Braintree reports mixed MCAS outcomes, shifts toward science-of-reading and expanded interventions

Braintree School Committee — Curriculum directors presented detailed 2025 assessment results on ELA, math, science and civics and outlined steps the district will take to address persistent gaps and accelerate recovery from pandemic-era declines.

Dr. Mary Ellen Gennaro, the district’s ELA lead, said overall 3–8 ELA meeting-and-exceeding rates rose three percentage points to 51% and the district remains above the state. She highlighted subgroup growth for current and former English learners (student-growth percentile, SGP, of 55) and singled out grade 4 for a six-point gain. "This year was the first year that it flipped, 80% graded by AI and 20% by humans," Gennaro said, describing the vendor change in essay scoring. She later added: "We had 7 students in the district who were part of the glitch with the AI... That error was caught. Those grades were then graded by humans, and every student received a higher grade." The district said those seven students’ scores were corrected after the statewide issue was identified.

Gennaro described district plans to strengthen early literacy: a districtwide professional-development sequence using the book Shifting the Balance and a "trunk show" to expose K–8 teachers to DESE-approved, research-based literacy programs before piloting candidates. The presenter emphasized a preference for a K–6 or K–8 curriculum rather than reverting to K–5.

Courtney Miller, math curriculum director, described gains driven in part by piloting and the full rollout of Amplify Desmos in grades 5–8 and by using a new data system (OpenArchitects) to align MCAS results with screeners and attendance. Miller said the district’s combined 3–8 math scores and several SGP measures are above the state and that cohort analysis shows year-to-year improvements for some groups. She urged a middle-school math interventionist position to provide flexible, targeted remediation during open periods.

The science director reported Braintree continues to outpace state averages in many science measures despite statewide dips tied to assessment changes; the district will continue piloting performance-assessment tasks and expand vertical professional development so teachers can better sequence science practices and literacy across grades.

Committee members questioned whether the MCAS drops are primarily pandemic-related or reflect other factors such as vendor and cut-score changes. Dr. Gennaro cautioned that a single cause is unlikely and framed the district’s response as a mix of curricular changes, targeted MTSS interventions and teacher-focused professional learning.

What’s next: the district plans curricular pilots during the coming year, to apply for state grants when piloting opens, and to use OpenArchitects data to monitor intervention impacts. The committee discussed budget implications for hiring additional intervention staff as the FY27 budget is developed.