ABINGTON - October 28 - The Abington School Committee received a comprehensive review of 2025 MCAS test results Tuesday night, revealing a district grappling with persistent achievement gaps in key subject areas, particularly at the grade six level where English Language Arts scores fell 12 points below the state average. The presentation sparked a substantive discussion about student performance, curriculum consistency, and the ongoing challenge of helping students recover from pandemic-era learning loss.
The Full Story
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chris Basta and department heads from grades seven through twelve presented detailed MCAS data to the committee, breaking down performance in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and the new civics assessment. The results painted a complex picture of a school district working to close gaps while dealing with the lingering effects of COVID-19 disruptions and changes to state graduation requirements.
In English Language Arts, Abington students in grades three through six performed below state averages in all four grade levels. Grade three students scored three points below the state, grade four scored seven points below, grade five was one point above the state average, and grade six showed the largest gap at 12 points below. Dr. Basta noted that these results reflect years of fragmented literacy instruction, with different approaches used at Beaver Brook Elementary, Woodsdale Elementary, and in fifth grade.
“We know as a district, literacy in our elementary schools has been fragmented and not as consistent as we’d like it to be,” Dr. Basta explained. “So you probably remember from last month, we applied for and we received the PRISM 2 grant to evaluate our curriculum in ELA from kindergarten to grade five and to implement a new program next year so that there’s consistency.”
School Committee chair Chris Coyle raised concerns about the sixth-grade performance drop, questioning whether something was being missed in the transition from fifth to sixth grade. Dr. Basta explained that MCAS assesses the compilation of a student’s entire educational experience rather than just one year’s instruction, making it difficult to pinpoint single-year causes for performance variations.
Mathematics results showed similar patterns of variability across grade levels. Grade three scored 13 points below the state average, while grade six exceeded the state by three points. The inconsistency between grade levels prompted questions about whether certain cohorts of students have struggled consistently or whether grade-specific issues exist.
Math Department Head Ms. Doherty highlighted a significant positive trend at the high school level. Grade 10 students who were previously 10 percent below the state in the “exceeding expectations” category closed that gap to just one percent below the state this year. “This year, we did. We were only 1% below the state,” Doherty reported. “So the question becomes, why did that happen?”
Doherty attributed the improvement to curriculum work and the implementation of “building thinking classrooms” strategies designed to increase problem-solving and perseverance. However, she acknowledged another potential factor: “I truly think a piece of it is that the test was not a graduation requirement. Unfortunately, sometimes math comes with anxiety and particularly when it comes up for graduation.”
Following the 2024 ballot question that eliminated MCAS as a graduation requirement, several presenters noted concerns about student motivation. Dr. Gonsalves, who teaches level two sophomores, spoke candidly about students who did not complete writing tasks because “it didn’t count anymore.” She emphasized the need to shift student focus from “did I write enough to pass?” to genuine excellence in work.
“We used to have the incentive, do your very best because you want to make sure you graduate,” Dr. Gonsalves said. “But how do you get someone to want to do their best? Because doing their best is the important thing. Not because your family pressures you, but because everything that I do, I want to be my best.”
School Committee member Heidi Hernandez suggested reframing MCAS as “academic power rankings” to help the community understand its continued relevance even without the graduation requirement. “This is actually our chance academically to kind of look at our power rankings, where we are, how we hold up at different grade levels according to state standards,” she explained.
Science results showed Abington performing at or slightly above state averages. Grade five scored three points below the state, grade eight was one point above, and grade 10 biology students scored two points above the state average. Science Department Head Ms. Corbett noted that the high school maintained strong performance despite concerns about potential score drops following the removal of the graduation requirement.
Corbett detailed several strategies the science department has implemented, including pairing newer teachers with veterans and conducting detailed item analysis of MCAS questions during professional development time. She noted that the department has faced significant turnover since 2020, with seven of ten teachers in grades seven through twelve joining since that year. “We have a great team. But this is some things that we have been really working now in PDs with CPT time to really help further develop and build up on our curricular and content,” Corbett explained.
The civics MCAS, administered for the first time as an official assessment in eighth grade, showed Abington students scoring three points below the state average. Social Studies Department Head Mr. Scott explained that the lack of historical data makes it difficult to interpret the results, but the department is using the data to inform professional development. He noted that students struggled most with document assessment questions, prompting increased focus on primary source work within the framework of MCAS-style questions.
A recurring theme throughout the presentations was the challenge of chronic absenteeism. District-wide chronic absenteeism rates have decreased each year, from approximately 17 percent in 2022-2023 to 14 percent in 2024-2025, but remain above pre-pandemic levels. “If you’re not in school regularly, you can’t learn the material. If you’re not learning the material, how can you show mastery when you’re testing?” Dr. Basta stated.
School Committee member Melanie Whitney asked whether the district has consequences for chronically absent students. Dr. Basta explained that the district follows state guidance, with families able to excuse the first nine absences and subsequent absences requiring doctor’s notes. Letters are sent home at the fifth and tenth unexcused absence, with family meetings occurring if attendance doesn’t improve. However, all absences, excused or not, count toward chronic absenteeism thresholds.
The district has implemented i-Ready diagnostic assessments three times per year in grades kindergarten through six for both math and ELA. Administrators emphasized that this tool provides more actionable data than annual MCAS results. “This is much more actionable data for us,” Dr. Basta said. “It’s not real time as in daily snapshot, but it is three times a year. We can see where a student is and how they’ve grown over time.”
