Prior Lake-Savage plans high school math field test, stresses elementary literacy under Read Act after flat MCA results

Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas told the school board on Tuesday that the district will field-test a high school math curriculum this fall and pursue elementary literacy materials and professional development aligned to the 2023 Read Act as staff and trustees respond to largely flat statewide test results.

The update followed presentations from district instructional staff and assessment leaders that showed “flat trend lines for both our overall math and reading outcome data,” and recommended focused, phased curriculum work and targeted professional learning, district staff said.

District staff said state assessment results show little net change in aggregate math and reading proficiency from 2023 to 2024 and that the district’s four‑year graduation rate dipped year over year while an alternate measure that counts students who continued coursework with the district remained steady. “Overall, the story is that we have flat trend lines for both our overall math and reading outcome data,” said Dr. Zumbusch, a district assessment presenter.

Why it matters: district leaders said they want to align instruction and materials with updated state standards and…