Forest Grove Middle School
Worcester Public Schools District (WPS)
District Overview
The city of Worcester has a multitude of public elementary and secondary schools located throughout the city. Worcester offers numerous educational opportunities for students as an urban public school system in the state of Massachusetts. There are 45 schools in the Worcester Public Schools district, with a 94 percent attendance rate for an enrollment of 25,044 students. At this time (Fall 2020), 100 percent of the classrooms in this district are on the Internet. There is a 14.2 to 1 student/teacher ratio and about 74 languages are spoken in the schools in this district. During the typical school year, 24 sports are offered for students to participate in.
The district's mission statement is "to provide all students the opportunity to advance their scholarship with a rigorous core curriculum and high quality instruction. This enables students to discover the expanse of their academic talents, shape the quality of their character, and develop the confidence to become conscientious, reflective citizens who are empowered to better our community and our world." [2], [7]
District Demographics
From the 25,044 students enrolled in this district, the majority are Hispanic (43.1%), followed by the next largest population of students is White (29.1%). 16.9% of students are African American, 6.4% are Asian, 4.2% are multi-race, non-Hispanic, and 0.2% are Native American. The Student Race and Ethnicity data graph is shown above. [8]
80.1% of the students in the Worcester Public Schools district are high needs. 59.7% are economically disadvantaged and 58.5% of students' first language is not English. 31.7% of students are English Language Learners (ELLs) and 20.9% are students with disabilities. The district's selected populations data graph is shown above. [8]
District Academic Performance
The Worcester Public Schools district falls into the "Substantial progress toward targets" accountability classification; the district does not require additional assistance or intervention. The district is making 52% of progress toward improvement targets. From 2019 results, the district was partially meeting expectations in measurements of Next Generation MCAS for all subjects (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Tech/Eng) and grades (3-8, 10). The Massachusetts DESE did not issue school, district, or state accountability determinations for the 2019-2020 school year, nor did they administer Spring 2020 MCAS for the 2019-2020 school year due to the ongoing pandemic and the cancellation of state assessments and school closures.
Currently, 65% of students enroll in postsecondary opportunities, while the district aims for 76% of WPS students to do so in 2023. [8], [9]
Forest Grove Middle School (FGMS)
School Overview
Forest Grove Middle School serves both the seventh and eighth grade levels in the West/Central region of Worcester, with a 14.0 to 1 student/teacher ratio. As of 2019, there were 938 students enrolled. FGMS prioritizes academic excellence by placing special emphasis on educating the whole child, taking a personalized approach to reach the needs of all students.
FGMS strives to provide high achievement for every student, rigorous and relevant activities, social emotional learning, family and community involvement, access to advanced opportunities, and interventions and supports. [4]
School Demographics
From the 938 students enrolled in this school, the majority are White (37.7%), followed by the next largest population of students is Hispanic (36.7%). 14.4% of students are African American, 6.3% are Asian, 4.6% are multi-race, non-Hispanic, and 0.3% are Native American. The Student Race and Ethnicity data graph is shown above. [4]
70.6% of the students in FGMS are high needs. 51.5% are economically disadvantaged and 48.1% of students' first language is not English. 15.7% of students are English Language Learners (ELLs) and 18.7% are students with disabilities. The school's selected populations data graph is shown above. [4]
School Academic Performance
Forest Grove Middle School falls into the "Moderate progress toward targets" accountability classification; the school does not require additional assistance or intervention. The district is making 49% of progress toward improvement targets and fits into the 11th accountability percentile. From 2019 results, the school was partially meeting expectations in measurements of Next Generation MCAS for all subjects (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Tech/Eng) and grades (3-8), just above district results. The Massachusetts DESE did not issue school, district, or state accountability determinations for the 2019-2020 school year, nor did they administer Spring 2020 MCAS for the 2019-2020 school year due to the ongoing pandemic and the cancellation of state assessments and school closures. [4]
Anna Eng
WPI Teacher Preparation Program
aeeng@wpi.edu