PARCC

Watertown Gets PARCC Test Results, Officials Critical of Lack of Details

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Watertown students who took the PARCC test for the first time last year fared better than the state average, but school officials say they have little information to work with to analyze where students can improve or even what they were tested on. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test is proposed as a national standardized test and was taken by Watertown students in grades 3-8 last spring. Overall, 66 percent of Watertown students scored in level 4 or 5, which would be meeting or exceeding expectations, for English Language Arts (ELA), and 52 percent of students reached level 4 or 5 on the math tests, said Barbara Gortych, the district’s director of Assessment, Guidance, and Mental Health. Statewide the figures were 60 percent for ELA and 52 percent for math. In MCAS, a level 4 would be “Proficient” and level 5 would be “Advanced.”

Government

See How the Schools Used Nearly $1 Million From the Town

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At Monday’s School Committee meeting, Watertown School officials detailed how they used an infusion of nearly $1 million it received from the town budget last spring. The one-time funds were provided as a boost to the curriculum. The money went to upgrade technology and to update curriculum materials, said Assistant Superintendent Dari Donovan. The district received $210,000 from the Fiscal 2014 budget and $750,000 from the Fiscal 2015 budget. Due to tight budgets, curriculum materials have not been updated in some time, Donovan said.

Government

Watertown School Officials Detail Use of $1 Million Boost

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The Watertown Public Schools will receive a $1 million budget boost in the current school year, and they will spend most of it on special education, but will also use some on technology, materials and preparations for the new PARCC standardized test. Tuesday night, the Town Council approved taking  the money out of the Free Cash Fund and use it for the school’s Fiscal 2014 budget (which ends in June 30). The majority, $790,000, will be spend to create a Special Education Stabilization Fund. Unexpected special education costs when students move into town with severe needs can cost nearly $250,000 per student in some cases. The Watertown Public Schools cover the cost even when students go to out of town programs.

The stabilization fund was created to prevent the general education budget from being eaten away by the unexpected, un-budgeted costs, said Councilor Vincent Piccirilli.