Presenters emphasized persistent gaps for some subgroups (students with disabilities, low‑income students and some racial/ethnic subgroups) and noted chronic absenteeism remains a metric the district monitors. Pruitt said Easton reduced chronic absenteeism districtwide compared with the prior year and that the district is within a few percentage points of pre‑COVID levels in some schools.

Path forward: curriculum and instruction District leaders described multiple concrete steps now in place or under way: use of high‑quality instructional materials (including Wit & Wisdom for ELA and Illustrative Math/Bridges for math), unit‑of‑study development (district unit plans aligned to standards), three annual data meetings to examine MCAS and interim assessment results, a stronger MTSS (multi‑tiered system of supports) approach, expanded intervention staffing, and cross‑building teacher visits and coaching. Several principals highlighted the role of the new H block/focus period for targeted remediation and enrichment.

Superintendent Alicia Cabral said the district is not "teaching to the test," but is using MCAS as one measure of students’ ability to apply knowledge. "Our whole purpose is to make sure that our students can apply what they're learning," she said.

Competency determination (post‑Question 2) School leadership and the superintendent warned that state and federal changes after the November ballot have created policy uncertainty about what will count as a competency determination for students who have not yet met the prior MCAS requirement. Dr. Cabral said the district is preparing recommendations for a locally adopted competency determination that the School Committee must approve, but that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has not yet provided detailed, binding guidance.

Cabral said the district’s immediate concern is the class of 2025, which has incomplete clarity about what alternative or additional evidence will satisfy graduation competency if MCAS is no longer the sole criterion. On a DESE call she attended, district staff were told accountability frameworks will remain and 95% participation on MCAS remains an expectation; the district cautioned that if participation falls below the state threshold, a district could be labeled "underperforming" regardless of its actual achievement.

Officials said possible evidence for a new competency determination could include district common assessments and calibrated unit‑level performance tasks that align to standards; they stopped short of endorsing a single local replacement while awaiting DESE direction. Pruitt said the district’s units of study and common assessments are precisely the kinds of artifacts that could support a competency process.

Quotes "We're really excited about that as you can imagine," Pruitt said of elementary math growth. "It revealed gaps in writing in a really productive way," said Luke Carroll of implementation of new ELA materials, adding that the curriculum made instructional deficits visible and therefore easier to target.

What’s next District staff said they will reconvene curriculum committees and return with more detailed implementation data in a winter follow‑up presentation. They also committed to bringing a formal recommendation for a local competency determination and any necessary School Committee policy changes to the committee for public votes once guidance and options are prepared.

Speakers - Chrissy Pruitt, Assistant Superintendent, government, Easton Public Schools - Kelly Kavanaugh, Principal, Oliver Ames (elementary/HS feeder context), government, Easton Public Schools - Luke Carroll, Principal, Easton Middle School, government, Easton Public Schools - Chris Getchell, Principal, Richardson Olmstead School, government, Easton Public Schools - Alicia Cabral, Superintendent of Schools, government, Easton Public Schools

Authorities - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), referenced by staff for test administration and accountability guidance

Clarifying details - Survey/assessment context: district compared 2024 MCAS results to 2019 pre‑COVID benchmarks and to 2022/2023 trends - Chronic absenteeism definition noted: missing at least 10% of days enrolled (roughly 18 days for a full year)

Searchable tags ["MCAS","competency determination","Easton Public Schools","curriculum","student achievement"]

Topics:[{"name":"K‑12 assessment","justification":"District MCAS results and accountability implications are the meeting's largest policy discussion.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":1.00,"depth_score":0.95,"opinionatedness":0.05,"controversy":0.40,"civic_salience":0.90,"impactfulness":0.85,"geo_relevance":1.00}}]