School Improvement Plans

Overview of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993

The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 called for dramatic changes in public education over a seven-year period. Among the major provisions of the Act are greater and more equitable funding to schools, accountability for student learning, and statewide standards for students, educators, schools and districts. By the end of this decade, the Secretary of Education estimates that more than $2 billion new state Education Reform dollars will have been provided to Massachusetts public schools because of the Act's provisions.

Some of the major changes in accountability proposed in the Education Reform Act included these requirements: a school council in every school, continuing education for educators, more authority for every principal, better defined roles for school committees, and clear, concise and measurable statewide standards for students and schools. The capstone is a "high-stakes" test based on the new curriculum standards, which every student needs to pass in order to receive a diploma, MCAS.

Each school in Westford has a School Advisory Council made up of administrators, staff and community members. The School Advisory Council (SAC) works on a School Improvement Plan each year as part of the Ed Reform Act of 1993. These are documents that keep a school focused and on track as school staff work throughout the year towards overall improvement and success for every student. These plans identify areas in need of improvement and set goals and objectives to address those areas. The plans are presented to the School Committee each year with a summary of accomplishments from the previous year.  

The following School Improvement Plans are in PDF format: