Superintendent Provost - Entry Findings 2/12/15

Northampton Public School District
Superintendents Entry Findings
Artwork- Grade 5 Students

Jackson Street School
John A. Provost, Ed.D

Superintendent of Schools
Presented to the Northampton School Committee

February 12, 2015
Table of Contents
Executive Summary...3
Community Support for Learning.........5
Students.......6
Public and Private Competition..13
Teachers and Teacher Evaluation........14
Curriculum..17
Instruction......20
Student Achievement..............30
Special Education........42
School Finance.....45
English Language Learners and Students Whose First Language is not English............47
Title I...47
Technology48
World Languages....48
Leadership49
Communication50
Co Curricular Subjects50
Athletics and Activities........51
Concluding Remarks....51
Works Cited...52
Appendix....54
Executive Summary
Making sense of the work already underway in our district is a critical first step to developing a
coherent vision to guide the work that lies ahead. This initial assessment of current systemic
conditions, though just a snapshot of a dynamically evolving system, provides a realistic
assessment of the challenges that lie ahead and the strengths that the system brings to bear on
them. By identifying drivers of success and barriers to success in the district, it provides a
context for the next steps in the strategic planning process which are identifying the root-causes
of the observed conditions, prioritizing improvement objectives, and implementing the next
iteration of the District Improvement Plan. It is hoped that the reader will perceive the findings
contained herein as neither excessively critical nor congratulatory, but objectively defensible
based upon the evidence presented.
Drivers of Success
There is strong support in the community for the Northampton Public Schools. This assistance
includes substantial financial aid from the Northampton Education Foundation, active school
PTOs, and other community organizations. Smith College is also an important collaborator and
co-producer of educational benefits for our students who may take up to six Smith classes
during their Junior and Senior years at no cost to themselves or the district.
The teachers of the Northampton Public Schools are one of its greatest assets. Many are
considered leaders in their fields and have been recognized for excellence in teaching.
Northampton has maintained a Middle and High School language program that affords students
the opportunity for seven years of uninterrupted study of Spanish or French or six years of
uninterrupted study of Latin.
The diversity of co-curricular programs offered by the Northampton Public Schools is a source
of pride for students, staff and the wider community.
Observational data gathered across classroom and school settings shows that teachers are
using a variety of teaching strategies to provide students with different ways to access content.
Northampton offers student-athletes a wide array of opportunities for interscholastic competition
including many Division 1 teams. Athletic facilities include a lighted multipurpose natural turf
field, rubberized synthetic track, swimming pool, and gymnasium. These facilities are
augmented by the fields and indoor track at Smith College.
Northampton has a diverse AP program with a very high student participation rate in AP testing.
About 75% of Northampton test-takers obtain qualifying scores of 3 or better, indicating that
they are ready for college-level work.
Barriers to Success
The absence of an explicit written curriculum in all subjects and grade levels has inhibited the
districts ability to educate all students according to a common set of learning expectations.
However, it is important to note that the district has made significant progress on this problem
through its current curriculum initiative.
Northampton has experienced higher than average turnover rates among teachers and
administrators in recent years. Based upon the age-distribution of the current teaching staff,
Northampton is likely to experience higher than average teacher turnover rates for the next
decade. Many experienced teachers will be replaced by novice teachers who are particularly
vulnerable to stresses that may cause them to leave the profession and who are still in the rapid
competency building stage of their career.
Over the past several years, the number and percentage of low income students, students with
disabilities, and English language learners (known collectively as high needs students) enrolled
in the Northampton Public Schools has increased. Competition from other schools is likely to
have contributed to this trend. Based upon the grade-level distribution of high needs students, it
seems likely that the overall percentage of high-needs students in the district will continue to
increase for at least the next four years, with much of the increase occurring at Northampton
High School.
The overall achievement gap between high-needs students and their non-high needs peers has
remained constant or increased.
Northampton identifies a higher than expected proportion of its students as students with
disabilities and implements a less inclusive service delivery model, including higher than
average placement of students in private special education programs.
Relatively high spending on special education in an era of flat budgets has constrained the
districts ability to fund other needed educational priorities, notably educational technology.
District budgets have sequestered large portions of the appropriated funds in district-wide cost
centers thereby constraining the principals ability to exercise significant budgetary discretion
within their own cost-centers.
Community Support for Learning

Theres a lot of optimism and support, frankly, for the schools in the community.
-School Committee Member
According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (2014), Northampton was one of only
28 Massachusetts municipalities to attempt a Proposition 2 override vote for the 2014 fiscal
year, one of only 11 municipalities to obtain an override, and one of only six municipalities to
obtain an override that included funding for public schools. This speaks profoundly to the value
the voters place on public education and to the trust they place in their officials to exercise
stewardship of public funds.
U.S. Census Statistics (2014) show that 55% of Northampton residents aged 25 or older hold a
bachelor's degree or higher. Whether compared to the statewide rate of 39% or the national
average which is closer to 33%, it is clear that Northamptons college completion rate is a
distinguishing characteristic of the community. A particularly strong link in the high school to
college connection in Northampton is the districts partnership with Smith College. Through this
partnership, Northampton High School students are able to take up to two Smith College
classes during their junior year of high school and four Smith College classes during their senior
year of high school. Northampton High School students pay nothing for these classes and earn
credit that may be used to satisfy the graduation requirements to earn their high school diploma.
Last year, 80 students from Northampton High enrolled in 91 Smith College classes.
The Northampton Public Schools are also the beneficiaries of ongoing support from the
Northampton Education Foundation, a non-profit organization created to fund projects and
programs that expand educational opportunities, foster creativity, and enhance academic
experiences in Northampton's public schools (NEF Website). Through a variety of small
grants, special grants, book funds and the Daniel Stephen Goldstein Fund for Arts in
Northampton High School, NEF has invested more than $1.1 million in the Northampton Public
Schools over the past quarter of a century.
Our schools are also supported by a core of more than 100 volunteers who are recruited,
trained, and placed by Volunteers in the Northampton Schools (VINS), a private, non-profit
organization, with a mission of providing volunteers in all of Northampton's public schools.
Each of our schools is also supported by an active and vibrant PTO. A partial listing of
resources for learning provided by the PTOs includes:
The Northampton High School PTO raised approximately $20,000 for classroom
technology.
The Ryan Road PTO has provided ELMOs, musical instruments, and playground
equipment.
The Bridge Street PTO supported the construction of a new playground and school
gardens.
The JFK PTO provided over $10,000 in grants to teachers last year to support field trips
and special programs such as the science fair.
Students
There are more kids who are really struggling.
-NPS Administrator
Any analysis of the functioning of a school or district must begin with and proceed from an
understanding of the students it serves. In Northampton, district-level descriptions of the
student population are misleading, because they obscure differences in the types of students
enrolled in the different schools and at various levels. From the perspective of a hypothetical
student, these differences must be quite pronounced. The class of 2014 graduated from a
school with much less ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity than the state or district as
a whole. Nevertheless, many of these students began their academic careers in Northampton
elementary schools where the enrollments for students from ethnic or linguistic minorities, lowincome students, or students with disabilities exceeded the statewide averages.
Each of the schools serves a unique population of students and will be treated individually in the
paragraphs that follow:
Bridge Street School
Figure 1 Selected Populations Enrolled at Bridge Street School

Bridge Street School houses the districts integrated preschool program. Students in this
program account for nearly a quarter of the schools enrollment. Because preschool education
is an entitlement for some students with disabilities and the regulations for preschool allow
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students with disabilities to compose up to 50% of an instructional group (i.e. class), the
presence of the preschool program could be expected to increase the proportion of students
with disabilities enrolled at the school. Not surprisingly, Bridge Street has the highest ratio of
students with disabilities to non-disabled peers in the district, and it serves more students with
disabilities than any of the other elementary schools.
In 2013, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education created high
needs as a new student demographic reporting category. The high needs demographic is
defined as an unduplicated count of students belonging to at least one of the following
individual subgroups: students with disabilities, English language learners (ELL) and Former
ELL students, or low income students (students eligible for free/reduced price school lunch).
Because Bridge Street serves high numbers of low-income students in addition to its high
population of students with disabilities, 51% of the students in the school are considered high
needs.
Jackson Street School
Figure 2 Selected Populations Enrolled at Jackson Street School
Until 2013 all elementary students requiring ELL (English Language Learner) services were
taught at Jackson Street School. For September of 2013, additional ESL (English as a Second
Language) teachers were hired for the integrated preschool, Bridge Street, and Ryan Road.
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Once ESL supports were added at Bridge Street and Ryan Road, students from those
attendance zones, including those already enrolled at Jackson Street School were given the
option to be educated in their neighborhood schools. Because of this history, Jackson Street
School serves much larger populations of English Language Learners and students whose first
language is not English as compared to the other district schools. Fifty-two percent (52%) of
Jackson Street students are classified as high needs.
Leeds School
Figure 3 Selected Populations Enrolled at Leeds School
As compared to the other elementary schools, Leeds serves proportionally fewer English
Language Learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Its population of lowincome students has been trending upward since 2008, but is still lower than the rates at other
schools. Enrollment trends for other selected populations have remained stable or declined
over the same time frame. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Leeds students are classified as high
needs.
Ryan Road School
Figure 4 Selected Populations Enrolled at Ryan Road School
Ryan Road School has experienced dramatic changes in its enrollment since 2012. Over the
past two years, the population of low-income students has increased by slightly more than 10%
and the population of students with disabilities has increased by nearly 10%. In 2014, it
surpassed Jackson Street as the school with the highest proportion of low-income students.
Last year, fifty percent (50%) of Ryan Road students were high-needs, but over 60% of the
incoming kindergarteners were high needs students.
JFK Middle School

