Barrington School Committee reviews state assessment results, highlights gains and equity gaps

Assistant Superintendent Corley told the Barrington School Committee that the district’s state accountability results show overall proficiency at or above statewide averages and that average growth percentiles exceed the state benchmark of 50, indicating above‑typical academic growth.

“Each and every student is capable of achieving at high levels,” Corley said, framing the district’s presentation as an assets‑oriented view of the state data and cautioning that accountability scores are one of multiple measures the district will use to guide instruction and priorities.

Corley and school principals walked the committee through disaggregated results for English language arts, math (grades 3–8 RICAS), the grade‑11 SAT, and the Next Generation Science Assessment (NGSA) given in grades 5, 8 and 11. The presenters said Barrington outperformed the state on several measures and that science scores have, in places, returned to or exceeded pre‑pandemic levels after a three‑year implementation of a new science curriculum.

Principals highlighted school‑level celebrations and continuing needs. At the elementary level, one principal reported a 16‑point increase in ELA scores and a 9‑point increase in math that in some grades brought performance back toward pre‑pandemic levels. District staff credited targeted writing instruction (an SRSD strategy) and expanded coaching for part of the improvement.

But speakers also identified persistent opportunity gaps when data are disaggregated by subgroup. Presenters said students with individualized education programs (IEPs), economically disadvantaged students and chronically absent students lag behind district averages in multiple domains. Corley noted a recent increase in students who have exited multilingual‑learner status and said those students are performing at or above peers in math and science, while current multilingual learners remain a focus for additional supports.

The committee pressed staff on pandemic‑era cohort effects. Members and principals attributed larger math declines to limits of remote instruction—manipulative‑based learning and multi‑step problem solving were singled out as hard to replicate during distance learning. Principals described steps already underway, including a new K–5 phonics program, handwriting and paper‑and‑pencil practice to rebuild procedural fluency, math specialists pushing into classrooms, and professional development with the state.

Middle‑ and high‑school presenters reported similar patterns: strong seventh‑grade writing linked to a humanities approach, steady growth across middle‑school math cohorts, and high growth among many students with IEPs compared with state growth rates. At the high school, staff cautioned against direct year‑to‑year SAT/PSAT comparisons because of changes to the digital, adaptive test formats and limited item‑level release from the vendor, but noted increases in the percentage of students exceeding expectations on NGSA and PSAT metrics.

District leaders framed next steps as applying item‑level analyses where available, expanding tier‑2 interventions during the school day (using Eagle Block and targeted specialist support), continuing K–5 phonics training and using data to guide strategic priorities. The presentation materials and the assessment portal referenced in the packet were made available to the public in the board packet and on the state assessment portal noted by staff.

The committee did not take formal action on curriculum or budget items during the presentation; members thanked principals and staff for the work and for the level of data detail presented. The meeting moved on to procurement, grants and other business after the data briefing.