School leaders address achievement gaps among black students and multilingual learners

The Sun Prairie Area School District is actively addressing significant achievement gaps among its student demographics, as highlighted in the recent Superintendent's report during the School Board meeting on March 28, 2025. The report revealed that while the overall achievement score for middle school students stands at 72.5% at or above benchmark, disparities persist, particularly among Black students, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners.

Data from AIMSwebPlus indicates that Black students are underperforming compared to their peers from other racial groups, with achievement rates significantly lower than the overall average. Specifically, while Asian and White students are performing above the benchmark, Black students, those identifying as two or more races, and Hispanic/Latino students are lagging behind. The report emphasized that these gaps widen as students progress to eighth grade, with alarming statistics showing only 31.3% and 45.8% of certain groups meeting benchmarks.

The district is committed to tackling these challenges through targeted "problems of practice" aimed at improving instructional frameworks and supporting school leaders in implementing effective site plans. The Superintendent noted that despite the persistent gaps, there has been steady growth in literacy achievement across all student groups over the past six assessment cycles, indicating progress in addressing these disparities.

As the district continues to focus on closing these achievement gaps, the community can expect ongoing efforts to enhance educational outcomes for all students, particularly those who have historically faced challenges in academic performance. The commitment to equity in education remains a priority as the district seeks to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed.