Gloucester school leaders presented district assessment data Wednesday and laid out a program of interventions after MCAS results showed persistent weakness in student writing even as math growth improved.

Assistant Superintendent Amy Pascal (presentation lead) said district long‑term goals remain to have 80% of students meeting or exceeding state expectations, but that much of the current work focuses on student growth percentiles and targeted instruction. "We're looking to get at least moderate growth and really up into that high growth," she said, noting the district will prioritize writing instruction and professional development.

Principals described school‑level strategies: Beavin identified a list of about 100 students for frequent progress monitoring and monthly common‑planning reviews; elementary leaders described expanded co‑teaching, vocabulary work and learning walks; the high school reported sustained high growth in math but low growth in 10th‑grade ELA (a student growth percentile at about 41.7). One principal said coaches and teacher teams will "dive into" student work samples and calibrate expectations to improve writing across grades.

The district scheduled a half‑day consultant visit on Dec. 9 focused on writing instruction and cited ongoing teacher PLCs and coaching as part of a larger approach. Administrators also described after‑school tutoring targeted at students within ~10 points of meeting MCAS expectations and deeper work to address how instruction translates to statewide measures.

Because the state removed MCAS as a graduation requirement, the committee considered a model competency‑determination policy as an interim replacement. The proposed policy would require passing grades in ninth‑ and tenth‑grade English and in Algebra I and Geometry and would accept a pass in a state‑approved science course (biology, physics, chemistry or technology/engineering) as the science component. The policy also adds a U.S. history course requirement beginning with the class of 2027 and preserves an appeals process for students with disabilities, late enrollees, or English learners.

Committee members pressed staff to define objective criteria for case‑by‑case decisions, asking for standards such as ACCESS scores, transcript review procedures and clear appeals protocols. One member said the policy's language was too vague for approval without corresponding procedures; administrators replied that the committee commonly approves policy language first and that staff will return with detailed procedures and appeals criteria before final adoption.

A motion to approve the competency‑determination policy as a first reading passed on a roll‑call vote. Committee members asked staff to bring back the policy with added criteria and a clear appeals process at the next meeting.

What's next: staff will return with refined procedures and appeals guidance before the second reading and final vote on the competency‑determination policy, and the district will continue to implement PD, targeted tutoring and co‑teaching to improve writing outcomes.