Of all of the schools in the district, JFK most closely reflects the overall demographics of the PK12 student population. Each of its selected populations is within one or two percent of the
district-wide rates. The percentage of low -income students and students whose native
language is not English has remained fairly constant over the past six years. At the same time,
the percentage of students with disabilities has declined, and the percentage of English
Language Learners has increased. Forty-Four percent (44%) of students at JFK are high needs
students.
Figure 5 Selected Populations Enrolled at JFK Middle School
Northampton High School

With the notable exception of students whose first language is not English, the selected
populations we have been examining represent a much smaller proportion of the total
enrollment of Northampton High School as compared to the other schools in the district. Two
dynamics seem to be driving the change of student demography at the 9th grade level. The first
of these is the profile of students entering the system at grade 9. In 2014, about 21% of
incoming freshmen were students not enrolled in the Northampton Public Schools in grade 81.
Only 4% of these new students were students whose first language is not English and none
were ELLs. Twenty-two percent (22%) were low-income students as compared to the districtwide average of 30.4%, and 14% were students with disabilities as compared to the district-wide
average of 21.9%.
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About 8% of students enrolled in Northampton schools reside in other communities and attend
Northampton schools through the School Choice program. About 9% of school-age children
residing in Northampton attend charter schools or other public schools through the School
Choice program, and about another 16% attend private or parochial schools. Many of these
students enter the Northampton schools at grade 9.
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The second driver of demographic change at grade 9 is the exiting of students from the system.
In 2014, about 8% of the prior-years 8th graders did not enroll at Northampton High School.
Eighty-three percent (83%) of the students exiting the system between grades 8 and 9 were
low-income students. Thirty-three percent (33%) were students with disabilities and 22% were
students whose first language is not English.
Figure 6 Selected Populations Enrolled at Northampton High School
Northampton Early Childhood Center

As a public preschool, the Northampton Early Childhood Center is designed to provide
developmentally appropriate learning experiences for students three and four years old and to
serve the special needs of students with disabilities in this same age group. Because of its
special mission, the Early Childhood Center serves a student population with very high levels of
need. Student need at the preschool level is tracked using some indicators that are the same
as those used in grades K-12, but also using some measures that are unique to the preschool
level. In all, there are seven risk factors monitored for preschoolers. Figure 7 shows the
September 2014 preschool enrollment by risk factor. In this figure, students are counted in
every category of risk factor that they carry. More than half of the students enrolled in preschool
have two or more risk factors. Fewer than a third of the students have no risk factors. Despite
the high level of need presented by the students in the preschool, it provides a very inclusive
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service delivery model and has a full inclusion placement rating that is nearly double the state
target rate for preschools.
With 84 students currently enrolled in preschool, and 14 more referrals pending, Northampton
preschool enrollment is at an all-time high. The increasing numbers of very young children
qualifying for special education have included students with significant disabilities requiring
specialized transportation. In the current year, the district has had to plan to increase the
number of vehicles for preschool transportation. For the past two years, the district has had to
request a waiver from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education due to an
imbalance between students with disabilities and non-disabled peers in the preschool program.
Figure 7 Northampton Preschool Enrollment by Risk Factor

Student attendance is another important indicator of student risk for learning problems. In the
early grades, chronic absenteeism, defined as missing more than ten percent (10%) of the
school year, has been shown to reduce student reading mastery at the third grade level. At the
high school level, chronic absenteeism is associated with poor post-secondary outcomes,
including dramatically reduced college completion rates. (Ginsberg, Jordan, & Chang, 2014)
Overall, ten percent (10%) of Northampton students were chronically absent during the 20132014 school year. Absenteeism varied significantly among schools, with Leeds having the
lowest rate of chronic absenteeism (4%) and Bridge Street having the highest rate (14%).
Absenteeism also varied by race and ethnicity. The student subgroup with the lowest incidence
of absenteeism was the white student subgroup, in which eight percent (8%) of students were
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chronically absent. The student subgroup with the highest incidence of absenteeism was the
Hispanic/Latino student subgroup, in which nineteen percent (19%) of students were chronically
absent.
The Northampton Public Schools systematically collects information related to student risk and
protective factors by administering the Prevention Needs Assessment Survey to students in
grades eight, ten, and twelve. Within the school domain scale of this instrument, students at
Northampton High School reported greater than average opportunity for prosocial involvement.
Students at JFK reported below average opportunity for prosocial involvement, but have been
trending in a positive direction over the last three administrations of the survey. On the most
recent administration of the survey, eighty percent (80%) of 8th graders and ninety-three
percent (93%) of 10th graders reported feeling safe at school. Eighty-two percent (82%) of 8th
graders and eighty-five percent of 10th graders report having at least one adult in their school
who really cares for them.
Public and Private Competition

Our weakness is the way that people perceive us from inside.
The city of Northampton is home to three private, non-public schools, three private special
education schools, and two public school districts. Public charter schools are located in three of
Northampton's neighboring communities. As shown in Figure 8, the most common alternative to
the Northampton Public Schools in grades K-8 is private and parochial schools, which
collectively enroll nearly 400 students in those nine grades. By comparison, public charter
schools and other public school districts enroll just under 200 students in the same nine grades.
In the high school grades, the most common alternative to the Northampton Public Schools is
other public schools, mainly Smith Vocational, which is projected to enroll 94 Northampton
students in the current school year. All of the charter schools chosen by Northampton residents
are significantly less diverse than the local public schools in terms of low-income enrollment,
enrollment of students with disabilities, and enrollment of high needs students.
Many of the individuals who were interviewed as part of the entry process expressed concern
about the decision made by many residents to have their children educated in settings other
than the Northampton Public Schools. One School Committee member spoke of a level of
frustration with the number of people in Northampton who dont send their children to
elementary school but then send their children to the high school. Another Committee member
described the effect of the parental choices to enroll students in other districts or in charter
schools as losing important people that could add to the life of our school communities and
students.
As demonstrated in the analysis of student demographics at the individual schools, the current
patterns of parental school selection have the effect of creating higher concentrations of lowincome students and students with disabilities in the elementary schools. These patterns also
impact city finances. For FY 15 Northampton will receive just over $2 million in school choice
payments and charter school reimbursement, but it will be charged $2.9 million in school choice
and charter school tuition.
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A parent who attended one of the forums conducted as part of the entry process shed some
light on the perceptions of the schools that help to explain how Northampton serves as a district
of choice for so many while simultaneously losing so many students to other schools. He
explained that his family decided to move to Northampton specifically because it has a
reputation of providing the kind of strong school system that he and his wife wanted for their
children. He said that among parents of school-age children in his prior community, the
Northampton Schools were held in high esteem. But once he moved to town and started to
connect with other Northampton parents, he began to experience a social expectation of
exploring options other than the local public schools for his children.
Figure 8 Northampton Resident Enrollment by School Type

It is important to note that Figure 8 represents the enrollment patterns of Northampton residents
only. The Northampton Public Schools also enroll just over 200 students who are residents of
other communities and who are not represented in this figure.
Teachers and Teacher Evaluation

We have a lot of good teachers.
-NPS Administrator
Nearly every administrator, parent, or other community member identified the NPS faculty as a
key strength of the district. Many of our teachers have distinguished themselves through the
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pursuit of advanced degrees, national board certification, or through professional service. Many
of the parents who offered information during the entry process also expressed the sense that
their childrens teachers were personally invested in the success of their children.
Over the course of the past two years, the district has adopted and implemented the first
component of the Massachusetts Framework for Educator Evaluation. The evaluation cycle is
based upon four performance standards: Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment; Teaching All
Students; Family and Community Engagement; and Professional Culture. Each of the
standards is composed of several indicators that, in turn, are made up of more specific
elements. There are thirty-three (33) elements in all. Northampton has identified the following
seven (7) elements and indicators as priority areas for teachers to demonstrate through the
collection of evidence: Rigorous, Standards-Based Unit Design; Variety of Assessments;
Analysis and Conclusions; Meeting Diverse Needs; Safe Learning Environment; Engagement;
and Professional Learning and Growth. Judgments about staff performance are based upon
frequent classroom observations and other evidence of learning.
Last year, the district prepared to implement the second component of the Massachusetts
Framework by identifying one hundred and sixty-five (165) District Determined Measures that
will be used to estimate student academic growth in each teachers class. This information will
be used to inform the evaluation cycle. Work has begun on the final component of the
Massachusetts Framework which will involve using student and staff feedback in the evaluation
process.
The implementation of the Massachusetts Framework for Educator Evaluation represents a
huge and potentially transformative achievement for the district, which only two years ago was
found to have no supervision model or uniform process for teacher evaluation (Massachusetts
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2012, p. 31).
As a part of the data collection process for this report, 45 teacher personnel files were randomly
selected for review. About three-quarters of the files had evaluations conforming to the new
Framework for Educator Evaluation. The sample included teachers from all schools and
disciplines and at all stages of the evaluation process. All of the teachers were rated proficient
or better on each of the four performance standards. One of the teachers obtained an overall
performance rating of Exemplary. All of the remaining teachers obtained an overall
performance rating of Proficient. Student learning goals concerning writing and general literacy
skills and professional practice goals concerning parent engagement appeared most frequently
in the evaluation documents.
Overall professional staff attendance for the 2013-2014 school year was ninety-five percent
(95%). Seventy-five percent (75%) of teachers were absent for fewer than ten days in the year.
Forty-three percent (43%) were absent for fewer than five days. Eight percent (8%) of teachers
were absent for 18 or more days. The Northampton teacher attendance rate is lower than the
national teacher attendance rate, which the U.S. Department of Education (2007) estimates to
be 96%. According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
FY 13 Per Pupil Expenditure Report Northampton spent $159.82 per pupil on substitute
teachers, a rate 29% higher than the statewide average of $123.67 per pupil.
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Overall non-professional staff attendance for the 2013-2014 school year was ninety-four percent
(94%). Sixty-one percent (61%) of non-professional staff were absent for fewer than ten days in
the year. Thirty-two percent (32%) were absent for fewer than five days.
As opposed to the student demographics, which vary considerably from school to school, staff
demographics show less variance by site. Overall, the staffing patterns within the district reflect
statewide demographics for educators. While the 49 to 56 year-old age range is the modal
interval for staffing at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, educators younger than 49
are present in greater quantities in the middle and high schools whereas educators older than
49 are more common in the elementary schools. Over 99% of teachers in the district hold the
appropriate licensure for all courses they teach.
Figure 9 Staffing Age by Full-Time Equivalents

At 15%, the 2014 teacher turnover rate in Northampton is slightly higher than the statewide
average; however the turnover rates vary significantly by school, ranging from a low of seven
percent (7%) at Jackson Street School to a high of twenty-four percent 24% at Leeds. The
teacher turnover rates at JFK, Ryan Road, Northampton High and Bridge Street were 13%,
15%, 18%, and 20%, respectively.
Based upon the age-distribution of the current teaching staff, Northampton is likely to
experience higher than average teacher turnover rates for the next decade. Many experienced
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teachers will be replaced by novice teachers. Educational research has consistently shown
novice teachers to be particularly vulnerable to stresses that cause up to half to leave the
profession within the first five years (Barnes, Crowe, & Schaefer 2007). It is reasonable to
assume that many of the new teachers hired will themselves have to be replaced, creating a
secondary wave of vacancies. Additionally, the correlation between teacher experience and
efficacy is particularly strong during the first five years of teaching. During this competency
building phase of their careers, teachers tend to be less effective than more experienced
teachers (Rice, 2010).
Participants in one of the parent forums (Summaries of the written comments generated at the
parent forums may be found in the Appendix.) expressed a desire for a more racially and
ethnically diverse teaching staff, and it is true that the Northampton faculty is slightly less
diverse than the overall Massachusetts teacher workforce. Seven percent (7%) of Northampton
teachers identify as members of a racial or ethnic minority group, as compared to the statewide
average of 8%. Hispanic teachers make up 5% of the Northampton faculty, as compared to 3%
of teachers statewide. African American teachers make up 1% of the Northampton faculty, as
compared to 3% of teachers statewide. For all other racial and ethnic groups, Northampton
mirrors the statewide average. Twenty percent (20%) of Northampton teachers are male. This
is exactly the same as the overall proportion of male teachers in the state.
Curriculum
We have not done a lot of organized curriculum writing in a very long time.
-NPS Administrator
In its 2012 review of the Northampton Public Schools, the Center for District and School
Accountability (CDSA) in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE)
concluded that the district had not provided sufficient curriculum leadership to ensure that
curricula are updated, constantly used, aligned and effectively delivered, particularly at the
elementary level (p. 16). This finding was based upon a review of existing curriculum
documents and discussions with district personnel.
At that time, the high school was preparing for accreditation by the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The NEASC process seems to have been a stimulus for
curriculum development at the high school level. Curriculum for some courses was found to be
very thoroughly specified. For other courses, the curriculum documents were much more basic.
At the middle school level, the teaming model provided teachers with regularly scheduled
opportunities to collaborate on curriculum. The CDSA found that this resulted in strong vertical
and horizontal alignment of the taught curriculum at the middle school.
In the absence of strong district curriculum leadership, the impetus of an external quality control
mechanism such as accreditation, and structural supports for curriculum work, such as a team
model, curriculum at the elementary level was found to be especially weak.
There is much evidence to suggest that the status of the curriculum today is much the same as
it was at the time of the CDSA review. When asked what we still need to work on as a district,
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one principal said, Curriculum alignment, curriculum alignment, curriculum alignment. This
same principal provided copies of the districts curriculum documents showing that the current
version of the math curriculum was developed in 2007. Since the Massachusetts Curriculum
Framework for Mathematics underwent substantive revision in 2011, the lack of an updated
curriculum creates obvious barriers to standards-based lesson and unit planning. The
curriculum packet also included an undated copy of a document entitled K-5 Language Arts
Scope and Sequence. Some of the learning objectives in this document are aligned with the
current Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy, but
others are not. Evidence of the lack of alignment with the frameworks is apparent in the
organization of the document which is arranged by 9 ELA standards which recur at each grade
level instead of the 4 strands and 32 standards that are found in the Frameworks. Curriculum
issues were also noted by parents. One parent, who described herself as a long-term, 9-year
family of one the elementary schools said she had observed inconsistencies among the
teaching staff in terms of what they cover.
The CDSA analysis of central office capacity was particularly pointed. Budget cuts resulted in
the elimination of the position of Director of Teaching and Learning in 2008. The position
remained vacant for two years. Then, in 2010 a new central office position was created for a
Director of Academic Effectiveness. This position included some of the responsibilities of the
Director of Teaching and Learning and many other administrative functions, creating a span of
control that was too broad for effective leadership. The CDSA (2012) found that the elimination
of the Director of Teaching and Learning created a perceived void and that There does not
seem to be any recognition in the district that the creation of the director of academic
effectiveness has filled this perceived void --even partially. (p. 15).
When Interim Superintendent Regina Nash was appointed, the director of academic
effectiveness was vacant. Dr. Nash revised the job description to more clearly focus the role on
core curriculum and instruction. Other functions were informally reassigned to other
administrators. The result was the position of Director of Curriculum and Assessment, a revised
position, more focused on core curriculum and instructional issues.
The new Director of Curriculum and Assessment has developed a detailed implementation plan
to create an integrated and cohesive Pre-K-12 district curriculum. Beginning in July of 2014, the
Director of Curriculum and Assessment initiated a series of professional development
experiences to train teachers in the Understanding by Design (UBD) Framework for curriculum
development and and the Atlas Rubicon curriculum mapping system. Using the UBD
framework, teachers have begun to develop high-quality, standards-based units of study and
assessments. The Atlas Rubicon system allows teachers to curate and share these units. As
teachers continue to develop and upload new units to the Atlas Rubicon system, the district
curriculum will be aligned to the current state standards and unified through a shared electronic
database of units developed using common design principles and including specific strategies
for differentiating instruction for all learners. Since embarking on this initiative, Northampton
teachers have entered information for more than 400 units of study into the Atlas Rubicon, and
the district has appointed 19 Curriculum Leaders to sustain the work of curriculum development
and refinement.
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Through individual interviews and parent forums, many parents expressed concern for the level
of rigor at various grade levels and subjects. The topic was frequently connected to the practice
of de-leveling at the secondary level, particularly in the area of mathematics. Given the current
status of the curriculum in Northampton, it would not be surprising to find classrooms where
content, learning processes, and/or the variety of assessment options were not sufficiently
differentiated to meet the needs of students who are ready to access the curriculum at a high
level.
One way to examine whether students are being challenged to go beyond the minimum
expectations for their grade level is to look at the performance trends for students scoring in the
advanced range on MCAS. This analysis reveals variation by school and subject. Overall, the
percentage of students achieving at the advanced level is increasing in both science and math,
the subject for which concerns with rigor were most frequently raised. On the other hand, the
percentage of students achieving at the advanced level in English Language Arts is declining in
most schools.
At every school, a gap exists between the number of low income students and students with
disabilities achieving at the advanced level. In the elementary and middle school grades, these
gaps are generally equal to or lower than the gaps found at the statewide level. At grade 10,
the gaps are much larger than the statewide averages.
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Instruction
I feel like we have been doing so many things that havent been focused on what weve been
doing in the classroom, and its time to go back to that.
-NPS Administrator
In order to gather data concerning instructional practices in Northampton, three Learning
Walkthroughs were conducted at Northampton High School, JFK Middle School and Bridge
Street School. Seventeen classes were observed by twenty-four teachers and administrators
who had been oriented to the processes described in the Learning Walkthrough Implementation
Guide (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2010). The
Learning Walkthrough process provides a systematic methodology for monitoring progress on
district initiatives based upon a focus of inquiry. Given the current district emphasis on
Differentiated Instruction, the range of teaching techniques was selected as the focus of inquiry
for these Learning Walkthroughs.
Teams of educators gathered specific and objective observational data and used an analytic
rubric (see Table 7) to guide their discussion of instructional practice and to reach consensus
about the patterns of practice evident in the schools. Most members of the Walkthrough teams
came from the schools data teams. The creation, training, and ongoing work of building-based
data teams is a high-leverage innovation in distributed leadership within the district. While the
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data teams are still in the process of developing the technical skills and establishing their roles
within their respective school cultures, they have great potential for helping school leaders make
data-informed decisions.
Summary reports identifying the most prominent features of the observed instructional practices
and quick wins, or immediately actionable adjustments to practice that could help strengthen
instruction in the school, were distributed to all of the teachers at each of the schools. The three
summary reports written by the Learning Walkthrough teams are included in this section.
Overall, evidence collected during the Learning Walkthroughs showed that teachers were
utilizing a range of instructional strategies including explicit instruction of content vocabulary,
alternating whole-group and small-group activities, and using manipulatives, technology, or
differentiated materials to make content accessible to more learners. These techniques were
consistent with professional development teachers had received in Differentiated Instruction and
are representative of very sound instructional practice. Notwithstanding the strong teaching
practices that were observed, developing a repertoire of instructional strategies expansive
enough to meet the needs of diverse learners is a developmental process and the Walkthrough
teams made several specific recommendations to help teachers improve their practice. These
recommendations included reducing the reliance upon commercially-produced worksheets,
using student assessment data to adjust the level of challenge for students, and increasing
opportunities for cooperative learning.
21
Table 7
Learning Walkthrough Rubric
22
Scott J. Andrew
Associate Principal
Lesley D. Wilson
Principal
Matthew J.Collins
Associate Principal
John F. Kennedy Middle School

