State intervention, accountability, and equity: a comparative analysis of Lawrence and Fall River Public Schools (2011–2024)
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Abstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of varying levels of state accountability interventions in Massachusetts by comparing the 2011 state receivership of Lawrence Public Schools to the concurrent Level 4 status of Fall River Public Schools. Both districts serve similarly underserved populations. Their high concentrations of low-income students, English Language Learners (ELLs), and students with disabilities (SWDs) have long struggled with academic underperformance. Through a qualitative-dominant, mixed-methods design, the study draws on secondary data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), including MCAS assessment results, enrollment and demographic trends, district reviews, and improvement plans from 2011 to 2024. The findings indicate that although both districts experienced short-term academic improvements, particularly among 10th graders during the intervention years, these gains did not sustain themselves. By 2019, only two years after the intervention period concluded in both districts, signs of regression were already apparent. Post-pandemic data indicate that performance levels are now at or below pre-intervention baselines. The study highlights that reforms aimed at test-based performance did not address fundamental issues fueling inequity, such as high teacher turnover, underqualified staff for high-need students, and district leadership instability. Additionally, temporary funding sources such as the School Redesign Grant (SRG) and the School Improvement Grant (SIG) supported short-term initiatives. Still, they did not provide the sustainability necessary for lasting improvements. The study concludes that while state interventions can yield targeted gains, especially in high-stakes grade levels, they often fail to transform the systems and practices that affect the most marginalized students. This research highlights the limitations of test-based accountability measures and advocates for future policy to pair measurable accountability with sustained investment in inclusive staffing, instructional capacity, and school climate. The comparative analysis of Lawrence and Fall River reveals the conditions under which state intervention can lead to meaningful change and those under which it cannot.
Description
2026