Tiverton schools outline targets to raise test scores and cut chronic absenteeism

Tiverton school leaders presented improvement plans focused on academic gains, student well‑being and staff development, telling the school committee how the district will use benchmarks and interventions to raise achievement and reduce chronic absenteeism.

Tiverton High’s principal said the school seeks to improve SAT, PSAT and NGSA scores by 5% per year through June 2025 and described plans to implement four common writing assessments across grades 9–12. “Our priority is our graduation rate,” the principal said, noting the district’s graduation rate was 100% for the classes of 2022 and 2023 and 99% in 2024.

Attendance was a central focus. The high school principal reported 66 chronically absent students so far this year and outlined a multi‑tiered attendance plan: letters home, meetings with administration and social workers, and, if interventions fail, referral to a magistrate and a possible call to the Department of Children, Youth and Families. The committee was told a magistrate will begin hearing school cases at the high school beginning Nov. 1.

Elementary and middle‑school principals presented aligned K–12 goals using STAR Math and Lexia benchmarks; Fort Barton and Ranger set proficiency targets of 64% while Picasset targeted 55%. Elementary leaders also described goals for students with disabilities flagged by the state and committed to district‑wide writing assessments and increased professional learning time for staff.

Committee members asked for measurable targets and data on current baselines; a committee member requested that truancy and proficiency goals be explicitly measurable and was told metrics would be added. There were no committee votes on the improvement plans; the session served to inform the board and solicit feedback.