Weston reports gains on Smarter Balanced and SAT; plans targeted curriculum work

Tina Henkel presented the district’s culminating goals and standardized assessment results to the Board of Education on Sept. 15, reporting that Weston met its district targets across grades 3–8 on Smarter Balanced assessments and improved SAT math performance. Henkel said district Smarter Balanced performance rose to 81% overall from 78% the prior year and that SAT math improved to 72% from 62% the previous year. She noted variability by grade: grade 6 math rose markedly with multi‑year gains after sustained use of Illustrative Mathematics, while grades 3 and 5 showed some dips in ELA linked to recent curriculum changes and implementation adjustments. Weston’s science results (Next Generation Science Standards) averaged 85% proficiency in grades 5, 8 and 11, up from 84% the prior year. Henkel explained science testing is administered only in those three grades and emphasized the literacy and navigation demands of the assessment. Henkel also discussed subgroup reporting limits: several subgroup data points were suppressed publicly because sample sizes were under 20. She said the district will consider using the state’s “high needs” subgroup — which aggregates students eligible for free or reduced lunch, multilingual learners and students with disabilities — to preserve confidentiality while tracking gaps; she noted that 48% of high‑needs eighth graders met proficiency in the public data available. The presentation closed with planned action steps for 2025–26: continued curriculum implementation and professional development, support for co‑teaching models, restorative practices and expanded parent engagement opportunities. A fuller district improvement plan will be presented in October. Board members asked for comparisons with neighboring districts and whether course sequencing explains high 11th‑grade science scores; Henkel said course offerings are similar across nearby districts and that the NGSS assessment emphasizes scientific practices and content literacy rather than a single biology/chemistry sequence. The board also agreed to provide a detailed SAT report in November that will include superscore and longitudinal context.