Chief of Curriculum and Instruction Buddy Botticelli presented end-of-year assessment data to the Buffalo Board of Education on Sept. 3 and described districtwide gains in early literacy screeners, progress on the Reveal math curriculum and targeted strategies for science and writing.

Botticelli said DIBELS results showed the largest growth at grades 1–3; for example, grade 1 proficiency rose from 46% to 51% in recent years after intensified phonics work. He credited district investments in Orton Gillingham coaching, decodable texts and a morphology initiative for improving foundational reading skills. “We recognize that to be proficient readers, not only do you need phonics, but you need to be fluent,” Botticelli said, adding that the district expanded a pilot Orton Gillingham program to all elementary schools this year and encouraged schools that saw gains to purchase additional coaching days.

On diagnostic measures, Botticelli said I-Ready scores showed improvement at most grade levels, particularly third grade, and that the district’s third-grade cohort had benefitted from the sustained phonics work in earlier grades. He said district-to-state comparisons using the Grades 3–8 state assessments showed English-language arts gains at grades 3, 5, 6 and 8 and an overall English gain of about 3% from the prior year; mathematics rose about 1.5% overall with gains at grades 3, 5 and 8.

Botticelli described math supports including continued Reveal curriculum implementation, state-provided First in Math interventions that emphasize fluency, math learning communities for teachers and the district math league to increase student engagement. For science he noted New York State shifted the elementary assessment from grade 4 to grade 5 and that the district has emphasized labs and three-dimensional science instruction aligned to the new standards.

The presentation outlined district strategies for continuing gains: sustained LETRS, Orton Gillingham and morphology training; a new K–2 math intervention; broader use of Step Up to Writing K–12; “walk to” RTI grouping so students receive targeted intervention; increased coaching and site visits in math, science and career/technical education; and a renewed focus on grade 9 credits and Regents readiness.

Board members raised questions about subgroup outcomes, grade 4 declines and supports for high-need schools. Botticelli said a common national pattern is a decline in performance when students enter grade 4 because assessments shift toward complex text and higher-order comprehension, and he recommended continued emphasis on complex text exposure, morphology and higher-order questioning to smooth the transition.

Board members also asked about device access, homework expectations and data for economically disadvantaged and McKinney-Vento (homeless) students. Botticelli said elementary students often have consumable workbooks and decodable texts that can go home and that secondary-device deployment plans vary by school and are being implemented; he also agreed to work with office staff to pull McKinney-Vento subgroup data for future reporting.

Chief Botticelli and Superintendent Dr. Mubenga both stressed the district will continue collecting data and returning to the board with progress updates. There were no policy votes tied to the data presentation; the meeting served as an instructional briefing and discussion.