Vineyard schools see improvements in MCAS results

State education officials released the most recent results from standardized testing on Tuesday, and it shows Island public schools have made improvements. 

The starkest contrast in the latest Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System results — commonly known as MCAS — may be in the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. 

In results released last year, the school was designated as “requiring assistance or intervention,” and was seen to have made little to no progress toward its goals. School administrators had pointed to the learning strain on students caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a small number of students not participating in the testing, as contributing factors. 

The high school, in the most recent results, has been recognized as having made “moderate progress toward targets,” and is no longer in need of state assistance. 

“We made great improvements at the high school,” Sara Dingledy, MVRHS principal, said. Test scores have also remained steady. English language arts and math scores are higher than the state average. Science scores were on par with the rest of the state. 

Dingledy gave “huge thanks” to the high school staff, noting improvements to the four-year graduation rate, reducing chronic absenteeism, and increasing student participation in the MCAS. 

Still, Dingledy sees opportunities for improvement. “We want to be higher than what we are now,” Dingledy said. 

MCAS is taken by students in grades three through eight, and high school sophomores. It is a part of an accountability program that holds schools to a standard of continuing improvement. A major part of MCAS are the tests in English and mathematics, alongside a science test for high school students. 

The department also uses the results to compare schools with similar demographics, mainly to keep track of the state’s underperforming schools. 

Underperformance is not a concern for the Island’s public schools, which Martha’s Vineyard Superintendent Richie Smith said are performing at high levels. “We should be, and we have to be,” he said. 

Outside of just the Island regional high school, the Martha’s Vineyard’s public schools have been designated as “not requiring assistance or intervention,” and are categorized as making levels of progress toward their goals, an improvement from last year. 

Last year, Edgartown School was found to have made little to no progress toward its goals, while Chilmark School, Oak Bluffs School, and Tisbury School were seen to have made moderate progress toward their goals. West Tisbury School was deemed to have made substantial progress in 2023. 

“I celebrate the scores that I see,” Smith said, saying the results also show the hard work of students and teachers. 

Smith said he will be giving an overview of the results during the All-Island School Committee meeting on Oct. 3, after which each school district will individually look at their scores to see where improvements can be made. 

“You don’t want to get too high when things are good, or too low when things are bad,” Smith said, emphasizing the need to keep a level head regarding MCAS scores. 

The Vineyard isn’t the only place that has seen improvements based on the MCAS results. According to a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, most schools — 82 percent — were deemed to not require assistance or intervention. Meanwhile, 54 percent of schools met, exceeded, or made substantial progress toward their “accountability targets.” 

However, Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School has been designated by the state as “requiring assistance or intervention” this year. 

The school received no designation in 2023 — labeled as “insufficient data” — because its student population did not meet the threshold to receive an accountability report. This year, the state deemed the Charter School is “in need of focused/targeted support.” 

More specifically, the state says the school had a low participation rate from students with disabilities. 

Peter Steedman, director of Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, said the designation is due to lower participation rates on the test.

“MCAS is a test that we encourage, but some families choose not to participate,” Steedman said. 

He wasn’t deterred by the state’s labels. Steedman pointed out that the Charter School’s children had received good test scores, and that the MCAS was “just one measure of student achievement.” 

While work will be done to encourage more of the Charter School students to take the MCAS tests, Steedman said the school will continue its efforts to foster students to be curious, empathetic, and thoughtful. 

Toward these aims, and the test results, Steedman credited the teachers. 

“We are so ecstatic and excited for our teachers,” Steedman said, saying the “fabulous” educators have made deep connections with their students.