Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy: Highest Percentage in RI for Proficient and Proficient with Distinction
Cumberland, RI– The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) released comprehensive scores today for every school and all students tested last October in grades 3-8 and 11 using the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP).
Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) Mayoral Academy has the highest percentage—94%— of eighth grade scholars who were proficient or proficient with distinction in math in the state!
Scholars at BVP surpass the state NECAP averages in every content and every grade level— by double digits in half of the grades and contents tested. BVP scholars who identify as Latino also scored proficient or better by an average of 30 percentage points higher than their peers statewide.
Eighth grade scholars scored 37 percentage points higher than the state average in mathematics. Latino BVP eighth graders performed 57 percentage points higher than the state average for Latinos.
«These results show that we can make a difference in turning around our public education system. Every child deserves to go to a great school, and the tireless efforts of our teachers and families are paying off,» Cumberland Mayor Dan McKee said. «While work remains, Blackstone Valley Prep is showing promising results with some of our most challenged communities, and my dream is to make sure every student in our town and in Rhode Island will have an opportunity to achieve at these levels.»
BVP was recently in the news when Middle School math teacher Marielle Emet won a 2013 National Milken Educator Award. Earlier in the year, an art teacher at the same school, Michelle Turner, also earned the distinction of RI Co-Elementary Art Educator of the Year.
«There are many reasons for the success of our scholars, among them the fact that we are proud to have some of the best teachers in the country,» said Executive Director Jeremy Chiappetta. «It’s proven that early success in literacy and other content areas predicts not only high school graduation rates, but success in college and careers. Our scholars don’t come to us naturally prepared for the hard work that this success requires. Our scholars come to us from all types of socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. We have Title I support. But each and every one of our scholars is defying the myth that demographics define destiny. All of it has been made possible through the hard work of our amazing teachers, who are literally changing their scholars’ futures and lives.»
With great teachers and results comes high demand for enrollment. This year already, BVP has received 1658 applications for 189 seats. The lottery application deadline is February 21.
For further information and to view the full NECAP results, please visit our website at www.blackstonevalleyprep.org.
More information about the scores
BVP currently enrolls its middle school scholars starting in the fifth grade, which means that BVP’s fifth grade scores reflect the achievement of students coming from over 30 other schools. Next year is the first year that BVP’s fifth graders will enroll from BVP Elementary School 1.
About Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy
Blackstone Valley Prep (BVP) Mayoral Academy is a network of tuition-free public schools chartered by the Rhode Island Department of Education. As a growing network that is part of the Charter School Growth Fund portfolio, BVP offers a high quality public school choice to the families of Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln and Pawtucket and currently serves nearly 1,000 scholars in grades K-8. A member of the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies network, BVP’s mission is to prepare every scholar for success in college and the world beyond. More information can be found at www.blackstonevalleyprep.org.
About Rhode Island Mayoral Academies
The mission of Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA) is to support the statewide growth of mayoral academies, which are high-performing, diverse, regional public schools governed by mayor-led school boards. RIMA works towards this mission by recruiting extraordinary school operators and leaders to open mayoral academies; supporting mayoral academies from the application stage through the first years of growth; and cultivating mayors across Rhode Island to become leaders in improving public education.