One in five Cranston students fell below Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment System (RICAS) benchmarks following the latest round of testing.

And already this school year, 10% of Cranston’s public school district population is “considered chronically absent,” according to school leaders.

On Tuesday morning, the Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team released a statement aimed at “parents and guardians.”

‘Not meeting expectations’

Newly released RICAS results show that district-wide, more than 20 percent of Cranston’s students are “not meeting expectations” in both Math and English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA).

“It is important to remember that standardized test scores are just one part of our educational picture,” the Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team wrote to parents. “They are not performance based, and they are not a complete reflection of the achievements of our students, who are so much more than their test scores. Our district scores do not reflect each student’s individual growth and performance.”

And although, district-wide, 20.5% of Cranston’s students are not meeting expectations in Math, and 21.8% are not meeting expectations in ELA, the city’s scores were higher than statewide scores.

Math scores ticked up slightly compared to last year’s scores (in 2022-23, 23% of students did not meet expectations in Math), but ELA scores fell (last year, in 2022-23, only 20.8% of Cranston’s students did not meet ELA expectations).

“That said, our scores are not where we would like them to be, and we have not yet fully rebounded to pre-pandemic levels,” according to school leaders. “This reflects a nationwide trend and a regional trend.”

State-wide, 23.6% of Rhode Island’s students are not meeting expectations in Math, and 26.5% of the state’s students are not meeting expectations in ELA, according to results posted on the Rhode Island Department of Education’s (RIDE) Assessment Data Portal.

Citywide City Councilor Nicole Renzulli provided a response to the school leadership team’s letter.

“As a track coach, long-time runner, and mom with two girls in Cranston Public Schools, I understand deeply that education is a marathon, not a sprint and I appreciate CPS using that metaphor,” Renzulli wrote Tuesday morning. “But any seasoned coach knows you still need clear milemarkers to track progress. The latest RICAS scores show we're not running at the pace our community expects, despite incredible dedication by teachers and support staff.”

Cranston school administrators are examining the data and promised a more detailed breakdown soon.

“We are currently reviewing all of our data and will have a summary of how our specific schools performed soon,” they pledged to parents.

DAS & MLL

The Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team reminded parents that the district is “widely diverse” and has “a growing Differently-Abled Student (DAS) population and a rapidly growing Multilingual Learner Population (MLL).”

In fact, data shows Cranston’s MLL population doubled over the past eight years. In 2015, the district had 514 students for whom English was their second language; and by 2023, that number soared more than 100%, to 1,083, according to RIDE data.

“Standardized tests are particularly challenging for those two groups of students,” according to the Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team. “Mental health also continues to be a challenge for our students and impacts their learning, and we are working harder than ever to support our students and their families.”

Quoting a 30-state analysis by Harvard's Center for Education Policy Research, school leaders told parents that “the average student has recovered about one-third of their pandemic-era learning losses in math and a quarter in reading.”

The state also focused on the region’s booming MLL population growth. According to a RIDE slideshow presentation titled “Rhode Island Assessment Results 2024” the Ocean State has experienced “#1 growth in the nation in terms of % Multilingual Learner (MLL) enrollment increases from 2010 to 2020; the fifth “highest overall MLL enrollment % in the nation and highest in New England.”

According to RIDE, the state also has the tenth “highest percent of differently abled students among the 50 states and DC,” or about 19 percent of the student population (“or nearly 1 in 5 students in the 2023-24 school year, compared to 1 in 6 in 2019-20”).

Days Off

Playing hooky may also be contributing to low test scores.

“Chronic absenteeism has had a serious impact on our district scores,” according to school leaders. “Although chronic absenteeism is improving in Cranston and we are currently just below the state median, we still have large numbers of chronically absent students in every school. As of today, just seven weeks into the school year, approximately TEN PERCENT of our district population is already considered chronically absent. Students can’t learn if they aren’t in school.”

For now, school administrators are formulating a plan to tackle absenteeism and low test scores.

“We want to assure you that we are continuing the hard work that it takes to get our scores back to pre-pandemic levels,” school leaders promised parents and guardians. “Our teachers and staff are working tirelessly to provide a personalized, hands-on education, helping students catch up and excel, and we use high quality curricula in ELA, math and science.”

Some curriculum changes have possibly yet to impact overall scores.

“Our staff has been trained in the Science of Reading, which is an approach to teaching reading based on decades of research and evidence,” according to school leaders. “We recognize that it takes some time to see the results of all new programming. This is a marathon, not a sprint. However, we can assure you that attendance by all students every day is a critical piece in reaping the benefits of these new programs.”

School leaders also urged families to take on a larger role in student performance.

“As we continue our efforts, we also recognize the crucial role that families play in student success,” the Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team wrote, providing “specific ways you can support your child's academic growth.”

The team provided a five-step approach to boosting scores and attendance.

“These practices at home, along with attendance in school every day that a child is well, can significantly complement our work in the classroom and boost your child's academic performance,” school leaders wrote. “We appreciate your continued support and partnership in your child's education. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or school principal.”

Renzulli echoed the call for family involvement.

“As a coach, I don’t judge performance on times alone, but every training program needs both effort and results,” Renzulli wrote Tuesday. “The district's focus on attendance is a step in the right direction — it’s tough to win if you don't show up to practice. But showing up is just the starting line. And we know that while some students have strong support systems at home, many don't. So not only do we need smart investments directly in our classrooms, but we need to work to help the kids and families who have more hurdles than others. This isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about building the long-term systems needed to help ALL our children succeed.”

Renzulli decided not to seek re-election to her council seat this cycle.

“I may be leaving public office soon, but I will be a parent and coach in Cranston for a long time and I promise to keep pushing for the transparency, accountability, and resources needed to get every student across that finish line,” she said.

Only three outgoing city councilors — Renzulli, a Republican and City Council’s Minority Leader; Ward 5 City Councilor Christopher G. Paplauskas, a Republican candidate for District 15 State Representative; and City Council Vice President Lammis J. Vargas (Ward 1), a Democrat, who will be Rhode Island’s new District 28 state Senator — responded to requests for comment on the city’s RICAS results by press-time Tuesday (no response was received from the office of Mayor Ken Hopkins or his mayoral election opponent, City Councilor Robert Ferri).

“I appreciate and support the efforts the Cranston Public schools are putting in to ensuring our city’s children receive a quality and equitable education,” Vargas wrote Tuesday morning. “It is evident that test scores in Rhode Island are not quite where they should be, standardized testing is just one factor in assessing our public school system performance. However, I do believe this is why it is so important for the state, municipalities, teachers, and parents to continue to work together to achieve the best educational outcomes for all of our students and providing our educators with the tools they need.”

Paplauskas viewed the results through the lens of both a father and a city councilor.

“As a father of two kids in Cranston Public Schools and a City Councilman for (the) last 10 years, I know firsthand how crucial it is to address the challenges reflected in our RICAS scores, especially for our multilingual and differently-abled students,” Paplauskas said Tuesday morning.

He pointed to his ongoing race for the legislature.

“If elected as State Representative for District 15, I will focus on securing more funding for Cranston’s schools,” Paplauskas pledged. “Our teachers need the right resources, and our students deserve programs that truly make a difference. With continued support, I know Cranston's kids can and will achieve so much more.”

FIVE STEPS FOR FAMILIES

Specific ways you can support your child's academic growth:

1. Ensure Regular School Attendance:

○ Strive for Five: Aim for no more than 5 absences per school year

○ Schedule appointments outside of school hours as much as possible

○ Do not take trips outside of school vacation weeks

2. Establish Consistent Homework Routines:

○ Set a regular homework time each day

○ Create a quiet, well-lit study space free from distractions

○ Check your child's assignments daily and offer help when needed

3. Promote Healthy Sleep Habits and Nutrition:

○ Ensure 9-11 hours of sleep for children 6-13 years old, and 8-10 hours for teens

○ Establish a consistent bedtime routine

○ Have a balanced breakfast each morning at home or school

○ Pack or encourage nutritious lunch and snack choices or participate in school lunch

4. Balance Screen Time and Schoolwork:

○ Limit recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours per day

○ Encourage outdoor play or reading during free time

○ Use parental controls to restrict social media access during homework hours

○ Model responsible device use by having "device-free" family times

5. Engage with Your Child's Learning:

○ Ask your children specific questions about what they're learning in school each day

○ Reach out to your child’s teacher when you have questions or concerns or when something at home is impacting your child’s ability to learn

○ Use everyday activities to reinforce learning (e.g., measuring while cooking, calculating discounts while shopping)

(SOURCE: The Cranston Public Schools Leadership Team)