NCLB Report Card
Questions and Answers on No Child Left Behind
April 2008
Dear Parent or Guardian:
We are pleased to post our school “report card” for the current year. It contains important information about teacher qualifications, student achievement on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests, and the progress we are making toward helping all students become proficient in English language arts and mathematics.
The information in the report card is divided into three parts:
Part I: Teacher Qualifications
Part II: Student Achievement
Part III: School Accountability
Part I provides information about the qualifications of the teachers in our school and district.
Part II summarizes how our school’s students scored in English language arts and mathematics in the last two years of MCAS examinations.
Part III indicates whether or not our school is on target to meet the goal of all students reaching proficiency in English language arts and mathematics by 2014, a fundamental goal of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In accordance with NCLB, schools that do not make sufficient progress toward this goal are identified for ‘improvement’, ‘corrective action’, or ‘restructuring’.
Our school’s 2007 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report shows that the Foxborough Regional Charter School has made AYP for the following subject areas and subgroups:
1. English/Language Arts
Aggregate = Yes
Subgroups= Yes
2. Mathematics
Aggregate = Yes
Subgroups= Yes
As a result of these determinations, Foxborough Regional Charter School is not identified for Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring.
The information provided in our report card is designed to give you an update on how well we are doing as we move toward meeting the state and national achievement goals and qualification standards for teachers. A short Question-and-Answer Pamphlet about NCLB Report Cards is available in the Main Office.
Please contact the school (508-543-2508) if you have additional questions about this report.
Sincerely yours,
Mark F. Logan
Executive Director
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Curriculum Assessments
FRCS encourages the use of a variety of assessment tools including technology software to assess student learning. Assessments used include informal, formal, standardized and criterion-referenced tests. Teachers assess students informally in a variety of ways through classroom observations, class participation, checklists, etc. They assess students formally with quizzes, chapter tests, periodic tests, textbook-based assessments, and final exams etc. For example, textbook-based assessments such as Houghton Mifflin’s Emerging Literacy Survey and Phonics/Decoding Screening Test are used to assess reading levels and measure growth during a school year. FRCS administers the Terra Nova standardized tests yearly to measure grade and student learning gains over time. The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is a criterion-referenced assessment that measures the alignment of the FRCS curriculum with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
During 2004-2006, FRCS began focusing on data analysis to interpret assessment results using both spreadsheets and various software tools. We are using TestWiz software to analyze our MCAS results. TestWiz is designed to track and report on student test scores. We are now able to analyze MCAS data by grades, classes, subgroups, and individual student results. This software helps us identify strengths and weaknesses in our curriculum through item analysis of each test item. During 2005-2006, “data analysis teams” will work with the software to generate reports and discuss strategies to remediate targeted areas of weakness identified by the software. Other types of software such as SuccessMaker, a diagnostic assessment tool, will be used to analyze and track student progress.
Standardized Tests
Students take the math, language arts, and reading portions of the Terra Nova national standardized tests in April. Student achievement in grades 1 through 12 is assessed over the twelve months between the testing periods.
The school also participates in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Skills (MCAS) testing program that tests in the areas of reading, math, writing and science and technology. As a state requirement all students must pass the math and English portions of the MCAS test to be eligible for graduation.
Student Assessment Tools
Continuous evaluation of student learning is an integral part of the instructional process at FRCS. Assessment of student learning is done in many ways, depending on the subject area. In addition to daily observation and verbal assessment, the following is a list of the various other types of assessment tools used by the school:
Academic Assessment System is intended to monitor student learning and is considered a teaching tool and part of the instructional process beginning in grade 1 in all academic areas. Tests and quizzes administered on a weekly basis are designed to check student learning, mastery and long-term retention. Test items are intended to evaluate basic or core concepts and focus primarily on factual information.
Periodic Tests are given throughout each term in mathematics, science, social studies, and each of the components for Spanish and English. The assessments are designed to measure cumulative knowledge for the preceding portion of the term.
Final exams are given at the end of each term to determine mastery of the concepts taught over a full term. Term III final exams measure student achievement over the course of the academic year.
All Sophomores and Juniors take the PSAT test in the fall both years during school hours.