100 Bridge Road Florence, MA 01062
Telephone 413 587 1489 Fax 413 587 1495
www.northampton-k12.us
To:
Cc:
From:
Date:
Everyone
John Provost, Nancy Cheevers
Lesley
December 15, 2014
As you know, on December 15th our Data Team and two central office administrators divided
into two teams and conducted a Learning Walkthrough. Together we visited 8 classrooms from
8:45 11:15, collecting evidence related to our Focus of Inquiry (below). At the culmination of
the Learning Walkthrough, the team met to discuss the patterns observed across the
classrooms. The following information conveys the major themes that emerged.
Our schools Instructional Leadership Team and Data Team will consider this information in
relation to the priorities outlined in our School Improvement Plan and our district and site-based
professional development, noting where we are doing well and where additional effort and
resources might be needed to improve student learning school-wide. Quick wins that we
believe all of us can easily put into motion are highlighted at the end of this memo. We hope you
will also find this information useful for your own individual practice or for discussion during your
Team Time and Department Meetings. Please feel free to come to me with any questions or
concerns.
Focus of Inquiry: Instruction includes a range of techniques such as direct instruction,
facilitation, and modeling.
Summary Statements:
During the final debrief, the visiting team came to consensus on the following themes that
emerged from the evidence from across the set of classroom observations:
Summary Statement #1
In all classrooms there was evidence of content-specific vocabulary to support instruction in
standards-based lessons.
Evidence to Support the Statement
In 8 of 8 classrooms, standards-based objectives (KUDs) were posted or made clear.
In 8 of 8 classrooms, a variety of vocabulary teaching techniques were observed (i.e. word
walls, vocabulary blocks, recitation, songs, etc.)
23
Teachers provided a variety of instructional strategies to target learning objectives and
provide access to content.
In 7 of 8 classes, technology was used to support student understanding.
In 7 of 8 classes, prior knowledge was activated to support new concepts.
In 6 of 8 classes, students worked in small groups or pairs.
The learning environment supported student engagement and participation.
In 8 out of 8 classes, students were engaged in the learning activity.
In 6 out of 8 classes, students were willing to take risks.
Quick Wins:
To address some of the challenges that emerged, we ask that all school faculty:
Provide assignments requiring differentiated products that will challenge all learners based upon
assessment (pre-assessment and formative assessment).
Provide opportunities for purposeful and varied student collaboration.
Learning Walkthrough Team Participants:

Nancy Adamoyurka
Mary Lyons-Sosa
Kristen Amos
John Provost
Nancy Cheevers
Diana Smith
Becky Dimino
Lesley Wilson
Terry Habel
24
Bridge Street School

Beth Choquette, Principal
2 Parsons Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: 413-587-1460
Fax: 413-587-1474
To:
Cc:
From:
Date:
Cross the Bridge to Learning
Staff and Faculty of Bridge Street School

Superintendent, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Key Central Office Staff
Beth N. Choquette, Principal Bridge Street School
12/17/14
On December 17th, seven colleagues divided into two teams conducted a Learning
Walkthrough from 9:40-11:45 a.m. Together we visited eight classrooms, collecting evidence
related to our Focus of Inquiry (below). At the culmination of the Learning Walkthrough, the
team met to discuss the patterns observed across the classrooms. The following information
conveys the major themes that emerged.
The schools Instructional Leadership Team will consider this information in relation to the
priorities outlined in our School Improvement Plan, noting where we are doing well and where
additional effort and resources might be needed to improve student learning school-wide. Quick
wins that we believe all of us can easily put into motion are highlighted at the end of this memo.
We hope you will also find this information useful for your own individual practice or for
discussion during your Common Planning Time. Please feel free to come to me with any
questions or concerns.
Focus of Inquiry: Instruction includes a range of techniques such as direct instruction,
facilitation, and modeling.
Summary Statements:
During the final debrief, the visiting team came to consensus on the following themes that
emerged from the evidence from across the set of classroom observations:
Appropriately scaffolded instruction and differentiated materials, manipulatives, and
technology were used to support student understanding.
In 7 of 8 classrooms technology was used to support differentiated instruction.
In 7 of 8 classrooms differentiated materials or resources were used to support all learners.
In 5 of 8 classrooms manipulatives were used to enable students to explore concepts.
25
Purposeful delegation of staff roles and intentional student grouping fostered student
independence.
In 7 of 8 classrooms, students engaged in student-centered learning.
In 6 of 8 classrooms, the classroom teacher, special educators, and/or ESPs shared
responsibility for teaching all students.
In 5 of 8 classrooms, students collaborated in small groups or pairs to achieve the lesson
objectives.
Quick Wins:
Use strategies like think-pair-share or turn and talk to increase student engagement in
content discussions.
Reduce reliance on commercially-produced worksheets to target student interests and learning
objectives.

Dr. John Provost, Superintendent; Dr. Nancy Cheevers, Director of Curriculum and Instruction;
Beth Choquette, Principal; Carol Ruyffelaert, 4th Grade Teacher; Jed Dion, 5th Grade Teacher;
Janet Korzenowski, Kindergarten Teacher; Casey Matthias, Preschool Teacher.
26
January 13, 2014
To: Staff and Faculty of Northampton High School

Cc: Superintendent, Learning Walk Through Team
From: Bryan Lombardi, Northampton High School
Date: January 13, 2015
On Tuesday, January 13, 2015, 9 colleagues divided into 3 teams and conducted a
Learning Walkthrough from 8:30 - 10:15. Together we visited 9 classrooms, collecting
evidence related to our Focus of Inquiry (below). At the culmination of the Learning
Walkthrough, the team met to discuss the patterns observed across the classrooms.
The following information conveys the major themes that emerged.
The schools Instructional Leadership Team will consider this information in relation to
the priorities outlined in our School Improvement Plan, noting where we are doing well
and where additional effort and resources might be needed to improve student learning
school-wide. Quick wins that we believe all of us can easily put into motion are
highlighted at the end of this memo. We hope you will also find this information useful
for your own individual practice or for discussion during your Common Planning Time.
Please feel free to come to Chris Brennan or me with any questions or concerns.
Focus of Inquiry: Instruction includes a range of techniques such as direct
instruction, facilitation, and modeling.
Summary Statements:
During the final debrief, the visiting team came to consensus on the following themes
that emerged from the evidence from across the set of classroom observations:
In all classrooms, learning activities were structured to activate prior knowledge.
In 8 of 9 classrooms teachers used questioning techniques to refresh student
recall of concepts that had been taught in the previous units within the year.
In 8 of 9 classrooms learning activities required students to use skills and
knowledge that had been taught previously.
27
In 9 of 9 classrooms lessons were scaffolded to support all students
understanding.
In 7 of 9 classrooms, teachers provided written or oral questions to help students
identify key skills and concepts.
In 6 of 9 classrooms teachers used technology to scaffold instruction.
In 8 of 9 classrooms the teacher varied the learning activity during the 20-minute
observation period.
In 7 of 9 classrooms a combination of small group work and teacher-led
discussion was observed.
In 2 of 9 classrooms a combination of student presentations and teacher-led
discussion was observed.
In 6 of 9 classrooms, students learned and applied thinking and reasoning
strategies through think alouds modeled by the teacher and/or supported by
peers.
In 5 of 9 classrooms, teachers modeled thinking and reasoning strategies.
In 3 of 9 classrooms, students worked in pairs to challenge each others thinking.
28
In 5 of 9 classrooms, students collaborated in small groups.
In 6 of 9 classrooms, students were seated in groups of 2 to 5.
In 5 of 9 classrooms students worked together on problems or practical activities
to apply content knowledge.
Quick Wins:
Pre-assess students using methods such as: lists, brainstorms, single-problem
check-ins, bell-ringers, do nows, formal tests and quizzes, and use the
information to adjust practice.
Use strategies such as calling on students who are not volunteering or assigning
exit tickets to gauge all students learning and adjust instruction.

