Woonsocket+High+School+Fall+2013




 * A report by David Phaneuf **

Introduction

 Since the 1800’s, two factors have remained constant in the city of Woonsocket; immigrants/minorities, and poverty. Starting with French immigrants in the late 1800’s the majority of the residents of Woonsocket live at or below the poverty level. Because of this there has been less importance placed on higher education and more on maintaining a source of income which, for over 100 years, has meant finding a job in the labor force. Also, opposed to other cities, there is no real portion that is better-off than the others. All of these factors have resulted in a cyclical effect causing poverty to be an ever-present part of Woonsocket. Woonsocket high school is the only high school in the city. Statistical averages from the school, compared to the state, are significantly worse across the board, from attendance and graduation rates to standardized test scores.

 This report will cover statistics comparing the socioeconomic status and ethnicity of the Woonsocket population with the performance of the Woonsocket High School student body. This is ideal for those who wish to understand the relationship between the three, along with those who’d want to reform education in poverty-stricken areas.

Community Background

Income/Poverty
 * || **Woonsocket ** || **Rhode Island ** ||
 * **Median Household Income ** || $39,329 || $55,975 ||
 * **Median Family Income ** || $60,071 || $71,724 ||
 * **All families below poverty level ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">18.2% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">8.9% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">All people below the poverty level ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">22.2% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">12.8% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Children under 18 below poverty ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">35.2% ||  ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Females w/ no husband ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">52.3% ||  ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percentage on food stamps ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">20.0% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">14.2% ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">Race/Ethnicity
 * || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">White ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">77.7% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">81.4% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Black/African Americans ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">6.4% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5.7% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Asian ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5.4% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">2.9% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Hispanic or Latino ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">14.2% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">12.4% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">American Indian and Alaska Native ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">0.4% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">0.4% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Total Population ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">41,186 ||  ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Population ages 0-19 ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">10,942 ||  ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> As shown under the Income/Poverty table on the previous page Woonsocket falls below the state average in every statistic, the most notable of these statistics being median household income, families below poverty level and people below poverty level. The average household makes over $15,000 //less// than the state average ($39,329/$55,974). The number of families that are below poverty level (18.2%) is twice that of the state average (8.9%). The percentage of people below poverty level (22.2%) is also much greater than the state (12.8%). Also, 1 in 5 people are on food stamps in Woonsocket as opposed to the state average of roughly 1 in 7. Also, although there is no state average statistic readily available, the data show that a large percentage of those affected by poverty are single women (of which 52.3% of woman are considered in Woonsocket) and children under the age of 18 (35.2% of the population).

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The area where Woonsocket is higher than the state average is the percentage of minorities living there, with an almost 5% difference from the state average. Much of the white population is made up of French Canadian families, who have remained in poverty from when there was a massive increase in French immigrants to work in the mills that made up most of the employment in Woonsocket at the time. There is also a 2% difference in the amount of highly qualified teachers (5% vs 3%) under NCLB standards.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: 26pt;">District Summary

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">NECAP Scores
 * || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11th Grade Math ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">20% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">34% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11th Grade Reading ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">67% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">79% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11th Grade Writing ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">33% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">50% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11th Grade Science ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">12% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">32% ||

<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">Teacher-Student Ratio
 * || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Teachers with Emergency Certification ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">4% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Not Highly Qualified Teachers ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Teacher-Student Ratio ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1:11 || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1:11 ||

<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">Student Body Poverty Info
 * || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Student eligibility for subsidized lunch ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">72% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">46% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Students Receiving Bilingual Services ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">8% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">6% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Students Receiving Special Education Services ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">15% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">20% ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">Safe and Supportive Schools Definitions
 * || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Attendance Rate ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">84% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">91% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Chronic Absenteeism ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">36% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">17% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent Graduated in 2012 ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">64.9% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">77.1% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent dropped out ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">21.7% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11.9% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent Received GED ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3.7% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3.2% ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent still in school ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">9.7% || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">7.8% ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another area where Woonsocket is alarmingly worse than state averages is academic performance. There is at least a 10% difference in 11th grade NECAP proficiency in every category, with the largest gap being science at 20%. Woonsocket struggles to keep students going to classes with a chronic absenteeism rate more than twice that of the state average (36% vs 17%), which is also roughly the same rate as students who dropped out (21.7% vs 11.9%). There is also a large gap in the graduation rate compared to the state average (64.9 vs 77.1). Woonsocket also rates high in the percentage of those who received a GED and those who remained in high school after 5 years.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The areas where the Woonsocket school district rates higher than the state average are, similar to community background, disheartening. The percentage of students eligible for subsidized lunches is a staggering 72%, as opposed to 46% rate of the state. The percentage of students who receive special education services (15% vs 20%) is indicative of a lack of staff who are qualified in that area.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: 26pt;">School Analysis

