New Bedford Schools Flourish and Flounder According to New State Data

Good news and not-so-good news for New Bedford as the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education releases statewide achievement scores.

The good news: the Elizabeth Carter Brooks Elementary School greatly improved it's status from 2015, jumping from a Level 3 school to a Level 1, with the Rodman School improving from Level 3 to Level 2.

However, New Bedford High School remains underperforming, ranking in the bottom 2% of high schools across Massachusetts. New Bedford's Middle Schools are also not faring as well, with Keith, Normandin, and Roosevelt all ranking within the 7-9% range, bringing them close to Level 4 status. A Level 4 ranking would place the schools on notice of a state takeover if they continue to slip to Level 5.

Superintendent Pia Durkin is holding a press conference later this morning at Brooks Elementary to discuss the success of that school, and review the performance of other schools.