Case Study: Bentley Academy Charter School jumps from Level 4 to Level 1 and exits turnaround status with Kickboard

Bentley Academy Charter School Jumps from Level 4 to Level 1 School, Exits Turnaround Status

Bentley Academy Charter School, a K–5 public school in Salem, MA that serves a high‑needs student population, faced state‑mandated turnaround after years as one of Massachusetts’s lowest‑achieving schools (Level 4). To address chronic low achievement and behavioral challenges, the school adopted the Kickboard school culture system in 2014 to track and reinforce schoolwide expectations and its five core values through teacher‑recorded feedback and a Bentley Bucks incentive program.

Using Kickboard’s platform and professional development, Bentley implemented real‑time behavior tracking, weekly paychecks for families, and data‑driven interventions; the results were dramatic. With Kickboard’s support the school moved from Level 4 to Level 1 in 2016 (one of only two schools statewide to do so), saw a 50% drop in Level 3 infractions (from 14 to 7), double‑digit gains on state accountability measures (CPI rising to 79.8 ELA / 84.0 Math), higher student growth percentiles, and reduced suspensions and office referrals.

Bentley Academy Charter School

Marlena Afonso

Head of School