Impact
Data
A hallmark of the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership is our reliance on data to analyze progress and improve outcomes. And the numbers don’t lie. Here are some of our most impressive stats:
School Improvement
In the two years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic:
6 schools in Massachusetts exited “underperforming” status.
2 of the 6 schools were SEZP schools: Chestnut Tag Middle School and Duggan Academy.
The highest improving school in the state was an SEZP school: school 1: Chestnut Tag Middle School.
School Progress
In the five years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, five SEZP schools made strong progress:
- Duggan Academy moved from the 1st to the 15th percentile, with 30% of students scoring proficient in ELA, and 32% in Math, in the state’s accountability rankings.
- Chestnut TAG moved from the 9th to the 65th percentile.
- Springfield Honors Academy ranked 17th in the state in ELA and 58th in Math.
- Rise Academy Middle School and Rise Preparatory High School quadrupled the number of students proficient in math and doubled the number of students proficient in ELA.
Graduation and Dropout Rates
From 2017 to 2021, the four-year graduation rate at SEZP’s High School of Commerce increased by 40% — despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
High School of Commerce Graduation Rates
From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the percentage of dropouts at Commerce decreased from a high of 10.39% to a low of 1.74%.
High School of Commerce Dropout Rates
Student Projected Growth
according to Fall—Winter MAP Testing, 3-Year Comparison
There was an 8 point increase from 2020-21 to 2021-22 in the percentage of all SEZP students meeting their projected growth from Fall to Winter in both ELA & Math.
Percent of Students Meeting Projected Growth
All Students | Fall to Winter
In 2021-22, 83% of SEZP middle schools are above 2019-20 levels of students meeting projected growth in ELA.
In 2021-22, 100% of SEZP middle schools exceed 2019-20 levels in Math, with eight of our schools having over half their student populations meeting their projected growth.
Percent of Students Meeting Projected Growth
Middle School | Fall to Winter
Similarly, in 2021-22, our Exceptional Learners saw large improvements in the percentage of students meeting their projected growth compared to previous years.
Percent of Students Meeting Projected Growth
Exceptional Learners | Fall to Winter
Source: Fall to Winter MAP Testing, 3-year Comparison
Student Culture and Engagement
In the 2020-2021 academic year:
suspensions substantially decreased at 9 Zone schools
attendance increased at 10 Zone schools
chronic absenteeism decreased at 10 Zone schools
Parent Satisfaction
According to nationally normed 2021 survey results of surveyed parents:
74
approve of the Zone’s
expectations for teachers
73
approve of
school leadership
69
would not change their student’s
school if given the opportunity
