Hingham Public Schools report strong MCAS and MTSS outcomes; leaders flag Grade 10 dip and focus on students with disabilities

Hingham — District curriculum staff presented the Hingham School Committee with the fall multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS) report and spring 2025 MCAS results on Oct. 27, saying the district continues to rank near the top of its benchmark towns while identifying targeted gaps among students with disabilities and high‑needs cohorts.

"We have 76 percent of our students in grades 3 through 8 meeting or exceeding expectations in comparison to the state average, which is only 42 percent," Erica Pollard, who led the presentation, said as she walked committee members through district data and diagnostics from Acadience and iReady.

Pollard and the curriculum directors said the district’s elementary MTSS systems — screening, progress monitoring, and targeted interventions — produced consistent gains. They pointed to grade‑level highlights: 81 percent of fifth graders met or exceeded expectations in ELA and math, and fifth‑grade science results ranked first among benchmark districts. At the same time, presenters asked the committee to note subgroup results: students with disabilities and other high‑needs students were more likely to be partially meeting or not meeting expectations, though the raw subgroup numbers are small in some grades.

Why it matters: The committee and staff framed the results as evidence the district’s investments in MTSS, reading specialists and interventionists have produced measurable returns, especially at the elementary level. But members heard that sustaining gains — and expanding success to middle and high school — depends on staffing, schedule changes and targeted programming.

Key details - District‑level summary: 76% of students in grades 3–8 met or exceeded MCAS benchmarks in ELA (district vs. state: 76% vs. 42%). Pollard said Hingham ranked first among 11 benchmark districts for that aggregate measure. - Grade 5 performance: 81% meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA; district leaders credited sustained elementary MTSS protocols and a field science specialist for strong science outcomes. - Grade 8 and Grade 10 concerns: Pollard said grade 8 shows stronger variability and that students there often show "test fatigue" after multiple end‑of‑year assessments. With the fall ballot measure removing MCAS as a graduation requirement, the district and state saw about a 6% drop in Grade 10 scores; Pollard said anecdotal reports showed some tenth‑grade students finishing tests quickly and submitting blank or off‑topic essays. - Subgroup focus: Staff identified roughly 34 students with disabilities in a cohort the district flagged for close review; in some grades that small raw count (for example three students representing 9%) can shift percentages noticeably.

Committee questions and next steps: Members pressed staff on whether current interventionist staffing is sufficient. Committee member Tim Miller Dempsey asked whether the district has "the right number of interventionists to provide the services," noting that interventionist positions had been reduced for budget reasons in past years. Pollard and district staff responded that MTSS is implemented through a mix of general educators, reading and math specialists, and dedicated interventionists; reductions, they said, can increase group sizes and require schedule adjustments to preserve services.

District actions described - Deep‑dive plans: Pollard said staff will investigate the 34 students with disabilities to identify programmatic adjustments or curriculum needs. - Middle‑school focus: The district plans to pilot middle‑school MTSS deepening and to study schedules and staffing models used by other districts. - High school supports: Title I funds are being used for high‑school math intervention and after‑school algebra support; staff said they will explore individual tutoring funded through Title I.

What speakers said - Erica Pollard, curriculum presenter: "These are really scores to be proud of, even if eighth grade is a little bit of a tricky time." - Pollard on grade 10: "These test results, I think, are less reliable as a source of data about student achievement because the high stakes are gone and they don't have to care about this test anymore." - Tim Miller Dempsey, School Committee member: Asked whether reductions in MTSS staffing risk undercutting the gains seen at the elementary level and urged the district to "start building the argument" for restored staffing in the budget process.

Context and constraints: Pollard emphasized that MCAS is one of multiple data points; the district relies on faster‑turnaround diagnostics (Acadience, iReady) to drive day‑to‑day instructional decisions. Staff also noted state changes in MCAS administration and item design (DESE field testing and new designs) that complicate year‑to‑year comparisons.

Bottom line: Hingham posted above‑state and high benchmark rankings in 2025 MCAS results, and district leaders credited consistent MTSS implementation for much of that success. The committee directed staff to continue subgroup analyses, prioritize supports for students with disabilities and consider whether staffing levels for interventionists should be restored during the coming budget season.