D'Alessandro said the district needed to train teachers "how to teach in a true middle school model."

Most of the district's schools have four middle school teachers, one for each of math, science, language arts and social studies. D'Alessandro said those teachers should have more time during the school week to confer about students' progress.

Prueser said she believes that parents who can afford to send their children to private school will do so. Those who cannot afford private school are finding it increasingly hard to pay to live in Cambridge and eventually leave the city. Consequently public schools have fewer and fewer students.

According to Prueser, most parents say, "We have many options and we have decided we like this private school over the Cambridge Public Schools."

With the battery of standardized tests called MCAS, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, coming up later this term, Superintendent of Schools Bobbie J. D'Alessandro urged parents to have their students take the test but acknowledged it was "difficult on children."

Many parents say the test is too long and puts too much pressure on elementary and middle school students. Some parents prefer that their students not take the exam.

"We have said we will not punish parents" who refuse to let their children take the MCAS, D'Alessandro said. "That is unpopular in the state because we've been asked to do something more critical of parents."