Simsbury reports gains on state tests as district rolls out new K–5 reading program

Simsbury Board of Education officials on Sept. 9 reported measurable gains on standardized measures following the district’s recent curricular shifts, while urging continued focus on intervention for specific cohorts. District staff said elementary ELA and math scores rose after two years of implementing district curricula, and the current senior class showed nearly 10 percentage points of growth on SAT results compared with their PSAT scores.

The report came during the board’s school‑opening presentation, where Sue (Office of Teaching and Learning) and other administrators summarized results from Smarter Balanced tests (grades 3–8), Next Generation Science Standards assessments (grades 5, 8 and 11) and the grade‑11 SAT. “Our ranks are climbing in the elementary,” Sue said, noting a district rollup that placed the elementary ELA ranking at No. 2 and elementary math at No. 4 among peer districts. She also said grade‑6 ELA was the district’s top performer and that grade‑7 math had the highest percent meeting or exceeding the target (72%) since the test’s inception.

District leaders tied the gains to curricular decisions and multi‑year implementation. At the elementary level staff said they adopted Benchmark Advance for reading and continued a second year of a new K–5 math curriculum; teachers in classrooms that piloted the math program earlier are now in full implementation. Administrators also cited expanded coaching and targeted instructional support as contributing factors.

Officials warned that not all measures rose. The grade‑8 science cohort fell from the prior year, prompting staff to say they will “dig in” to identify whether the change reflects alignment issues between middle and high school science or a short‑term fluctuation. Sue said the district is examining which students were at the cusp of proficiency and which were farther below, and will adjust interventions accordingly.

On the SAT, staff emphasized cohort growth rather than absolute ranks: the current senior class showed roughly a 10‑point percentage improvement from their PSAT baseline. District staff noted that the SAT “at or above” threshold for math is 510, and that results represent the single administration given to juniors in March rather than multiple test attempts.

Administrators also discussed the district’s new work on tiered interventions and a partnership with an external expert, Katie Novak, to scale intervention strategies systemwide. Staff said additional grade‑level and course‑level data can be provided on request and promised updates to the curriculum committee and full board as reviews continue.

Board members asked for grade‑level breakdowns and historical numbers; staff said those details are available and will be included in future committee packets. The board’s presentations emphasized that the reported improvements are a result of multi‑year curricular alignment, common assessments and ongoing teacher support rather than a single change.

Officials said more analysis will be presented at upcoming meetings and that any change plans will be shared with the board before implementation.