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MCAS Results

Spring 2025

Sandwich Public Schools

School Committee Presentation

October 8, 2025

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Brief History of MCAS

Statewide testing began in 1993 to comply with Federal mandates �
The current digital edition of MCAS was first implemented in 2019. It is sometimes to referred to as “Next-Gen MCAS” to distinguish it from the older, paper-based version. �
Focuses on critical thinking, applying knowledge, and making connections.�
Significant differences from the legacy MCAS and results cannot be validly compared to MCAS results prior to 2019�
One data point of many used in the district

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MCAS Basics

The “Next Generation MCAS” ELA & Math tests are administered in grades 3-8 and grade 10; STE (science, technology & engineering) administered in grades 5, 8, and 10

Four performance levels for student results:

Exceeding Expectations
Meeting Expectations
Partially Meeting Expectations
Not Meeting Expectations�

Testing completed on computers with each test consisting of two sessions

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MCAS Key Terms

Student Growth Percentile (SGP): a measure of the degree to which a student’s achievement has changed from the prior year(s) to the current year, in comparison to other students in the same grade who performed similarly in the past. Typical growth is a SGP between 40 and 60.

School Achievement Percentile: A comparison of the average scaled score to the average scaled scores of the same group from all public schools across the state (1 -99).

DART Comparable Districts: The DESE District Analysis and Review Tool (DART) generates a list of 10 similar districts based on five enrollment characteristics:

percentage of low income students,
enrollment (size),
percentage of English Language Learner students enrolled, percentage of special education students enrolled,
district or school type

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MCAS Tests

Spring 2025 Tests Administered:

Grades 3-8, 10 take ELA and Math
Grades 5, 8, 10 take Science

first year that the gr.10 MCAS was NOT a graduation requirement

Grade 8 takes Civics

first year of official administration

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2025 Statewide MCAS Gr.3-8 Results

13/396 districts reached pre-pandemic (2019) levels in both ELA and Math
50/396 districts reached pre-pandemic levels in one subject
Overall performance across Massachusetts remains below 2019 levels
In Grades 3–8 Statewide:

ELA scores improved compared to 2024
Math scores were mostly flat
Science was steady in Grade 5 and declined in Grade 8

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Sandwich MCAS Gr.3-8 Summary Points

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Sandwich MCAS Gr.3-8 Summary Points

Math

Gr.3-8 was recognized as one of the 63/396 districts reaching pre-pandemic levels in one subject, Math (503 scaled score)

ELA:

Gr.3-8 reached earned an average scaled score of 501 and 503 pre-pandemic

Science:

Gr.5 reached 65% Meeting/Exceeding in Science in 2025, exceeding (509 scaled score – 503 pre-pandemic)
Gr.8 Science has fluctuated since 2019 with a strong achievement percentile (69th)

In Grades 3–8 Sandwich the same patterns are present:

ELA scores improved compared to 2024
Math scores were steady compared to 2024
Science was steady in Grade 5 and
declined in Grade 8

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2025 Statewide MCAS High School Results

Grade 10 context & trends�

Students were not required to earn a qualifying MCAS score to graduate (first time in decades)�
ELA, Math, and Science scores all declined compared to 2024

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Sandwich MCAS High School Summary

SMHS Gr.10 (2025):�

Students were not required to earn a qualifying MCAS score to graduate (first time in decades)�
ELA, Math, and Science scores all declined compared to 2024

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Oak Ridge ELA Results, Grades 3-6

Grade	2025 % M/E	Change M/E vs 2024	Change M/E vs 2019	Ave SGP 2025	Ach %
3	50%	+1	-3	—	61%
4	51%	+8	-2	63	77%
5	49%	-3	-8	58	71%
6	64%	-1	+2	61	86%
3-6	54%	-4%	-2	61

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SMHS ELA Results, Grades 7-8, 10

Grade	2025 % M/E	Change M/E vs 2024	Change M/E vs 2019	Avg SGP	Ach %
7	54%	+2	-13	41	73%
8	54%	+7	-6	39	65%
10	54%	-15	0	42	60%
7,8,10	54%	-1	-15	40.5

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Oak Ridge Math Results, Grades 3-6

Grade	2025 % M/E	Change vs 2024	Change vs 2019	Median SGP	Ach %
3	44%	-17%	-8%	—	60%
4	57%	+1%	+13%	52	71%
5	48%	-5%	-6%	55	70%
6	75%	+1%	+3%	77	94%
3-6	62%	+4%	+11%	62

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SMHS Math Results, Grades 7-8, 10

Grade	2025 % M/E	Change vs 2024	Change vs 2019	Median SGP	Ach %
7	56%	+17%	+4%	32	76%
8	46%	-3%	-5%	45	65%
10	47%	-18%	-18%	38	57%
7,8,10	49%	-1%	0%	38

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Sandwich Science Results, Grades 5, 8, 10

^*2022 was the first year of administration of the Next Generation test for Physics & Biology (Grade 10)- not comparable to previous years’ tests (using a different scale)

Grade	2025 % M/E	Change vs 2024	Change vs 2019	Ach %
5	66%	-4	+9	85
8	49%	-9	-9	69
10^*	47%	-14	N/A	49

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Sandwich Civics Results, Grades 8

^*2025 was the first year of administration of the Next Generation test for Civics

Grade	2025 % M/E	Ach %
8	46%	68th

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Sandwich 2025 Accountability Ratings

Accountability data for districts and schools are assembled from:

MCAS data from 2024 & 2025
ACCESS data from 2024 & 2025
Chronic absenteeism data from 2024 & 2025
Advanced coursework completion data from 2024 & 2025 (high schools only)
Four-year cohort graduation rate data from 2023 & 2024 (high schools only)
Annual dropout rate data from 2023 & 2024 (high schools only)
Extended engagement rate data from 2022 & 2023 (high schools only)

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Sandwich 2025 Accountability Ratings

School	Overall Classification	Reason	Percentile
Oak Ridge	Not requiring assistance/intervention	Substantial Progress Toward Targets	85
SMHS	Not requiring assistance/intervention	Moderate progress toward targets	73
District	Not requiring assistance/intervention	Moderate progress toward targets	73

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Comments or Questions?