New Bedford’s Parker School On ‘Underperforming’ List, Kuss In Fall River Rises

Parker Elementary School in New Bedford is one of 4 schools in Massachusetts that faces possible state takeover due to it's low performance on the annual MCAS exams.  Meanwhile, Kuss Middle School in Fall River has been moved off of that list.   As a matter of fact, Kuss is now one of the state's top performing middle schools.

For three years, the state has been monitoring the progress at Parker, and it is being considered for state receivership.   The Department of Secondary and Elementary Education Commissioner would not comment on what exactly that would mean for the staff at Parker.  Some School Committee members said that they hoped changes put into place by the new Superintendent Pia Durkin will buy time and allow the school to remain under local control.

In Fall River, Superintendent Meg Mayo-Brown announced that Kuss Middle School had moved from a level 4 to a level 1.