Andover School Report Card: Strong Performance, Typical Growth

ANDOVER, MA — State report cards for the 2020-2021 school year show Andover schools outperformed state averages on most metrics, but student progress on MCAS achievement was more typical.

The district did particularly well on absentee rates; while chronic absenteeism surged statewide through the pandemic, it declined in Andover.

The district report card and report cards for each school are available here.

"We are pleased with the district’s DESE report card for 2020-21," district spokeswoman Nicole Kieser said. "To support student performance in our schools, we are focusing on social-emotional learning and closing gaps in accordance with DESE’s Acceleration roadmap."

The Department of Elementary and Secondary education made no accountability determinations for the 2020-2021 school year, but the report cards include enrollment, MCAS scores and more. According to the district report card, Andover schools outperformed most of the state on most metrics, but in MCAS scores Andover students showed typical growth.

On the 0-100 student progress scale, with higher numbers meaning more progress, Andover scored 39.7 on Grade 3-8 English language arts, 42.1 in Grade 3-8 math, 59.0 in Grade 10 English and 49.0 in Grade 10 math.

Still, Andover scored well on most metrics. In measures including attendance, college attendance, access to the arts, MassCore completion and more, Andover outperformed the state. While MCAS progress was typical, absolute results were higher than the state average, with a larger proportion of students meeting or exceeding expectations.

Every Andover high school graduate completed the MassCore requirements, versus 85 percent staewide.

Like at schools around the country, the 2020-2021 school year looked fairly different in Andover than pre-pandemic years. Enrollment fell nearly 5 percent from 2020 to 2021 in Andover and next-year college attendance fell over 7 percent.

But attendance didn't fall dramatically in Andover as it did in many districts. Chronic absenteeism fell from 7.9 percent to 7.3 percent of students from 2020 to 2021, whereas statewide it rose from 13 percent to 17.7.

"We are proud of our absenteeism rates," Kieser said. "All our staff - teachers, instructional assistants, social workers, student services, administrators worked together to make sure that children were attending school. Even with the interruption of and challenges of the pandemic, we were able to maintain a similar achievement rate districtwide through our hybrid/remote learning models. Prior to the DESE mandate for all Massachusetts schools to return in-person in March 2021, district administrators worked to provide in-person instruction for our youngest learners and began classes for kindergarten and first grade students on March 8th. For reference, Grades 2-5 at APS elementary schools reopened on April 13th, middle schools on April 28th and Andover High School reopened on May 17, 2021."

Andover spent $18,159 per student in 2020, up from $17,263 in 2019.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.