Weare board reviews ESSA indicators; students with disabilities flagged for lower growth
Loading...
Summary
District leaders reviewed state ESSA summative-assessment data and local measures; the district was flagged for targeted support for students with disabilities and students of multiple races, and staff outlined schedule changes, literacy implementation and data strategies to address gaps.
School leaders briefed the Weare School Board on state summative-assessment results and local data as part of continued work on the district strategic plan.
Superintendent-level staff and building leaders described the state Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) indicators that prompted the state to identify additional schools for targeted support. The district verage achievement score was described as near the state benchmark, but two subgroups—hildren with disabilities and students identified as multiracial—lagged for disproportionate scores on achievement and growth measures.
A presenter explained that New Hampshire—ompares achievement and growth across two years and assigns responsibility to the district for students enrolled at the time of testing; the board was told the state used 2023 and 2024 data for its current determination and that the November data release will include additional student-assignment details.
School leaders described several interventions the district has implemented or expanded in response: adding 20 minutes of instructional time daily in some grades, implementing a structured literacy approach for a second year, expanding targeted phonics instruction in kindergarten through third grade, and instituting "data chats" in classrooms so students understand goals and progress. "We had already talked about making adjustments to the schedule at Waring Middle School to increase the structural time in the core content areas," a presenter said, adding that these changes could influence state measures when the next data cycle is calculated.
Board members emphasized the role of teacher retention and consistent staffing in sustaining curriculum and interventions. Staff said reduced turnover this year compared with prior years was a contributing factor in improved continuity. The administration said it will return in November with cohort-level data for the third-grade class and with a revised presentation that incorporates the November state data release so the board can compare local I-Ready results with state ESSA results.
The board agreed to continue monitoring subgroup achievement and growth and to prioritize strategies addressing the flagged indicators.