John Provost, Superintendent
Nancy Cheevers, Director of Curriculum and Assessment
Bryan Lombardi, Principal
Chris Brennan, Associate Principal of Academics and Curriculum
Barbara Bitgood, World Language Teacher
Sue Crago, English Teacher
Mark Hanson, Math Teacher
Kathy Keough, Math Teacher
Melanie Samolewicz, Special Education Teacher
Bryan Lombardi
Principal
Northampton High School
29
Student Achievement
In certain classes there was sort of a lack of challenge.
-Student
Overall, Northampton student achievement showed a slight increase in English Language Arts
and a slight decrease in mathematics in 2014. Student performance varied considerably by
subject, school, and student subgroup. The charts that follow show student performance trends
of various student subgroups by attending school. Student performance is reported in terms of
the Composite Proficiency Index (CPI). Massachusetts uses the 100-point Composite
Performance Index (CPI) to measure progress towards the goal of narrowing proficiency gaps.
The CPI assigns 100, 75, 50, 25, or 0 points to each student participating in MCAS and MCAS
Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt) tests based on how close they came to scoring Proficient or
Advanced (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2014).
Accountability Report-About the Data). Retrieved from:
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/accountability/report/aboutdata.aspx#Achievement)
Figure 10 ELA Achievement Trends, All Students
30
Figure 11 ELA Achievement Trends, HIgh Needs Students
Figure 12 ELA Achievement Trends, Low Income Students
31
Figure 13 ELA Achievement Trends, Students with Disabilities
Figure 14 Math Achievement Trends, High Needs Students

32
Figure 15 Math Achievement Trends, Low Income Students
Figure 16 Math Achievement Trends, Students with Disabilities

33
As part of its No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver request, Massachusetts replaced the single
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) target for students in the aggregate with customized
performance targets for each student subgroup. Based upon the baseline student performance
scores obtained in 2011, targets were set that would require all students to continue to
demonstrate annual progress and would require accelerated performance improvements from
lower-performing subgroups so that the size of the performance gaps between subgroups would
be reduced. The waiver also created a five-level Framework for Accountability and Assistance
in which each school would be assigned to one of the levels based upon their success at
meeting the student performance targets for two student subgroups: All Students and High
Needs Students. The High Needs Subgroup is an unduplicated count of all students in a school
or district belonging to at least one of the following individual subgroups: students with
disabilities, English language learners (ELL) and former ELL students, or low income students.
The determination of an Accountability and Assistance Level is based not only upon the most
recent year of student performance, but upon a weighted average of performance over the past
4 years. The charts that follow show performance trends and targets for the two student
subgroups used to obtain school Accountability Levels. The district also receives an
Accountability and Assistance Level equal to the level of the lowest school in the district.
Currently, Bridge Street and Leeds are classified as Level 3. Therefore, the entire district is
classified as Level 3.
Figure 17 ELA Target Gap Bridge Street
34
Figure 18 ELA Target Gap Jackson Street
Figure 19 ELA Target Gap Leeds

35
Figure 20 ELA Target Gap Ryan Road
Figure 21 ELA Target Gap JFK

36
Figure 22 ELA Target Gap Northampton High School
Figure 23 Math Target Gap Bridge Street

37
Figure 24 Math Target Gap Jackson Street
Figure 25 Math Target Gap Leeds

38
Figure 26 Math Target Gap Ryan Road
Figure 27 Math Target Gap JFK

39
Figure 28 Math Target Gap High School
Northampton High School students also have the opportunity to participate in assessment
through the Advanced Placement (AP) Program and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). With more
than 600 tests administered annually, Northampton has a very high participation rate in AP
testing. About 75% of Northampton test-takers obtain qualifying scores of 3 or better, indicating
that they are ready for college-level work. SAT participation rates and scores are also very high
at Northampton High. On the three SAT subtests, Northampton students exceed the statewide
average by 43 to 61 points.
Other important measures of student achievement at the high school level include postgraduation outcomes such as college enrollment, students requiring remedial coursework in
their freshman year of college, credits earned in freshman year, first-to-second year college
persistence, and college degree completion. Northampton students exceed the statewide
average post-secondary enrollment rates in the aggregate and in every single subgroup. The
student subgroup that exceeds its cohort by the greatest margin in postsecondary enrollment is
male students. The student subgroup that exceeds its cohort by the slimmest margin in
postsecondary enrollment is female students. Although Northampton High graduates enroll in
postsecondary education at higher rates than their peers across the state, they have a lower
first-to-second year college persistence rate. The lower persistence rate has the effect of
bringing the second-year postsecondary enrollment rate of Northampton students in line with
statewide averages.
40
Table 8 shows postsecondary enrollment trends for all NHS student subgroups with 20 or more
students in each of the last three graduating classes for which data is available. (Post
secondary enrollment data for the class of 2014 is not yet available.)
Table 9 shows first-to-second year postsecondary persistence rates for all NHS student
subgroups with 20 or more students in each of the last three graduating classes for which data
is available. Persistence data for the class of 2013 is not yet available.
41
Special Education
We need to look at where we are not including kids and why we are not including them.
-Parent
Nearly twenty-two percent (22%) of Northampton Public School students are identified as
students with disabilities. This exceeds the statewide identification rate of 17.1%. Of the seven
DESE selected populations (i.e. First Language not English, English Language Learner, LowIncome, Students with Disabilities, Free Lunch, Reduced Lunch, and High Needs), the students
with disabilities population is the only group for which the incidence in Northampton is higher
than the statewide average. Because other variables, especially income and English language
proficiency, have been found to be relevant in predicting disability rates, a comparison of
districts with similar populations of low income and LEP students might provide a more
reasonable basis for comparison than the statewide average. Table 10 shows the incidence of
selected populations in districts with similar rates of low-income students, English language
42
learners, and students whose native language is not English. Surprisingly, the average rate of
disability identification for this subgroup is slightly lower than the statewide average of 17.1%.
Students with disabilities at Northampton High School outperform the statewide averages for
their subgroup on MCAS, but at most elementary and middle school grade levels and subjects,
they underperform the state mean for their subgroup. At 70.2%, the graduation rate for
Northampton students with disabilities exceeds the statewide average.
Among Northampton students with disabilities aged 6-21, 50.4% are educated in fully inclusive
settings (defined as being within the general education classroom for 80% or more of the day).
This makes the Northampton special education program significantly less inclusive than the
typical Massachusetts special education program, in which nearly 60% of students with
disabilities are fully included. The four-period block schedule is a major driver of the low
inclusion rate at Northampton High because each period accounts for 25% of the students
academic day, so even one special education class per semester results in significant student
removal from the general education setting. Northampton also educates a larger than average
proportion of its students with disabilities in separate settings. The Special Education Parent
Advisory Council (PAC) highlighted this issue during their Entry Plan interview. One of the PAC
members said, We need to look at where we are not including kids and why we are not
including them. A review of current high school course selections by students with disabilities
revealed that honors and AP classes accounted for less than 3% of the total course load for
students with disabilities in all grade levels and that fully a third of all the courses they will take
will be taught by just 10 teachers.
Prior audits, such as the CSDA report (2012) have noted that Northampton spends a larger than
average portion of its budget on special education (p.44). In fiscal year 2013, Northamptons
special education spending amounted to 24.7% of the budget as compared to the statewide
average of 20.9% (Massachusetts Department of Education, Special Education District
Expenditure Trends). In the same fiscal year, 32% of the special education budget was spent to
educate students in private special education schools, as compared to the statewide average of
43
about 29%. About one third of the remaining 68% of the Northampton special education budget
goes to ESP salaries. Most of the rest is used for salaries for various types of special
educators. The high rate of special education spending is surely linked to the high rate of
identification and to the restrictive service delivery model. Both the Student Services Director
and PAC president spoke of the need to develop a special education service delivery model that
directs more resources toward special education teachers as opposed to ESPs or out-of-district
placements.
The district was cited for failing to fully implement 19 different requirements for special
education programs at the time of its last Coordinated Program Review (2009). Among its
findings DESE listed the following conclusions:
A review of student records, interviews, and parent surveys indicate that the program selected
is not the least restrictive environment for students (p.13);
Interviews and surveys indicate that when related services are interrupted for extended periods
of time, the school district does not inform parents in writing(p.14);
...there are several gaps in the continuum that prevent the district from providing supports and
services to special needs students.(p.20);
...assessments are not tailored to assess specific areas of educational or related
developmental need for limited English proficient students.(p. 27);
...particularly at the elementary and high school levels, students are not assessed in all areas
of suspected disability.(p. 28);
In addition, staff and parent interviews indicate that students are identified as eligible for special
education services due to a lack of instruction in reading or mathematics.(p. 34)
Special education programming was a topic of concern at both of the parent forums.
Participants in these forums expressed particular concerns about the districts special education
interventions for students with reading deficits. The Student Services Director explained that
the high student identification rate, combined with the over-reliance on ESPs results in
caseloads that are too high for teachers to manage effectively at the high school level. She
described the special education program at the elementary level as a patchwork of
interventions.
PAC members, participants in the parent forums, and the Student Services Director all spoke of
the history of special education in Northampton as being rife with conflict but as becoming
markedly more collaborative under the leadership of the current Student Services Director. The
PAC leadership and current director agree that many of the districts past practices in special
education have been corrected, and that the Coordinated Program Review scheduled for the
spring of 2015 will result in far fewer findings of non-compliance. Financial records show a
sharp decline in the incidence of litigation resulting from special education disagreements in
recent years. The high degree of alignment between the perspectives of the PAC and the
Student Services Director bodes well for future efforts to improve special education
programming. There seems to be broad agreement that program descriptions and intervention
models need clarification, programming needs to become more inclusive, and that within the
special education program funding needs to be shifted from ESPs and out-of-district tuitions to
professional special education staff.
44
School Finance
We moved here in 2005 and every year we watched the budget shrink.
-Parent
All Massachusetts districts must report their educational spending according to a uniform
procedure in what is known as the End of Year Report. The information in this section is
derived from the end of year reports. Prior to the 2013 Proposition 2 override, the
Northampton Public Schools experienced a series of several consecutive difficult budget cycles.
From fiscal years 2011 through 2013, educational spending in Northampton remained
unchanged in terms of total spending and on a per-pupil basis. During this same period,
average per-pupil education spending in Massachusetts increased 7%. Within the district,
changes in funding varied considerably over the same period of time. Education funding at
Bridge Street School and Ryan Road fell both in terms of the total budget and on a per-pupil
basis. During this three-year period per-pupil spending at Bridge Street and Ryan Road
declined by 9% and 1%, respectively. The other four schools saw funding increases both in
terms of total spending and on a per-pupil basis. Funding for JFK increased the most over this
period. Figure 29 displays building-based instructional funding trends over this three-year time
period. Financial information for all schools and districts for fiscal year 2014 is not yet available.
Figure 29 School Instructional Resources
45
Adding in the other district finance functional spending areas (i.e. administration, operations and
maintenance, insurance and retirement programs, etc.) yields a similar result. At the beginning
of the three-year period beginning in 2011, per-pupil expenditures for all school functions in
Northampton were $1,286 less than the statewide average. By 2013, the spending gap had
grown to $1,495. Much of this gap is due to regional differences in staff salaries, so local
comparisons are helpful in interpreting the school spending trends. Ludlow is a nearby, similarly
sized municipal school district. In 2011, Northampton spent $483 more per-pupil than Ludlow.
By 2013, Northampton was spending $57 less per student than Ludlow. Figure 30 shows total
district spending per-pupil for Northampton and Ludlow as compared to the statewide average
during this three-year period.
Figure 30 Total Per Pupil Expenditures

