Setting Clear Goals and Measuring Results

As part of the effort to build on the strengths and shore up the weaknesses of the Newton Public Schools, it is important to track progress. However, there is no consensus regarding what measures of student performance are most meaningful.

Summary of Proposed Solution

By building a consensus among educators and policymakers regarding which measures of educational success are most meaningful, we will be able to track progress and allocate resources more effectively and efficiently to achieve our system-wide goals.

Discussion and Implementation Plan

Educators know that the appropriate use of data can measure student progress, evaluate program and instructional effectiveness, guide curriculum development and resource allocation, promote accountability and, most importantly, ensure that every child learns.

Readily available quantitative indicators regarding the performance of the Newton Public Schools are mixed. While SAT scores remain strong, MCAS scores have declined relative to statewide averages. Newton’s high schools have been in a slow, steady decline in Newsweek’s ranking of Top U.S. Public High Schools. Newsweek’s rankings are based on the number of students who successfully complete an Advanced Placement (AP) exam, International Baccalaureate (IB) exam, or Cambridge test. The ranking may not be an important indicator of overall educational performance, especially for students not planning on attending a four year college. Nonetheless, because there is a strong correlation between a student’s successful completion of an AP, IB, or Cambridge test in high school and a student’s successfully completion of college in four years, our high schools’ decline in Newsweek’s ranking should not be dismissed out of hand.

We need to assess the data and our schools to see whether or not this external ranking decline matters. We must ask if this decline is symptomatic of a relative weakening of our educational product or are our schools being measured using inappropriate indicators. For example, should we expect Newton North’s student body to perform highly in an evaluation that depends strongly on the number of students taking advanced courses in traditional academic disciplines when a significant number of Newton North students participate in the school’s voc-tech program? However, since Newton South High School, which does not have a voc-tech program, has declined from a Newsweek ranking of 286 in 2002 to a ranking of 776 in 2008, while also declining in MCAS rankings from top 10 to top 50 over a similar time period, there is a clear need for analysis and action. Why is Newton South declining in the rankings relative to peer school districts with similar student populations and per pupil spending?

For each educational goal, we should develop metrics that allow us to assess progress. The key to any reasonable measurement system is to evaluate overall performance in as fair and consistent a way as possible. These metrics should serve as clear indications of how our school system is achieving the objectives we set for it. These measures should be determined through a conversation with Newton teachers, students, administrators, School Committee members, and the parent community.

Since our goal is to provide academic challenge to all students by providing them with the tools they need to succeed, we cannot limit our measures to one segment of the student population. For this reason, AP or MCAS scores alone are not an adequate measure of the performance of our high schools, let alone our overall school system. Rather, we should adopt measures that show us whether students are mastering material better than they did the year before and achieving their academic objectives and potential.

Newton should examine educational performance measurement models developed elsewhere and develop a measurement model that draws on the best of what has been pioneered. Our goal should be to develop a system of quantitative report cards for each of our schools, as well as for subject areas and grade levels. For example, we should be able to rate our success at teaching third-grade math and compare that grade to our performance during the previous school year.

Once Newton teachers, administrators, School Councils, and School Committee members have agreed to these system-wide educational performance measures, we should set annual goals for improvement and track our performance. Just as we grade our students, we should grade ourselves with respect to the quality of education we are providing.

We will work with the School Committee to develop this system of goal setting and performance measurement. We should have a pilot measurement system in place in time for the 2010-11 school year.