Steven C. Sharek, among those who handle publicity for Minuteman High School, provided the following information about the school’s MCAS results:
Minuteman improved its performance on MCAS tests this year, extending to all disciplines and all student subgroups. Results of the test were reported this month by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“In many cases, the improvement was significant,” said William J. Blake Jr., Minuteman’s director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. “Improvement was particularly significant for our students with disabilities.”
Blake said scores in English language arts are the highest in Minuteman school history, with a 100-percent pass rate and 97 percent of students rating Advanced and Proficient combined, an increase of 12 percent over last year. Students in all subgroups increased their performance on the ELA test, with 100 percent of females scoring Advanced and Proficient combined. Students with disabilities exceeded the state average in every standard and question type. Their open-response performance improved by 8 percent.
On the Mathematics test, Minuteman saw a 93-percent first-time pass rate, with 73 percent scoring Advanced and Proficient combined, a 4-percent increase from a year ago. Short-answer responses improved across the board. Students in nine of 15 subgroups increased their performance. Students with disabilities exceeded the state average in 15 of 17 math strands; their performance on short-answer questions increased by 20 percent, exceeding the state level by 9%. Their open-response performance exceeded the state by 10 percent. Students in Title I improved their performance on short-answer questions by 29 percent. Students in the high needs category improved their performance on short-answer questions by 16 percent, exceeding the state average.
In science technology and engineering overall, Minuteman had a 98-percent pass rate, with 69 percent scoring Advanced and Proficient combined, a 4 percent increase from 2014.
In biology, Minuteman had a 98-percent pass rate, an 8-percent increase from 2014. Some 70 percent of those taking the biology test scored Advanced and Proficient combined, a 9-percent increase from 2014. Overall, performance in biology increased for all items, question types and 5 of 6 topics. Students in the economically disadvantaged category exceeded the state average in all items, question types, and five of six biology topics. Students with disabilities scoring Advanced and Proficient combined increased by 19%. Students with disabilities improved in all areas and exceeded the state average in all items, question types, and five of six topics.
For the third consecutive year, Minuteman students who took the chemistry exam had a 100-percent pass rate, with 74 percent scoring Advanced and Proficient combined. Those students exceeded the state average in all areas, question type, and seven of eight topics.
More than 60 percent of the school’s graduates typically pursue a postsecondary education.
The Minuteman district includes 16 member communities: Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Lincoln, Needham, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland and Weston.
This information, which includes opinion, was published Monday, Sept. 28, 2015.