The result of this period of level funded budgets has been the loss of resources for learning,
such as an elementary librarian, that could have a positive impact on student learning, the
shifting of costs to families, and increasing difficulty maintaining modern instructional materials
and technologies needed to provide a 21st century learning experience for our students.
46
English Language Learners and Students Whose First Language is not English
More POC (People of Color)/staff diversity
-Identified at Parent Forum as a focus area for district improvement
Twelve percent (12%) of Northampton students are English Language Learners (ELLs) or
Students Whose First Language is not English. Among those whose first language is not
English, 77% have Spanish as their native language. As a group, this population of students
demonstrates the largest achievement gaps with their peers and with the statewide averages for
students within their subgroup. This subgroup also lacks visibility within the outcome data
because there are many schools and grade levels at which the number of ELLs fails to reach
the 10-student minimum needed to calculate an achievement level percentage or the 20-student
minimum needed to calculate a median student growth percentile. However, these students are
a very important and growing demographic group within the Northampton Public Schools. With
Northampton ELL proficiency rates of less than 10 percent for both mathematics and English
Language Arts, the achievement gaps experienced by ELLs in Northampton have been
especially pronounced and persistent.
Thirty-five percent (35%) of students whose primary language is Spanish are also identified as
students with disabilities, and more than seventy-five percent are identified as low-income. The
confluence of multiple risk factors within this population has been noted to lead to confusion
about which student support programs are most appropriate for individual students who are
ELLs. Staffing levels to support ELLs vary greatly at the elementary level, and this leads to
questions of equity and access for ELLs. There is a perception that some students who are
ELLs are inappropriately identified as students with disabilities.
Title I
More support for low income families (outreach/programs), long term commitment to low
income communities
-Identified at Parent Forum as a focus area for district improvement
Title I is a federal program that provides support to schools and districts with high numbers or
high percentages of students from low-income families. Schools in which less than forty percent
(40%) of the enrolled students are low-income are designated as targeted-assistance programs
and may only use the teachers and supplies funded through Title I for low-income students.
Schools in which more than forty percent (40%) of the enrolled students are low-income are
designated as school-wide programs and may use Title I funds to support any students. Based
upon the demographic characteristics of the students, Bridge Street and JFK are currently
targeted-assistance programs. Ryan Road and Jackson Street are currently school-wide Title I
programs.
Since 2012, the Title I grant allocation for Northampton has increased about 10% from $338,851
to $372,616. By comparison, the overall Title I allocation for all Massachusetts districts has
seen little change during the same time frame. The allocation is based upon census data from
the period two-years prior, so the increase in Title I funding for Northampton reflects the trend of
the increasing number of low-income residents discussed in other sections of this report.
47
Title I services can be used to provide supplemental services but not to implement the core
educational program. Northampton has been using its Title I services to provide interventions in
reading and mathematics for qualifying students at the elementary schools and at JFK. Overall,
the performance of students eligible for Title I services has shown improvement at Jackson
Street School over the past four years. Similar performance improvements have not been
experienced by Title I students in the other schools receiving funds.
Technology
We are going to go from maybe 10 to 20 percent of people using the system all the time to 80
and 90 percent, including kids.
-NPS Administrator
Instructional technology in the districts elementary schools is not on a par with that at the
middle or the high schools. The 2012 District Review found three deficits in the districts use of
technology: 1) lack of up-to-date software and hardware, 2) lack of expertise in using technology
to analyze data, and 3) lack of time for data-rich discussions of teaching and learning. The
second two of these problems have been corrected, mainly through training and ongoing
support from the District and School Assistance Center (DSAC). Since the time of the District
Review, the district has trained school-based data teams, implemented new information
systems to manage student information, curriculum development, and educator evaluation, and
opened data portals to parents at the middle and high school levels.
It has taken longer to gain traction on the first of the three identified problems (i.e. providing
sufficient quantities of up-to-date hardware). According to the Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education FY 13 Per Pupil Expenditure Report, in the year
following the release of the District Review, Northampton spent $20.42 per student on
classroom instructional technology, instructional hardware, and instructional technology. This
compares to a state-wide average of $75.24 in per-pupil expenditure for these three budget
functions. The district is currently implementing an initiative to provide reliable WiFi coverage at
each of the schools, but at the time of this writing, only the high school has a functioning schoolwide WiFi system. Once the wireless infrastructure is in place, an immediate need will be
providing a sufficient number of devices in each school.
World Languages
Were blessed here in Northampton to have World Language in the Middle School.
In grades 6 through 12, the Northampton Public School District provides students with the
opportunity for seven years of uninterrupted study of Spanish or French. In grades 7 through
12, students have the opportunity for seven years of uninterrupted study of Latin. Although the
Massachusetts Foreign Languages Curriculum Framework (1999) suggests that an
uninterrupted sequence of foreign language study beginning in elementary school is necessary
for students to attain the highest level of proficiency in a second language, maintaining foreign
language programs below the high school level in a time of extreme fiscal constraints has been
a challenge for many districts. Even before the era of wholescale program cuts stimulated by
the Great Recession, a study of foreign language teaching found only 60 Massachusetts
48
districts reporting foreign language course offerings below the 7th grade (Massachusetts
Department of Education, 2002). Given this context, Northamptons sustained commitment to
world language education is all the more impressive.
Leadership
You are my eighth superintendent, so you know, what I think everybody needs is just stability.
-NPS Administrator
In the past four years, Northampton has experienced three transitions of leadership at the
superintendent level, five transitions at the principal level, and four transitions of key central
office positions. Although there is a paucity of empirical evidence concerning the optimum
length of tenure for school leaders, both stage theory and change theory suggest that a leader
needs to be in place for at least five to seven years to have a significant positive effect on
organizational performance (Louis, et al. 2010). Currently only three school or district leaders
have at least five years of service in their current position. On the one hand, the implications
are daunting, on the other hand the potential for school improvement is high if the rate of
leadership transition can be slowed.
Northampton experienced these transitions of leadership during the Massachusetts
implementation of Race to the Top (RTTT), a period of urgent change in state and federal
education policy. Instability of leadership during this period of an accelerated education reform
agenda led to some confusion and varying levels of compliance with the different RTTT
mandates. With respect to the implementation of District-Determined Measures (DDMs) and
Standards-Based Curriculum, many within the district have expressed confusion as to why
these have been designated as priorities and how their implementation is to proceed.
In some ways, the Race to the Top agenda seems to have supplanted the District Improvement
Plan (DIP) in terms of a program of actionable strategic initiatives. Although many of the current
DIP objectives will be achieved prior to its expiration date, it seems that much leadership activity
in recent years has been focused on meeting the Race to the Top mandates.
The principals authority to make staffing decisions is clearly established, but district budgets
have sequestered large portions of the appropriated funds in district-wide cost centers, thereby
constraining the principals ability to exercise significant budgetary discretion within their own
cost centers. At the elementary level, the presence of district-wide programs within each of the
individual schools creates a matrix structure that at times can lead to confusion over roles and
responsibilities.
It seems that the professional development of school and district leaders has been a very low
priority. None of the currently serving administrators has participated in an induction program
for administrators as is required by state law. The lack of a formal district professional
development program for administrators has not prevented them from working together as a
high-functioning team. Known collectively as the ALT team, this group has a clear sense of
purpose, effective structures to organize its work, and the capacity to enter into creative tension
without compromising trust. At this summers administrative retreat the ALT team identified the
49
following five core values which provide a framework of accountability for each individual
leaders behavior:
Bravely advocate for children

