PLYMPTON — Oct. 19, 2026 — Dennett Elementary School does not require state assistance or intervention under its 2026 MCAS accountability results, school administrators told the Plympton School Committee, as combined math scores in grades 3 through 6 rebounded six points to 57% meeting or exceeding expectations. English language arts held at 58%, and grade 5 science fell to 54%.
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The school’s state classification was upgraded to substantial progress toward targets, and its accountability percentile stood at 69, Principal Peter Veneto, who presented the results, said. The percentile compares a school’s overall performance with that of schools serving similar grades; Dennett stood at 68 in 2022.
Grade-level results swung widely. Grade 3 posted 75% meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA. Grade 6 climbed 14 points to 48% in ELA and 21 points to 61% in math. Grade 4 ELA dipped to 53%, and grade 5 slipped from 64% to the 54% range in ELA and from 64% to 55% in math. Grade 3 math fell from 65% to 57% over four years, with ups and downs along the way. Statewide, the presentation said, ELA results decreased from 2025 and math was mostly flat.
Still nowhere near the 70% that we’re shooting for. But significant gains there to be noted.
— Principal Peter Veneto, on grade 6 ELA 4:53
Asked whether scores in the high 40s to mid-50s counted as a success, Superintendent Jill Proulx called the 69th percentile and the school’s substantial progress wins, but said the district would much rather see upward progression than annual fluctuations, noting the math program is only in its second year..
Curriculum Coordinator Brian DeSantes said the 2025 math result of 51% was the baseline before the HMH math program and that the first-year gain to 57% came as a surprise, because schools sometimes take a hit in the first year of an implementation 31:26. DeSantes thanked the committee and the town for allowing the funds to adopt a new curriculum and said the PRISM grant helps pay for instructional materials, professional development, consultants and coaches. He called the 2026 ELA scores a baseline. This year brings full implementation of the Wonders ELA curriculum, with training from McGraw-Hill and the consulting group TNTP in the second year of PRISM II funding. Later in the discussion, DeSantes predicted the math figure would reach at least the 60s.
During the budget timeline report, Proulx said a preliminary budget will come in December, including a level-service budget at a 2.5 percent increase, and that the committee typically does not vote until March.
School Committee member Jason Fraser asked what placeholder the district is using for its new bus contract. Proulx said the district plans to build at least one bid into the December presentation, noting increases across Massachusetts ranging from 10 percent to as high as 48 percent.
Fraser said the district exercised an additional year of its current contract last year, avoiding the increase then, but cited diesel prices, a continuing shortage of CDL-licensed drivers and the Plymouth County situation with insurance and retirement.
So we have two major cost centers that are probably going to hit us with double digit increases before we even start to address the issues and the needs of students.
— School Committee member Jason Fraser 58:14
Fraser favored preparing the three budget scenarios the superintendent had outlined, including level service and level funding.
