Pembroke MCAS Scores Show Mixed Results, School Committee Weighs Vocational Options

High School Excels in Biology, AP Courses; Middle School Struggles in English, Science

PEMBROKE, MA - October 22 - Recent MCAS test results reveal Pembroke schools performing well in some areas but struggling in others. The Pembroke School Committee reviewed the district's achievement report during their recent meeting, highlighting successes and areas for improvement.

High school students excelled in biology and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, with biology scores 12 points ahead of the state average. The district's AP participation rate remains strong, with 47% of students earning at least one qualifying score.

"Our AP experience at high school continues to be a very inclusive experience. We have strong numbers, strong percentages," said a school official during the meeting.

However, middle school English and science scores were lower than desired. The district-wide performance for grades 3-8 in English Language Arts (ELA) was 71%, down from 74% the previous year. Math scores remained relatively flat.

"This is not where we want to be," acknowledged a committee member when discussing the middle school ELA scores.

The district is focusing on improving literacy skills, especially narrative writing in grades 3-6. They have implemented new tools, including No Red Ink and NewsELA, to address these concerns.

"We're aware of that and looking at ways to do that," said a school official regarding the lower middle school scores.

The committee also discussed the potential of joining South Shore Technical High School. The vocational planning committee met recently with Superintendent Tom Hickey from South Shore Tech to discuss the new building project's status.

"We talked about bringing that to you either in November or December," said a school official, referring to the financial implications of joining the vocational school.

The committee is awaiting more information before making a decision, likely in spring 2025. This timeline depends on the outcome of member towns' School Building votes in January 2025.

"We'll know in January of 2025 whether enough of the member towns voted to move their project forward," explained the official.

The potential join would involve two votes: one to join and another to pay for it. The committee emphasized the importance of presenting both votes simultaneously to the community.

"I don't think if we ask the community, should we join to Vo Tech? Everyone would say absolutely. And then six months later, when we asked you to pay for it, they could say no," said a committee member.

The South Shore Tech project, if approved, would receive significant state funding. about 40% of the $276 million building project.

In other business, the committee approved policy changes and discussed improving communication protocols with local law enforcement regarding school safety.

The next school committee meetings are scheduled for Nov. 12 and Nov. 19.

*editor’s note: this meeting was recorded by Pembroke United due to a scheduling conflict with The Local Scene. This has resulted in less confidence in the AI’s ability to identify speakers.