Letter to the Editor: Hold Schools Accountable

To the Editor:

As many are well aware, (the) Westborough public schools are supported with the bulk of the budget from a high tax area and have increased fees from families to further support themselves with funds.

However, the bang for the buck is not there.

(The) Westborough schools are requesting more money from their community at the same time that the schools are dropping in ratings and performance.

Westborough set up the school grade assignment process to avoid any accountability for student performance. Students begin taking the MCAS in third grade. By having elementary schools serve students from Kindergarten to third grade, there is no way to show growth in the elementary schools, as there is only one score and teachers do not receive that score until their students are attending Mill Pond in fourth grade. However, when all Westborough children go to Mill Pond, they are then attending a Level 2 School, a school that is not performing at the top level in Massachusetts.

Further, Mill Pond being Level 2 makes all of (the) Westborough public schools Level 2. One in four districts in Massachusetts are Level 1. Westborough could not even make that level.

It is time for change--change in the elementary school administration including all elementary schools--Mill Pond and all schools feeding into it.

More importantly, it is time to change the school district administration and the school committee. How dare they ask for more money, for what, more of the lackluster mediocre? Families and taxpayers deserve better.

It is time to hold the school committee and the administration accountable, despite their concerted effort to hide accountability by creating more transitions and spending more on transportation than is possibly necessary. It is time for a change.

Danielle Carrigo

Westborough