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Norwalk posts gains across state tests, district officials say growth outpaces state averages
Summary
District data presented at the Sept. 12–13 retreat showed year‑over‑year increases in ELA, math and science proficiency, improved growth metrics and stronger results for several historically lower‑performing subgroups, officials said.
Norwalk Public Schools reported gains on state measures across grades and subjects at the board’s Sept. 12–13 retreat, including increases in Smarter Balanced ELA and math proficiency, improved science scores and higher Connecticut SAT proficiency for 11th graders, district staff said.
Diane Pilardo, the district’s accountability lead, presented matched‑cohort analyses showing students who tested with the district for three consecutive years made greater progress in the most recent cohort (2023–25) than the comparable 2021–24 cohort. Officials said that pattern held for both elementary (grades 3–5) and middle school (grades 6–8) cohorts, and that the district’s rate of change exceeded statewide rates for many subgroups.
Key figures presented at the retreat included a districtwide four‑year graduation rate of 92.6% for the Class of 2024 and measurable drops in the smallest proficiency band on Smarter Balanced (fewer students classified at ‘level 1’ in 2025 than 2024). The district also reported demonstrated math gains in middle school matched cohorts and a 10.4 percentage‑point increase in ELA proficiency on the Connecticut SAT for 11th graders between 2024 and 2025.
Pilardo and cabinet members emphasized that the district’s demographics differ from statewide averages: Norwalk serves a higher share of multilingual learners and students eligible for free/reduced lunch, and the district includes about 250 newly arrived multilingual learners who are required to test and are included in proficiency counts. Pilardo noted the performance‑index measures (which convert different state test scores to a common scale) provide a fuller picture than single test‑year proficiency percentages and showed Norwalk’s high‑needs cohorts making steep gains.
Officials also highlighted the district’s growth metric — percent of target achieved on Smarter Balanced year‑to‑year growth — saying Norwalk exceeded state growth targets in ELA and math in 2025, with particularly strong relative gains for Black and Hispanic students and for high‑needs subgroups.
The administration credited a combination of measures for the gains: a districtwide curriculum and coaching rollout, more instructional coaches, targeted intervention teams, tighter systems for identifying students off track by ninth grade, and investments in data tools and dashboards to support planning and rapid intervention. The superintendent and cabinet said the work is ongoing and depends on maintaining capacity to deliver coaching and supports in schools.
Pilardo told the board the state will release full school‑level accountability reports in November; the district’s public dashboards already provide a view of attendance, incidents and other indicators.
