For the fifth year in a row, Bristol-Warren's Rockwell School has made the state’s list of Commended Schools, the highest classification offered by the RI Department of Eduction. Results were from RIDE’s 2015 ‘Report Card.’
To receive Commended status, a school must receive a score of 90 or above — Rockwell scored a perfect 100, one of only four schools to earn a perfect score, along with Barrington's Middle School and Nyatt School, and Providence's Classical High School.
Tiverton's Fort Barton School is the only other school that has received the commended status for five straight years. Statewide, just 22 schools were listed as Commended this year.
Scoring schools
The Rhode Island Department of Education classifies schools by using an index based on four criteria — proficiency levels, gap closure, student growth and graduation rate. Points are associated with each criteria.
• Proficiency levels — 40 possible points — Student performance on the 2016 PARCC assessments
• Gap closure — 30 possible points — Narrowing the achievement gap between the lowest-achieving students in the school and the "performance standard for 'meeting expectations' on PARCC assessments
• Student growth — 30 possible points — Annual improvement for each tested student in the school
• Graduate rate — 30 possible points (for high schools only) — The rate for high school students in the Class of 2015
Bristol Warren schools scores
Mt. Hope High School
Kickemuit Middle School
Rockwell School
Colt Andrews School
Guiteras School
Hugh Cole School