Teachers are using i-Ready data to form small instructional groups based on specific skill needs. The color-coded system shows whether students are performing at grade level (green), one grade level below (yellow), or two or more grade levels below (red). This allows for targeted intervention during the school year rather than waiting for annual MCAS results.
School Committee member Pam Neely raised concerns about catching up older students who won’t benefit from the new elementary literacy curriculum being implemented next year. The concern highlighted a tension in education reform: how to help current students while simultaneously improving systems for future students. Teachers reported they are addressing this through item analysis of previous MCAS tests to identify specific gaps and provide targeted instruction to current students.
The School Committee also approved two significant policies during the meeting. The first was a middle school pathway exploration policy, required by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by November 1st. The policy formalizes existing practices of collaboration with South Shore Vocational Technical High School, including student tours and informational sessions. The policy ensures that all middle school students have access to information about vocational-technical education options.
Principal MacCurtain reported that approximately 70 students attended a recent tour of South Shore Vocational Technical, representing two busloads of eighth graders. The tour was the first field trip to the vocational school since the middle school moved to its new building. With the implementation of a new lottery-based admission system at vocational schools across the state, the policy ensures equitable access to information for all students regardless of previous academic performance.
The second policy approved was an updated competency determination policy, also required by December 31st. The updated policy adds requirements for students with disabilities, English learners, and late-enrolling students, providing pathways for these populations to meet graduation requirements. It also includes an appeals process for families and a retroactive diploma process for students who graduated or left Abington High School between 2003 and 2024 without meeting the then-required MCAS standards but who meet current competency determination requirements.
Principal Bourn explained that a passing grade of 60 is considered meeting the standard in classes, though the district is working to shift focus from minimal compliance to aspirational achievement. The competency determination is based on course completion and standards mastery rather than solely on MCAS scores, reflecting the post-ballot-question reality.
The committee also received updates on strategic plan implementation. Dr. Robbins and Principal Savicke presented on culture and inclusion initiatives, highlighting the creation of a “look-for guide” used during administrative learning walks to identify inclusive practices in classrooms. The guide helps administrators observe whether teachers are strategically positioning themselves, seating students with similar needs together, making language visible for English learners, and using routine accommodations.
Professional development on Universal Design for Learning was provided to staff last year, with a focus on providing multiple pathways for students to demonstrate learning. “If you give students multiple pathways for just showing their learning, they’re more likely to be engaged and productive during the learning process,” Dr. Robbins explained.
Both elementary school principals emphasized the importance of peer-to-peer observations for teachers. “Teachers are doers, not sayers,” Principal Savicke noted. “So if you ask them how they’re meeting diverse needs, they don’t quite know how to answer it. But if you go watch their classroom, they’re doing it in multiple ways that they already know they’re doing it.”
The committee learned about the upcoming third annual Abington Innovates professional development day scheduled for November 4th. Teachers will choose from a menu of sessions, many led by colleagues, covering diverse topics. A notable addition this year is three sessions featuring Plymouth County Comfort Dogs, presented by District Attorney Cruz. The program will explain how comfort dogs can support students experiencing difficult situations, building on the success of comfort dog Harlow, who has visited classrooms following incidents like fire alarms.
Ms. Doherty noted that high school English teachers are working to update their curriculum with more contemporary texts. The current curriculum heavily features works from 1945 to 1970, which students struggle to connect with. “I don’t think we have a text in which the human beings have cell phones or computers,” Dr. Gonsalves observed. The department is reading potential replacement texts and seeking recommendations for engaging fiction and nonfiction works, particularly for grades 10 and 12.
School Committee member Heidi Hernandez commended the district’s work, noting, “We’re headed the right direction. There’s always room for growth. There’s always room for improvement. But it feels good to see in real time year after year, some of those gaps close, some of the achievement come through.”
Why It Matters
These MCAS results directly impact how Abington schools are evaluated by the state and affect the district’s accountability ratings. More importantly, they reveal where students are struggling and where interventions are needed. The 12-point gap in grade six English Language Arts, combined with similar gaps at other grade levels, has prompted the district to overhaul elementary literacy instruction through the PRISM 2 grant. For parents, these results show that while progress is being made in some areas, significant work remains to bring all students to grade-level expectations. The elimination of MCAS as a graduation requirement creates new challenges around student motivation, requiring schools to find different ways to encourage students to demonstrate their best work. The district’s response, including new diagnostic tools like i-Ready, curriculum reviews, and strategic professional development, represents a comprehensive approach to addressing identified weaknesses while building on areas of strength.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve executive session minutes from June 17, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:01:47)
Motion: To approve regular meeting minutes from September 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:01:49)
Motion: To approve the middle school pathway exploration policy. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:29:49)
Motion: To approve the competency determination policy as presented. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:36:56)
Motion: To adjourn the meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 2:02:08)
Public Comment
No members of the public addressed the committee during the designated public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.
What’s Next
The district will continue implementing the PRISM 2 grant for elementary literacy curriculum review, with a new program expected to be implemented next school year. Teachers will continue analyzing MCAS item-level data to identify student needs and adjust instruction accordingly. The English department will develop a shortlist of contemporary texts to replace outdated curriculum materials, particularly for grades 10 and 12. The third annual Abington Innovates professional development day will take place November 4th, featuring teacher-led sessions and presentations on comfort dogs. The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for November 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., where the committee will receive updates on the communication and district operations components of the strategic plan. Middle school parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for November 6th in the evening and November 7th in the afternoon, with November 7th being an early release day for the middle school only.