Give the team your best (attention, ideals, etc.)
Encourage questions; encourage each other
Present a unified perspective
Support the work of teachers
Communication
If the students education is to be properly done, the parents have to be involved.
A very strong theme emerging from multiple sources consulted during this phase of the entry
plan is that the communication around some district initiatives, especially the changes to middle
and high school math program, was insufficient for some stakeholders. With respect to this topic
in particular, the sense that one gets is that many of the communication attempts have been
only partially successful because the discussions were more characteristic of efforts at mutual
persuasion than a genuine search for common understandings.
Co-Curricular Subjects
The arts brings with it a certain passion.
-Teacher
The diversity of co-curricular programs offered by the Northampton Public Schools are a source
of pride for students, staff and the wider community. With nearly all students taking visual and
performing arts classes at JFK Middle School and Northampton High School, these classes
provide truly inclusive learning environments that are reflective of the entire student body.
Students and Northamptons co-curricular programs have distinguished themselves by obtaining
many honors including the following:
Gold and Silver medals in the Boston Globe Scholastic Art Contest
Gold medal in the National New Media Contest
Winning the Massachusetts Congressional Art Contest
Gold medals and Platinum medals at the Great East Music Festival
Gold medals and 2 Silver medals at the Massachusetts Association of Jazz Educators
Jazz Festival
The one exception to the richness of the co-curricular offerings within the district is the paucity
of physical education (PE) programming at the high school level. An ad-hoc subcommittee has
begun working to develop recommendations for an expanded high school PE program.
50
Athletics and Activities

