Massachusetts

Analyzing Performance by Grade 10 Hispanic High School Students on the Massachusetts State Assessment
This report examines Hispanic high school students’ performance on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in English language arts and mathematics from 2002/03–2005/06. It compares the scores of tenth-grade Hispanic and non-Hispanic students and uses multilevel regressions to examine associations between the Hispanic students’ scores and student- and school-level characteristics. Previously, no such analyses of this specific subgroup’s performance on the MCAS had been conducted.

How State Education Agencies in the Northeast and Islands Region Support Data-Driven Decision-Making in Districts and Schools
The report examines the initiatives of state education agencies (SEAs) in the Northeast and Islands Region to support data-driven decision-making in districts and schools and describes the service providers hired to support this work. The report identifies four components of data-driven decision-making initiatives and finds that not all initiatives include all four.

Parent Involvement Strategies in Urban Middle and High Schools in the Northeast and Islands Region
Informed by a review of the literature on parent involvement strategies and working with nine urban districts in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York (with the exception of New York City), this project developed and field-tested a protocol for documenting what parent involvement policies, programs, and practices are being implemented by states, districts, and schools at the secondary level, and how these efforts are evaluated.

How Eight State Education Agencies in the Northeast and Islands Region Identify and Support Low-Performing Schools and Districts
This report describes and analyzes how eight state education agencies (SEAs) in the Northeast and Islands Region—those of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Vermont—identify and support low-performing schools and districts under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).

Measuring How Benchmark Assessments Affect Student Achievement
This report measures whether districts using quarterly benchmark exams in mathematics showed greater gains in student achievement than those not employing this practice. The project analyzed Massachusetts state assessment data from a baseline year in 2001 to the implementation year in 2006. A follow-up analysis looks at data from 2006–2007.

A Description of Foundation Skills Interventions for Struggling Middle-Grade Readers in Four Urban Northeast and Islands Region School Districts
This study describes how four midsize urban school districts in the Northeast and Islands Region were providing foundation skills assessments and programs to struggling middle-grade readers. Researchers found variations, but also some similarities, in the districts’ use of tests and programs.

Performance Patterns for Students with Disabilities in Grade 4 Mathematics Education in Massachusetts
This report describes and analyzes the mathematics performance patterns of fourth-grade elementary students with disabilities in Massachusetts between 2004 and 2006. It also examines the performance gaps between students with disabilities and general education students.

Piloting a Searchable Database of Dropout Prevention Programs in Nine Low-Income Urban School Districts in the Northeast and Islands Region
This report details a pilot project to generate and share knowledge by building a searchable database of dropout programs and policies. The researchers developed and field tested a protocol for systematically collecting this information in nine midsize cities with the highest dropout rates, largest minority student populations, and most children living below the poverty line.

Math Education Practices for Students with Disabilities and Other Struggling Learners: Case Studies of Six Schools in Two Northeast and Islands Region States
This report offers in-depth case studies of six schools that have made targeted efforts to improve math teaching and learning for students with disabilities and struggling learners. It identifies common strategies and challenges at the schools to strengthen math education for students with diverse needs.

Compendium of Strategies to Reduce Teacher Turnover in the Northeast and Islands Region
This project developed a searchable, electronic resource that describes interventions in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont aimed at reducing teacher turnover across all types of districts, with an emphasis on mathematics and science teachers.

Key Features of State Response to Intervention (RTI) Initiatives in the Northeast and Islands
The report analyzes the RTI-related initiatives, policies, regulations, and structures for support in all nine REL-NEI jurisdictions. It finds that the six New England states and New York support RTI as an overall school instructional-improvement approach or an approach to determining special-education eligibility. It also finds that RTI documents in the seven jurisdictions address the eight core features of RTI as defined by the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities.

What Characteristics of Bullying, Bullying Victims, and Schools Are Associated with Increased Reporting of Bullying to School Officials?
This study tested 51 characteristics of bullying victimization, bullying victims, and bullying victims’ schools to determine which were associated with reporting to school officials. It found that 11 characteristics in two categories—bullying victimization and bullying victims—showed a statistically significant association with reporting. The study also notes the high percentage (64 percent) of victims who indicated the bullying was not reported.

Do States Have Certification Requirements for Preparing General Education Teachers to Teach Students with Disabilities? Experience in the Northeast and Islands Region
More than 6 million students with disabilities are served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004. Two-thirds of these students are in at least one course taught by general education teachers. Due to the increased inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, it is essential for general education teachers to have the knowledge and skills needed to teach students with disabilities. This report on teacher certification requirements in the Northeast and Islands Region finds that eight of the nine jurisdictions require some coursework in teaching students with disabilities for initial licensure of general education teachers.