Middletown superintendent reports statewide 'star' rating gains, flags English‑learner and disability gaps

Superintendent Niemeyer told the Middletown School Committee on Nov. 20 that the district posted gains on the state accountability “star” ratings while noting persistent subgroup challenges for English language learners and students with disabilities.

“We have some good news to share about our star ratings,” Niemeyer said, outlining how the composite ratings reflect achievement, growth, graduation and subgroup measures. He reported Aquinnick rose from three stars to four and Forest Avenue moved from two stars to three, and said Claudine Learning Academy and one middle school showed substantial gains in English language proficiency and school‑quality measures.

Niemeyer emphasized limits in the system’s composite scoring: a school’s overall rating is driven by its lowest‑performing category. He called out graduation‑rate shortfalls for English learners and students with disabilities as district priorities, saying those subgroups continue to lag and will receive focused attention in programming and supports. “We recognize that as an area of need, and that's something we've been consistently working on,” he said.

Committee members praised staff and administrators for the improvements. The committee did not take separate formal action on the ratings; Niemeyer said the district will continue work on targeted supports, professional development and the multilingual‑learner endorsement program tied to Van Buren Foundation funding.

Next steps: the district said it will continue monitoring subgroup outcomes and report back on specific interventions aimed at improving graduation rates for English language learners and students with disabilities.