Learning to be healthy is very important and needs to be a focus of comprehensive education.
About half of Northampton High School students participate in some form of athletics. In most
sports, Northampton competes at the Division 1 level. The home of the Blue Devils is the Frank
E. Tudryn Athletic Complex, a modern sports facility with a lighted, multipurpose natural turf field
and a rubberized synthetic track. Most home events are held at the Tudryn Athletic Complex,
the Northampton Aquatic Center at JFK Middle School, or in the high school gymnasium.
These facilities are augmented by the fields and indoor track at Smith College. In many sports,
both the boys and girls teams enjoy a successful and storied history. Northampton also fields
several teams in the non-MIAA sanctioned sport of Ultimate Frisbee.
To participate in athletics, students pay a fee. The fees are waived or reduced for students who
are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Based upon this years participation, about 16% of
student athletes are eligible for free or reduced lunch. This suggests that low-income students
are under-represented in the athletic program despite the fee waiver.
Students at Northampton High School and JFK Middle School can participate in a number of
clubs and activities in addition to interscholastic athletics. At JFK, these opportunities include
Student Council, theater, science, outing, newspaper, yearbook, GSA, student of color alliance,
student civil rights team, jazz band, and J.F.Keys acapella. At the high school the list of clubs
and activities includes: arts and crafts, Best Buddies, Caught off Guard, ceramics, debate team,
Devils Advocate, environmental club, gamers club, GSA, homework club, Improv Troupe,
Interact Club, International Womens Rights, InvenTeam, Key Club, Speak of the Devil, Model
UN, mountain bike club, photography, ping pong club, Quiz Bowl, Red Cross, robotics, ski club,
Student Senate, Teen Advocacy Group, theatre club, theater tech, ukulele club, vegan club, ski
club, woodworking and the Young Republican Club. Data collected on student activity
participation shows that about sixty-three percent (63%) of 8th graders and eighty-nine percent
(89%) of 10th graders participate in at least one school club or activity.
Concluding Remarks
Many conditions for school effectiveness are present to a marked degree within the
Northampton Public Schools, and many students are flourishing. However, as these findings
have shown, not all students, schools, and programs are doing as well as they could. In the
months ahead our task as a learning community will be to prioritize the district performance
issues identified in these findings, seek the root-causes for areas of underperformance, and
develop a strategic plan to address our most pressing systemic issues. Building on the
abundant strengths of the district, there is every reason to believe we shall be equal to the
challenges that lie ahead.
51
Works Cited
Barnes, G., Crowe, E., & Schaefer, B. (2007). The impact of teacher experience: Examining
the evidence and policy implications. Washington, D.C. National Commission on
Teaching and Americas Future.
Louis, K., Leithwook, K., Whalstrom, K. and Anderson, S. (2010). Investigating the links to
improved student learning: Final report of research findings. Learning from Leadership.
University of Minnesota.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2014). Accountability
Report-About the Data. Retrieved from:
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/accountability/report/aboutdata.aspx#Achievement)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 2014. FY 13 Per Pupil
Expenditure Report. Retrieved from:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/finance/statistics/ppx13.html
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2010). Learning
walkthrough implementation guide.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (1999). Massachusetts
foreign languages curriculum framework.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2009). Northampton
Public Schools coordinated program review report of findings.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2012). Northampton
Public Schools district review.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (20022). What we know
about foreign language teaching and learning in Massachusetts PreK-12: Teacher
supply, teacher quality, student coursework and student achievement.
https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/DLSReports/DLSReportViewer.aspx?ReportName=O
verrideUnderrideCapStab&ReportTitle=Override,%20Underride,%20Stabilization%20Ov
erride%20and%20Capital%20Exclusion%20Votes
Massachusetts Department of Revenue. (2014). Override, Underride, Capital Exclusion and
Special Purpose Stabilization Override Fund Votes, FY83 through Present. Retrieved
from:
https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/DLSReports/DLSReportViewer.aspx?ReportName=O
verrideUnderrideCapStab&ReportTitle=Override,%20Underride,%20Stabilization%20Ov
erride%20and%20Capital%20Exclusion%20Votes
Rice, J. (2010). The impact of teacher experience: Examining the evidence and policy
implications. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in
Education Research.
52
United States Census Bureau. (2014). State and County Quick Facts. Retrieved from:
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25/2546330.html
U.S. Department of Education. (2007). Schools and staffing survey (2003-04) [Data file].
Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
53
Appendix
Notes from the Parent Forum with Superintendent John Provost, Ed.D.
Monday September 15, 2014
Jackson Street Elementary School Library, 6:00-8:00 pm
Childcare provided by 5 NHS National Honor Society Students
Spanish Interpreter Services provided by Carmen Montes
In Attendance:
Damon Douglas, Carmen Montes, Sarah Madden, Bue DuVal, Kathie Bredin, Mary Cowhey,
Tammy Maginnis, Paula Baretsky, Jara Malikin-Sirois, Luz Garcia, Lee Feldscher, Tom Baird
and Mariah Leavitt.
Topics Discussed:
What is going well in the school system?
Relationship with YMCA, AP Classes, Prop. 2 1/2 passed, Families of color are active in
Families with Power, Bridge St. Principal good at communication, good principal collaboration,
school gardens, efforts to involve parents, Natures Classroom, PTO's, School Culture, good
English dept., overall kids are happy, Advisory groups, PE Program - JFK, Twitter (builds
positive connections), swimming pool, Jackson St. sensitive to student needs, respect for
diversity, Bridge St. diversity committee, new playground at Bridge St., quality teachers, good
reputation, Wright Flight, strong core values, lots of involved parents, community involvement,
nice families, nice facilities-swimming pool, spelling bee.
What does the school system need to work on?
Technology, better tech. support, professional development, parent education, Wifi in all
schools and access, arts throughout schools, art, instrumental instruction at elementary,
orchestra at JFK, lots of losses of years, tapping into community resources, following lead of
exemplary teachers, extra curriculum, science curriculum - especially in the elementary
schools, Math, PD around meeting the needs of all students-high and low end, clear articulated
curriculum available to parents, later high school start time, more emphasis on writing in middle
and high school, food service-health and quality, sports at middle school, access to sports for
low income students, easier access to special education/earlier identification/intervention,
resistance by school to offer special education, more support for transition of special education
students to careers, broader educational opportunities, losing many kids to charter school,
address perception of district, more support for low income families (outreach/programs), long
term commitment to low income communities, family engagement, refer to Ryan Road's
previous program with Margie Riddle, more money for sports, more flexibility for classes for
gifted students, JFK had reputation as strong team/weak team, more strong teachers, more
communication (school to parents, two households, adding email), help for students
transitioning from JFK to High School.
What is the overall quality of the various programs being provided by the school
system?
Nature's Classroom, science fair at JFK, AP offerings at high school, high school art teachers
are strong, JFK chorus and band, strong school culture at elementary level, reading
54
support/intervention happening too late, English at JFK, cultural council programs, gap between
elementary and middle/high, consistency questions, special education difficult for complicated
students - improvement is needed and doesn't fit established categories, sports-needs to be
more accessible and better funded, reading, writing-stronger at younger grades, needs more
writing, special education needs better support for reading and writing across grades,
intervention teachers needs specialized training and smaller groups meeting kids where they
are to meet high expectation not just lower and louder.
What must be maintained at all costs?
Academics (Math, English, Science, Social Studies), small class sizes, quality teachers,
adequate support for teachers including variety with styles and curriculum, ELL programs
maintained and expand, special education - meeting student's needs, Physical Education recess, team sport, developmentally appropriate early childhood focus, diversity of teachers and
teaching styles, strong principals that support teachers and all parents, focus on compassion
and social responsibility, dedication to closing the achievement gaps, parent engagement.
Summary:
Improve:
Special Education and Early Intervention
Tier Instruction, work on providing high-quality programs from K-12
Strengthen Arts in K-5 - ensemble & drama
Community Involvement
Diversity
Quality Education - qualified Staff
Parent Involvement
Special Education
Technology
Family Engagement - long-term commitment to low-income families
Promote Northampton Schools
Communication
Curriculum
55
Notes from the Parent Forum with Superintendent John Provost, Ed.D.
Tuesday September 23, 2014
JFK Community Room , 7:00-9:00 pm
Childcare provided by NHS Key Club Students
Spanish Interpreter Services provided by Carmen Montes
In Attendance:
Damon Douglas, Carmen Montes, Blue DuVal, Todd Thompson, Jason Berg, Laura Fallon,
Jenna Lanterman, Louangie Bou-Montes, Wendy Bernstein, Jennifer Gottlieb, Renee Wetstein,
Michaela O'Brien, Tina White, Marlene Pearson, Tina Ingmann, Tom Jordan, Camille
Cammack, Betsy Yount and Elba Heredia
Topics Discussed:
What is going well in the school system?
Star teachers (committed, passionate, communicative, high expectations for students), nurturing
schools, strong sports at NHS, theater program at NHS, great music & band at JFK, seamless
transition from elementary to JFK and JFK to NHS, NHS Honor program, 6th grade format,
smaller teams, segregated, JFK forums, NHS Advisory program, PTO
communications/directory, accessible teachers, safe school culture, creative teaching at
Jackson, Ryan Rd., and JFK, fresh new principals on leadership and energy board at
elementary schools, tax payers, YES on override, NEF, before/after school at Jackson & Leeds,
inclusion, responsive classroom, community support, playgrounds, phone trees, access to
grades, Google docs.
What does the school system need to work on?
Efficient IEPs (realistic goals), early school start, more POC staff/diversity, too many new
initiatives and mandates, too much time spent on standardized tests, retention of staff at JFK &
NHS, staff trained to work with behavioral challenges or PBIS at every elementary school,
Science instruction (more and better at JFK and elementary), more diversity in Literature
curriculums, honoring socioeconomic diversity within the city, star teachers mentoring
colleagues in classroom settings, more academic rigor and challenge across all grades, use
more technology to support struggling students, In classroom building professional development
and fewer subs, fewer student teachers in NPS, return accelerated options at JFK, commit to
technology evenly across schools, better integration JFK and NHS curriculum, more leadership
for teachers, differentiated instruction, higher expectations and more challenge for students
doing well, training for principals, Math instruction, healthy food.
What is the overall quality of the various programs being provided by the school
system?
Band at JFK, arts across district is positive but under supported, process based writing t
elementary is impressive but too many worksheets, Social Studies and English at JFK is
fantastic, after school at Leeds is great, JFK is inconsistent and lack of academic challenge,
lucky with individual teachers; leadership lacking, Nature's Classroom, NHS sports (too much
emphasis and time), NHS does a great job with AP, Jackson St. PE is awesome and has
walking program, gardening at elementary level, Science programs are weak, mixed and
inconsistent by school, JFK very mixed by teacher, too many kids in learning strategies and too
many diagnoses, lunch and food could use improvement, not enough programs to build solidity
56
among minority children, bussing is inefficient, lack of technology instruction across the board,
not enough technology restriction (phones allowed at NHS), JFK computer instruction is
inconsistent, elementary curriculum is inconsistent by school and classroom teachers,
technology support(helped with children's needs-IPAD).
What must be maintained at all costs?
Transportation (K-JFK, K-NHS), arts/specials (K-12), sports (access to all), classroom support
(ESPs, elementary vice principals, Bilingual, parent involvement in schools and classrooms,
guidance (NHS), academic challenge/options for all levels, technology for all and engagement,
communication with parents is lacking , professional development, healthy food, class size, safe
environment, academic rigor (not to be confused with test prep), schools that we can be proud
of, excellent teachers (not to be confused with highly qualified ) (retain/reward/ and use
mentors), access to Smith College classes, honors classes at NHS (leveled).
SUMMARY:
What's going well:
Co-Curriculum Activities
Communication
Strong staff
Community
What do we need to work on?
Special Education/PBIS
Diversity
More Academic Rigor
Professional Development with Teachers & Administrators
Building Teacher & Principal Leadership
Science/Technology/English/Math
Curriculum Alignment -contributed by Superintendent
Consistent application - contributed by Superintendent
Suggestions from parents:
Host a Curriculum Night
Accountability - progress with changes
Post FAQ on website (answering common parent questions)
57

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Northampton Public School District

Superintendents Entry Findings

Artwork- Grade 5 Students

John A. Provost, Ed.D

Presented to the Northampton School Committee

Community Support for Learning

Figure 1 Selected Populations Enrolled at Bridge Street School

Figure 2 Selected Populations Enrolled at Jackson Street School

Figure 3 Selected Populations Enrolled at Leeds School

Ryan Road School

Figure 4 Selected Populations Enrolled at Ryan Road School

JFK Middle School

Figure 5 Selected Populations Enrolled at JFK Middle School

Northampton High School

Figure 6 Selected Populations Enrolled at Northampton High School

Northampton Early Childhood Center

Figure 7 Northampton Preschool Enrollment by Risk Factor

Public and Private Competition

Figure 8 Northampton Resident Enrollment by School Type

Teachers and Teacher Evaluation

Figure 9 Staffing Age by Full-Time Equivalents

John F. Kennedy Middle School

Learning Walkthrough Team Participants:

Bridge Street School

Cross the Bridge to Learning

Staff and Faculty of Bridge Street School

Learning Walkthrough Team Participants:

January 13, 2014

To: Staff and Faculty of Northampton High School

Learning Walkthrough Team Participants:

Figure 10 ELA Achievement Trends, All Students

Figure 11 ELA Achievement Trends, HIgh Needs Students

Figure 12 ELA Achievement Trends, Low Income Students

Figure 13 ELA Achievement Trends, Students with Disabilities

Figure 14 Math Achievement Trends, High Needs Students

Figure 15 Math Achievement Trends, Low Income Students

Figure 16 Math Achievement Trends, Students with Disabilities

Figure 17 ELA Target Gap Bridge Street

Figure 18 ELA Target Gap Jackson Street

Figure 19 ELA Target Gap Leeds

Figure 20 ELA Target Gap Ryan Road

Figure 21 ELA Target Gap JFK

Figure 22 ELA Target Gap Northampton High School

Figure 23 Math Target Gap Bridge Street

Figure 24 Math Target Gap Jackson Street

Figure 25 Math Target Gap Leeds

Figure 26 Math Target Gap Ryan Road

Figure 27 Math Target Gap JFK

Figure 28 Math Target Gap High School

Figure 29 School Instructional Resources

Figure 30 Total Per Pupil Expenditures

Bravely advocate for children

Athletics and Activities

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