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Cambridge Public Schools Benchmark Report

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The Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) Benchmarks were developed by principals and central office administrators from standards derived through state testing programs, TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), the use of standards in other states, and accepted research from experts in the field of education. The benchmark documents are a result of a review of this body of knowledge tempered by the experience of CPS administrators, teachers, and school councils. They will serve as an accountability tool for schools and the district. In addition, the benchmarks will help the community to understand overall student achievement and progress in closing the achievement gap in our city’s schools.

The CPS Benchmarks are comprehensive …show more content…

They are also determined for subgroups of students in order to measure the extent to which the school/ district has addressed the achievement gap. Students are categorized into subgroups as defined by the NCLB legislation.

There are four major changes in the 2005-2006 Benchmark report from prior years. The first is that the gap analysis has been changed to compare groups of students to standards, not one ethnic/racial group versus another, (eg not white students in Cambridge compared to African American students in Cambridge). Each group of students is compared to a standard of proficiency. This change responds to the concerns expressed by some members of the community (in particular concerns expressed by the NAACP as well as others), and makes the Benchmarks easier to read and interpret.

The second change is that the MCAS data is reported using the Composite Performance Index (CPI). The CPI is used by the state to determine Adequate Yearly Progress. It is a comprehensive indicator of progress, and it is the indicator used in the CPS Goal Statements. A third change is that we are comparing our MCAS results to the state results. Finally, we have added additional statistics to the document by including two different measures of reading at 3rd grade level, also a part of the CPS

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