E.P. Scores Going in 'Right Direction'

Student achievement in East Providence seems to be moving in the right direction, according to Interim Superintendent John DeGoes.

He is basing that assessment on the most recent NECAP achievement test scores, which were released a week ago by the RI Department of Education (RIDE).

“There were a lot of areas where we did well,” he said. “There are others where we’re struggling.”

He pointed to significant gains at the high school and Martin Middle School in reading and mathematics over the past five years – 20- and 14-point gains in reading and 13- and 11-point gains in math since 2008. 

And Hennessey School has gone up 17 points in reading over the past five years. 

Unfortunately, the mathematics scores all the way through the elementary schools to the high school show that, overall, East Providence is still lagging along with the rest of the state, he said.

“I think we’re mirroring what is happening statewide,” he said. 

DeGoes said, however, he has not analyzed the results deep enough to make specific comments.

“I want to wait to make comments until an analysis of the scores is presented to the School Committee at its March 12 meeting,” he said. 

That analysis will be presented by Rebecca Gendron, supervisor of instructional technology and data. 

Students also will be going home with report cards in March that will explain individual student results to their parents, he said. Some will show gains; some will show losses. Parents will get an explanation why.

DeGoes did say that the significant gains at the high school over the past five years should be traced to the hard work done by the teachers with the leadership of Principal Janet Sheehan.

Part of the overall long-term analysis of what needs to be done in East Providence, he said, will include trying “to replicate what works in other schools across the state. We need to share those practices.”