Lincoln-Bassett Aces The Math Test

Connecticut State Department of Education Commissioner (CSDE) Dianna Wentzell was on hand Thursday to lead a round of applause and a victory lap for Principal Janet Brown-Clayton, her staff, and the parents at the Lincoln-Bassett School in Newhallville.

That’s because Lincoln Bassett, a ​“Commissioner’s Network” school that for two years has been struggling mightily to turn itself around with state help, placed number two in Connecticut among high-needs students for growth in math.

“Lincoln-Bassett is one of our superstars,” the commissioner declared.

The commissioner chose to recognize the K‑6 school as her department released the results of student growth analysis of the Smarter Balanced standardized test scores, the first year Connecticut has been able to release results of how kids in what are called ​“matched cohorts” for how much learning has taken place among the same youngsters as they moved from third to fourth grade, for example.

Smarter Balance exams replace the old CMTs (Connecticut Mastery Tests) in that the results, rather than reflecting one-time performance, show how much growth each kid has attained,based on goals set for each student, according to the CSDE press release.

Showing ​“growth” as opposed to one-time ​“achievement” is the mantra of measurement now with the CSDE. Lincoln-Bassett’s success by those more accurate measures, according to the commissioner, should be modeled statewide.

Across the state, Connecticut students on average achieved 63.8 percent of their growth targets in English language arts and 65 percent of their growth targets in math.

In New Haven students at Lincoln-Bassett on average achieved 94.6 percent of their growth targets — a third higher than the state average — with 69.4 percent meeting their acutal targets.

Interim Schools Superintendent Reggie Mayo also called out for praise the Quinnipiac Real World Math STEM School, which achieved 86.2 percent of its growth targets, with 61.5 percent actually meeting targets in English and Language Arts (ELA).

He also cited the Strong School, Conte West Hills, and the West Rock school. All the results can be viewed on the state’s website.

In an hour-long discussion Thursday among staff, ed officials, and parents, the main reasons emerging for Lincoln-Bassett’s success were: improvements in school attendance, dramatic reduction in suspensions, the active presence of reading and math ​“interventionists,” the provision of Chrome books, computer carts, projection screen in the cafeteria and other technologies not previously present; a highly committed staff provided with innovative staff development time; and perhaps above all wrap-around services provided by the Boys and Girls Club and ConnCAT extending the school day by four hours.

Some of these new inputs have become possible since Lincoln-Bassett became part of the state’s Commissioner’s Network, schools in need of major turnaround, which are infused with additional funds and flexibility to accomplish their aims.

There are 17 schools in the network. The network had a line item in last year’s budget for $9.8 million, of which Lincoln-Bassett has received $450,000.

That money pays for the before- and after-school programming, a reader interventionist, an attendance and technology staffer, a ​“refocus coach” to deal with kids in danger of suspension, and 170 Chrome books and other technologies, said Stephanie Skiba, the school’s operations manager.

Of course, it is all about leadership as well.

Brown-Clayton created a motto for the students — ​“Lincoln-Bassett where eagles soar and failure is not an option” — and another for the staff: ​“Truth over artificial harmony.”

“That includes dealing with institutional racism in a school that is 95 percent African-American and the staff is not [reflective of that],” said Brown-Clayton.

Among the most moving testimonials were those of the parents who hailed the involvement of the teachers and the before- and after-school programs, which enable them to leave the kids early and pick them up late if their working lives require it.

Renee Carmichael, who has a first grader in the school, said, ​“I can contact the teachers any time. I texted [her son’s teacher] at night about the homework, and he gave me pointers.”

Another parent said she was on the verge of taking her kids out of the school before the turnaround Brown-Clayton and her staff effected, but no longer.

Wathia Kelly, who has a sixth grader in the school [she’s also the school’s clerk], recalled that ​“two years in a row [her daughter] had substitutes for most of the year.”

No longer. And the reading interventionist has helped her child in critical ways. ​“If I could keep my daughter here to graduate high school, I would. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I can’t wait to see where” [next the school goes in its turnaround saga], she added.

“We need to amplify your stories,” Wentzell said to make the case to sustain Commissioner’s Network funding.

“You saw the turnaround,” she said to the parents. ​“You’re witnesses.