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">SAT Scores
 * || **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mathematics ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">437 || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">480 ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Reading ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">442 || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">477 ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Writing ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">428 || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">470 ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">AP Exams
 * || **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Number of Exams Taken ** || <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">104 || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5709 ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Number of Students to Take Exam ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">82 || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3458 ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Exams Scored at College-Level Mastery ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">25 || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3264 ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">% Scored at College-Level Mastery ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">24% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">57% ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Book Antiqua',serif; font-size: 14pt;">Safe and Supportive Definitions <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Data show that Woonsocket high school students are at a serious disadvantage at test taking compared to the state, according to SAT and AP score averages. SAT scores were lower in all three areas; Mathematics (437 vs 480), Reading (442 vs 477) and Writing. (428 vs 470). As the table containing AP score statistics shows, the percentage of AP tests taken at Woonsocket High School that made college-level proficiency (24%) a 23% difference from the state average (57%). <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The data under Safe and Supportive Definitions for Woonsocket High School reflect that of the District, with the largest jump being that of chronic absenteeism rising from 36% to 45%.
 * || **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Woonsocket ** || **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Rhode Island ** ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Attendance Rate ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">85% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">90% ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Chronic Absenteeism ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">45% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">17% ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent Graduated in 2012 ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">65.6% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">77.1% ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent Dropped Out ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">21.6% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">11.9% ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent Received GED ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3.8% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3.2% ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Percent Still in School After 4 Years ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">9.0% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">7.8% ||
 * **<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5 Year Graduation Rate ** || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">67.6% || <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">80.8% ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS',sans-serif; font-size: 26pt;">Conclusion

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> As evidenced by the data above, Woonsocket is considerably worse-off than the majority of Rhode Island in terms of both economic status and academic performance and it is important to examine how the two affect each other. Because of the economic status of the city as a whole there is less funding for the school; this suggests there are less qualified teachers and supplies for the students. Teachers who are not experienced in interacting with students usually results in a loss of control over a classroom, resulting in an indifferent demeanor due to being unable to control a rowdy group. This results in less teaching being done and more time attempting to enforcing rules or dealing with problems that may arise. This may attribute to the chronic absenteeism and thus the high dropout rate. Less supplies for the students correlates with the students and their families having to buy them, and with a student body already deep in poverty it’s not unreasonable to assume that these supplies cannot be easily obtained. Another factor that may contribute to the high dropout rate is the number of children in Woonsocket who are below poverty level (35%). Older siblings who are still in high school yet old enough to work may need to focus on earning enough money to support their family. All of these factors have resulted in a cyclical effect, keeping the Woonsocket community in poverty and the student body struggling to keep up with the state average in terms of academic performance, possibly resulting in less of the population going on to obtain a higher level of education and remaining in entry-level, low-income jobs. It’s also important to note that the population of Woonsocket has direct ties to immigration and minority status among its citizens, which is also associated nationwide with poverty. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> If there is one aspect of this report that must be stressed, it’s the implication that poor academic performance is a //symptom// of poverty, not the //cause// of it.

=<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bibliography =

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Infoworks!. (2013) Woonsocket district. Infoworks! Rhode Island Education Data Reporting. November 6, 2013, from []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Rhode Island Kids Count. (2013) Indicators of Child Well-Being Profile of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Rhode Island Kids Count. November 6, 2013, from [].

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">United States Census Bureau. (2013, June). State & County Quickfacts. //U.S. Census Bureau.// November 5, 2013, from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44/4480780.html.