• WATCH NOW | Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity Part 3: Worcester Public Schools’ New Literacy Curriculum

• Event slides

In the 2023-2024 school year, Worcester Public Schools adopted a new literacy curriculum for elementary school students called Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA). What is Amplify CKLA and why was it chosen? What do teachers and students have to say about it? What is the district doing to support its effective implementation? 

We answered these questions and more in the third installment of Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity, a series of community forums hosted by the Worcester Education Equity Roundtable exploring student learning and achievement in the Worcester Public Schools. 

Part 3: Worcester Public Schools’ New Literacy Curriculum featured a presentation from Amanda Taylor, WPS Elementary ELA Curriculum Specialist, Colleen Murray, WPS Integrated Coach, and Kate Aselton, WPS Integrated Coach, on the process the district underwent to select Amplify CKLA, what the curriculum looks like at each grade level, educators’ and students’ experiences with it to date, and the district’s strategies for supporting implementation.

This event is available in English and Spanish and is designed for anyone invested in education, including parents, families, educators, policymakers, and community advocates.

Program Overview:

• Welcome | Jennifer Davis Carey, Worcester Education Collaborative

• Amplify CKLA | Amanda Taylor, Worcester Public Schools (WPS); Colleen Murray, WPS, Kate Aselton, WPS

• Panel Discussion and Q&A

Sponsored by the Worcester Education Collaborative and the Worcester Education Equity Roundtable, this event is intended to help our community work together towards a stronger, more inclusive educational system for our children and our community. The Worcester Education Equity Roundtable is generously supported by The Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

• WATCH NOW | Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity Part 2: Monitoring Progress in the Worcester Public Schools

• Event slides

Worcester Public Schools is committed to leveraging a variety of assessment tools to enhance student learning. In Part 1 of our Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity series—a set of community forums exploring student achievement in Worcester—we examined how the district utilizes data from the MCAS, the state’s standardized test. What other data does the district collect to track student progress throughout the year and adjust instruction as needed?

On Monday, January 27, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM, WEC continued the series with Part 2: Monitoring Student Progress in the Worcester Public Schools.

Dr. Marco Andrade, WPS Director of Research and Accountability, provided an overview of the STAR and DIBELS assessments, explained how the results are utilized, and shared general trends from the 2024 beginning-of-year results. Erin McMahon, Principal at Lake View School, then discussed how her school leverages this data. Following the presentations, Dr. Andrade and Ms. McMahon were joined by Mia McDonald, a Worcester Public School parent, for a panel discussion on student achievement in Worcester and the support parents and caregivers believe are critical to ensuring all students reach their full potential.

This event is available in English and Spanish and is designed for anyone invested in education, including parents, families, educators, policymakers, and community advocates.

Program Overview:

• Welcome | Jennifer Davis Carey, Worcester Education Collaborative

• STAR and DIBELS Assessments | Dr. Marco Andrade, Worcester Public Schools

• Lake View School’s Use of Data | Erin McMahon, Worcester Public Schools

• Panel Discussion and Q&A | Dr. Marco Andrade, Erin McMahon, and Mia McDonald

Sponsored by the Worcester Education Collaborative and the Worcester Education Equity Roundtable, this event is intended to help our community work together towards a stronger, more inclusive educational system for our children and our community. The Worcester Education Equity Roundtable is generously supported by The Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

• WATCH NOW | Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity Part 1: MCAS Achievement Data

• Event slides

• Read more about the event (article published by The Worcester Guardian on December 16, 2024)

Worcester Public Schools’ new 5-year Strategic Plan, Our Promise to the Future, sets ambitious goals to increase overall student achievement and close performance gaps for historically underserved students.  What do the latest MCAS results—the state’s standardized assessment—reveal about Worcester’s progress toward these goals? What initiatives are in place to ensure that all students succeed? How do parents and caregivers view these efforts? What additional supports do they believe are needed to help their children thrive?

The Worcester Education Equity Roundtable’s new community forum series, “Charting the Path to Excellence and Equity,” is exploring these important questions as part of a broader effort to examine student achievement in Worcester. 

Part 1: MCAS Achievement Data was held on Monday, December 9th, from 4:30 – 6:00 pm. This event featured two representatives from Worcester Public Schools: Dr. Marco Andrade, Director of Research and Accountability, and Craig Dottin, Principal on Assignment for Student Supports. Dr. Andrade presented the district’s 2024 MCAS results, highlighting performance trends among student groups, providing historical context, and comparing Worcester’s results to similar urban districts. Mr. Dottin discussed key initiatives the district is implementing to support student success.

Following the presentation, Dr. Andrade and Mr. Dottin were joined by Ron Waddell, a Worcester Public School parent, for a panel discussion on student achievement in Worcester. They explored what supports parents and caregivers believe are critical to ensuring all students can reach their full potential.

Program Overview:

Welcome | Noe Medina, Worcester Education Collaborative

2024 MCAS Results | Marco Andrade, Worcester Public Schools

District Initiatives to Support Student Achievement | Craig Dottin, Worcester Public Schools

Panel Discussion | Ron Waddell, WPS Parent; Marco Andrade, WPS; Craig Dottin, WPS 

Q&A

Sponsored by the Worcester Education Collaborative and the Worcester Education Equity Roundtable, this event is intended to help our community work together towards a stronger, more inclusive educational system for our children and our community. The Worcester Education Equity Roundtable is generously supported by The Nellie Mae Education Foundation.