Bridgewater-Raynham committee hears MCAS slide, cites staffing losses and starts financial review
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Summary
Superintendent Powers told the committee Nov. 19 that MCAS and other assessment results have declined since 2019 and linked the drop to large staff losses and rising class sizes; the district will pause parts of its student-success plan to focus on high-impact strategies and begin a vendor financial review quoted at $55,000.
Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District Superintendent Powers told the school committee on Nov. 19 that district and state assessment results show declines since 2019 and that staffing losses are a major contributor.
Powers, presenting the district's assessment and accountability slides, said the district’s overall designation remains “not requiring assistance” but added district progress is only in the moderate range (35%). He noted a 10-point gain in grade 10 science/STE but warned that several grade bands and student subgroups have slid back compared with pre-pandemic baselines. “MCAS has not gone away,” Powers said, adding that the test still affects district accountability and provides scholarship opportunities for students.
Why it matters: Committee members and the superintendent linked falling results to the district losing more than 50 staff over two years. Powers said that the two‑year staffing decline makes the drop in achievement unsurprising and that some classes currently have 35–43 students, constraining teachers’ ability to provide individualized help. Powers said the district will “hit pause” on parts of its five‑year student-success plan to reexamine high‑impact strategies that can be implemented within current staffing and budget realities.
The committee discussed budget and state funding. Several members, echoing public comment, framed the problem as a resource shortfall. Chair Rachel King said the school committee shares responsibility for budgeting and oversight; other members argued that structural underfunding at the state and town levels limits what the district can accomplish without additional revenue. Public commenter James DuPont pressed the committee to prioritize students and to present assessments to the towns as a firm budget ask rather than adjusting assessments to suit town affordability.
Operational review and community reaction: Powers said the district solicited bids for an operational/financial review and received a single quote of $55,000. Raynham has approved its portion of the funding; Bridgewater is completing its internal process. Teacher‑union leadership raised concerns in public comment about spending that amount during a period of staffing strain; David Patrick, vice president of the VREA, told the committee the $55,000 would be better spent on at least a half‑year teacher salary.
What’s next: The committee will continue budget work through December and plans a preliminary budget presentation in late January after a joint meeting with town officials. Powers said the district will share student and staff advisory feedback at a future meeting and bring interim budget subcommittee updates in December.