District presents longitudinal EOG cohort analysis; officials flag middle‑school math and multilingual learner gaps
Summary
District staff presented a longitudinal cohort analysis of EOG and BOG results showing mixed year‑to‑year trends and highlighting gaps for multilingual learners and in middle‑school math.
Dr. Diane Vilwalk presented a new longitudinal analysis of end‑of‑grade (EOG) and beginning‑of‑grade (BOG) test results to the Chapel Hill‑Carrboro City Schools Board, showing mixed cohort trends, higher aggregate proficiency than state peers in many groups, and persistent gaps for multilingual learners and some Black and Latinx cohorts.
Vilwalk described the analysis method: it traces cohorts of students with test records across multiple years and compares district cohort scores with statewide lines on the same grade‑level tests. She said data showed a substantial jump between the third‑grade BOG and the third‑grade EOG in reading, evidence of learning during the third‑grade year. She also flagged complexity in middle‑school math reporting because some eighth‑grade students take North Carolina Math 1, which complicates direct comparisons to state aggregate lines.
“On this slide, you can see that between BOG and EOG, students combined went up 24 points,” Vilwalk said, explaining the third‑grade growth pattern. She cautioned the board about apples‑to‑oranges comparisons when students take different state tests in middle school and noted data suppression rules for small groups and privacy when counts are under 10.
Superintendent Dr. Doug Trice called the dataset “an analysis that will serve our district for generations to come,” and said the cohort view can help align curriculum and resources over time. “We need a well‑articulated curriculum that builds year after year,” Trice told the board, and he urged the district to consider more time for learning—summer school, high‑dosage tutoring or extended learning—to accelerate growth for students most affected by pandemic‑era disruption.
Board members asked clarifying questions about next steps. Miss Jenkins said she had requested this view last fall and praised the analysis as useful for program and curriculum decisions, including upcoming math curriculum adoption. Miss Dossey suggested layering absenteeism data on the cohort analysis to better target interventions. Another trustee asked whether the district can learn from higher‑performing districts on middle‑school instruction for Black and Latinx students.
Vilwalk and Trice identified several takeaways: overall district proficiency often exceeds state levels for White and multiracial students and for students with disabilities (with some exceptions); multilingual learners underperformed state levels in most cohorts (noted as 4 of 6 reading cohorts and 3 math cohorts); and middle‑school mathematics on the regular eighth‑grade track requires focused attention. Trice noted promising evidence that summer learning and targeted supports correlate with stronger subsequent year outcomes.
No formal action was taken; staff said they will continue to refine the analysis, share it with principals and use it to inform curriculum adoption and targeted interventions in coming months.
