Arlington Middle School faces takeover; state ed board could vote this month

By Zach Church
Staff writer

Lawrence - The state is considering a takeover of the city's Arlington Middle School, a move that could mean the firing of teachers and the principal there.
Acting Education Commissioner Jeff Nellhaus has recommended Arlington Middle - along with five other schools in the state - for Priority 1 status, which labels a school as "chronically underperforming" as defined by state law.
Nellhaus' recommendation comes after staff and students at Arlington Middle School failed to meet adequate yearly progress, the MCAS-based, long-term goal set for public schools last year. Targets weren't met for math scores in 2006, though they were met for English language arts scores.
Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy said he believes the school's performance has been "mischaracterized" and unfairly grouped with failing schools in Springfield and Holyoke. He said he will make a presentation to the state Board of Education at its Jan. 22 meeting and ask that it not be classified Priority 1.
The designation is being suggested for Arlington Middle School, which serves students in grades five through eight. It does not apply to Arlington Elementary School. Both are in the Arlington Educational Complex on Arlington Street on the northern border of the city.
If the board did vote to make the school Priority 1, it would allow the state to remove Principal Juan Rodriguez and require Laboy to install a new principal. That new leader could then dismiss teachers with good reason and without the encumbrances of some collective-bargaining laws.
Rodriguez could not be reached for comment.
The state also could require the Lawrence School Department to commit more money to the school if it is found that Arlington Middle is not receiving its fair share of per-pupil money.
"It's a very, very serious situation," teachers union President Frank McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin stopped short of saying the school should be declared "chronically underperforming," but said major improvements are needed. But he decried a lack of communication from school officials, saying the union and teachers were not kept abreast of the situation with the state.
"Changes need to be made and they need to be done on sound principles of education reform, so we really need to see the details," he said.
As for the firing of teachers, McLaughlin dismissed the idea and said failures at Arlington Middle are not the "fault" of teachers.
Each school labeled Priority 1 by the state receives $75,000 toward the hiring of a "turnaround partner," which could be an individual or an organization brought in to improve education at the school, state Department of Education spokesman J.C. Considine said.
"The bottom line is we expect the school to articulate a plan whereby it can accelerate improvement such that the school can make AYP (adequate yearly progress) for English language arts and math for two consecutive years," Considine said.
Making a school top priority "will intensify the (state education) department's involvement in the design and pace of the school's improvement work," Nellhaus wrote in a December memo to the board.
"In some cases, that involvement may include the selection of a turnaround partner ... who can deliver a more significant level of support to accelerate improvement in student performance at the school," he wrote.
Laboy appeared before the Board of Education on Dec. 18, telling members that Arlington Middle has been hurt by staff turnover, a transient population and the fact that most students in Lawrence speak Spanish as a primary language, according to minutes kept of the board's meeting.
An October state report on Arlington Middle shows "unacceptable" performance in math and a "poor" ability to support "future gains in student achievement."
Students received an "excellent" mark for attendance. Marks of "fair" came for performance in English and the staff's ability to conduct and refine improvement plans.
Currently, Arlington Middle is one of six Lawrence schools in restructuring. That means it has continuously failed to meet state set adequate yearly progress marks and must create and implement a "fundamental reform plan" that could include changes in staff, according to state Department of Education guidelines.
"There are several schools in Lawrence that are not far behind the Arlington," McLaughlin said.
As a district, Lawrence schools failed to make adequate yearly progress in 2006, but managed some progress in math in 2007. The district is in what is known as corrective action, which requires schools to take action meant to meet education goals. Those actions can include a complete overhaul of curriculum or the appointment of a trustee to run the district in place of the superintendent and the School Committee, among other options.
Currently, two schools in Fall River and one in Holyoke are in Priority 1 status.