Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
John Michael Bodi
Committee Member
Charles Amuso
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
achievement, accountability, algebra, alignment, applied dissertation, assessment testing, college preparatory courses, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, curriculum, education reform, elementary schools, English language arts, ethnomathematics, gender, Grade 10 MCAS, graduation requirements, high school principals, high schools, interventions, Lynn Public Schools, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), mathematics, mathematics curriculum, mathematics instruction, middle schools, principal, school improvement, secondary school mathematics, standardized curriculum, student achievement, superintendent, teacher qualifications, testing, curriculum alignment, algebra-oriented instruction, MCAS mathematics, MCAS performance, risk, student preparation, teaching, traditional high school curriculum, workforce accountability
Abstract
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ version of high stakes assessment testing that has moved to the forefront of education reform over the past decade. True accountability for students and principals is present only at the high school level because students must pass the English language arts and mathematics sections of Grade 10 MCAS to qualify for a diploma.
Archival MCAS data over 4 years of testing reveals 2 inescapable conclusions. First, regardless of level (Grades 4, 8, and 10 are MCAS benchmark years), students have performed significantly better in English language arts than mathematics, and, second, in the Lynn Public Schools, the elementary and high schools have displayed continuous growth over time. The middle schools have not demonstrated commensurate growth. This applied dissertation examined that trend and offers interventions and solutions to address the problem.
Lack of middle school student achievement as measured by MCAS, particularly in mathematics, has resulted in an inevitable negative impact on the high school’s ability to prepare students adequately for Grade 10 MCAS. Because Grade 10 MCAS mathematics is heavily algebra oriented, lagging middle school mathematics achievement, coupled with a reluctance to expose large number of 8th graders to algebra, is compromising the high school’s ability to ensure the maximum number pass MCAS mathematics.
This reluctance of Lynn Public Schools middle schools to standardize and fully align their curriculum with the realities of both MCAS and high school curricula is needlessly placing students and high school principals at risk. Results clearly indicate that because of interventions emphasizing algebra introduced by Classical High School, the targeted class of 2003 has seen its’ MCAS mathematics failure rate decrease from 31% in May of 2001 to 8% after the December 2002 retest. This pass rate of 92% puts Classical High School at the state average.
This study focused on identifying, addressing, and correcting the glaring deficiencies in middle school mathematics curriculum, teaching, and student achievement. By doing so, the author as high school principal hopes to assist the superintendent and the rest of Central Office staff in finally aligning middle school mathematics instruction with the dual realities of Grade 10 MCAS graduation requirements and the traditional high school college preparatory course sequence.