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Hull elementary school sees drop in rating after 3 students miss MCAS

HULL, Mass. – Students and teachers at Jacobs Elementary School feel as if something was stolen from them after getting the results from their most recent MCAS testing.

The school, previously designated as a high performing level 1 school, found out that because three students chose not to take the test they will now be considered a level 3 school.

“The Department of Elementary and Secondary Ed has made it clear that if participation rate in any subgroup goes below 90 percent that that school would receive a Level 3 accountability status,” Superintendent Michael Devine said.

What's most frustrating, teachers and administrators say, is that the drop in ranking comes despite the fact that last spring, students met or exceeded state expectations on all six of the MCAS tests that were administered.

Dropping to a level 3 could have a ripple effect, for example, on real estate values.

“School systems for families that have children are probably the most important criteria... in a home search and a community search process,” Massachusetts Association of Realtors President Paul Yorkis said.

The state says that if a school has too many students opt out, the results are representative of the school, but teachers and administrators are fighting back.

“When our levels beat the state and yet we're designated as a Level 3 because three students chose not to take the test. That's wrong,” teacher Deb McCarthy said.

The system plans to appeal the designation on Friday.

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