Triton reviews 2025 MCAS trends and creditable drop in chronic absenteeism; board asks for alignment across reviews
Summary
Dr. Bates answered committee questions on 2025 MCAS and accountability results, noting I-Ready midyear benchmarks track with MCAS and that the district has seen reductions in chronic absenteeism attributed to multiple interventions; board members asked how NEASC-related action steps and other data sources will be coordinated with improvement plans.
The Triton Regional School Committee reviewed the district’s 2025 MCAS and accountability report at its Dec. 10 meeting and questioned how multiple review processes and data sources will be aligned in local improvement planning.
Chair opened the item and asked Dr. Bates to lead. "I don't think I have any new data to add to this, but, happy to have the opportunity to answer any questions," Dr. Bates said, noting the packet included the attached data and that midyear I-Ready results generally mirror MCAS proficiency patterns.
Board members focused questions on chronic absenteeism, particularly why middle- and high-school trends differed year over year. Dr. Bates said some subgroups — including the district’s lowest-performing subgroup — showed large rate changes and that the district is still unpacking the results. She cited multiple, concurrent interventions, including attendance-committee work, relationship-building and targeted supports funded in part by a McKinney-Vento grant aimed at housing-insecure students.
One member asked whether the action callouts in an external review letter (referred to in the materials as NESC in the packet) were a reaction to the accountability data. The superintendent clarified the external-review letter predated some of the data and that the district’s self-identified improvement actions and the state visit are separate but should be aligned. "Our improvement processes need to be connected to, like, multiple data sources," the superintendent said.
The committee and administration agreed improvement planning will continue, drawing on MCAS, I-Ready, observational walkthroughs and the state review to form multi-year goals. No immediate vote was triggered; members asked administration to continue coordinating data sources and return with clear action steps.
