WORCESTER, Mass. — Worcester Public Schools met 47% of the state accountability targets for 2025, district staff told the School Committee on Monday, an increase from earlier post‑COVID baselines but a mix of gains and declines across grade bands.

Doctor Marco Andre, the district’s director of research and accountability, said the district “met or exceeded six targets and improved on six others” in the 11‑indicator accountability system used by the state. He told the committee the district’s non‑high‑school (elementary and middle school) ELA results showed improvement and that Worcester generally scored above the average of other urban districts in several non‑high‑school measures.

District staff emphasized the differences between elementary/middle and high‑school results. Andre said high‑school achievement declined in 2025 while growth measures improved; he and other staff attributed much of that decline to a recent change removing MCAS as a state graduation requirement for grade 10, which reduced participation pressures for some students. “This was the first MCAS administration where the graduation requirement was no longer required,” Andre said.

Why it matters: accountability measures affect district comparisons, program targeting and state categorizations. Committee members pressed for additional breakdowns and operational details needed for planning.

Among the data the presentation highlighted:
- The accountability system includes 11 indicators (achievement, growth, high‑school completion, English‑learner progress, chronic absenteeism, advanced coursework and others).
- Worcester met 47% of targets in 2025 and showed a net improvement compared with 2023, when the district used 2023 as the baseline year coming out of COVID.
- Non‑high‑school ELA and science achievement rose; high‑school achievement declined (in part tied to the graduation‑requirement change).
- The progress‑toward‑English‑language‑proficiency indicator improved (district staff said about two‑thirds of schools improved on that indicator).
- Chronic absenteeism exceeded the target for both elementary/middle and high schools; nearly 80% of schools improved and roughly 30% improved by five or more percentage points.
- The annual dropout rate met the district target and was reported to be at about 2% in 2025; the extended‑engagement (five‑year) rate declined and did not meet its target.
- The advanced‑coursework target was not met in 2025, though staff noted rates remain above 2022 levels and flagged coding/recording issues with the state as a possible factor.

Committee members asked for more granular data. Member Benenda asked whether some advanced‑coursework undercounts could reflect state recording problems; Andre acknowledged “coding issues” and said the district expects some corrections in next year’s accountability file. Member B. and Carrier (committee member name as recorded) requested counts by grade of how many students took MCAS and how many missed it; that motion was made during the meeting and placed with administration to provide grade‑level participation and absence figures.

Superintendent Allen and other administrators said the district will present a comprehensive improvement plan at the next School Committee meeting; Doctor Morse (administrator) told members the district will return in November with the plan that ties MCAS findings to district improvement strategies. “We were pleased with the progress across the board while we are also aware that there is a lot of room still left to grow,” Morse said.

The committee voted to approve and file the accountability presentation and to request the additional participation and recording clarifications noted by members; the roll call recorded the item as approved.