Douglas County leaders present Beacon results; staff say scale-score growth masks small drops in proficiency

Douglas County Board of Education leaders reviewed Beacon benchmark results at an April 2025 meeting, with staff saying scale‑score growth can occur even when proficiency percentages fall. Latoya Mack, assistant superintendent of strategic data and research, presented the district’s Beacon data for grades 3–8 and described how the Beacon adaptive assessment raises expectations at each administration (fall, winter, spring).

Mack said district-level proficiency rates by administration included third–fifth grade ELA at about 37% in fall, 34% in winter and 35% in spring; sixth–eighth grade ELA at 41% in fall, 37% in winter and 39% in spring; third–fifth grade math at 39% in fall, 37% in winter and 35% in spring; and 6–8 math at about 31% proficient in fall and roughly the same in winter and spring. Mack and other staff cautioned that those proficiency bands reflect changing cut points as the test’s expectation increases across administrations and that scale‑score growth can still occur even if a student does not cross a proficiency threshold.

Why it matters: the Beacon results guide district instruction, resource allocation and school‑level supports. Board members focused on subgroup performance—particularly English learners (ELs) and students with disabilities (SWDs)—and on how classroom assessment (I‑Ready) and curriculum tools (ThinkCERCA) align with Beacon and the Georgia Milestones (GMAS).

Board questions probed causes and next steps. Dr. Scott asked why proficiency percentages fell despite reported I‑Ready gains; staff explained Beacon’s rising proficiency thresholds and said I‑Ready is used by teachers for day‑to‑day skill checks while Beacon is a standards‑based gauge for end‑of‑year performance. Keosha Davis, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, and Mack described district steps to improve classroom practice: targeted professional learning, adjusted pacing based on teacher feedback, site‑based training with ThinkCERCA, and a train‑the‑trainer approach for principals and instructional leaders.

Staff identified groups for intensified focus next year and said they will present a recommended set of target subgroups at the June follow‑up meeting. Mack said the district will place particular emphasis on ELs and SWDs and refine common assessments and post‑planning to support consistent implementation across schools. She also said kindergarten through second grade will for the first time be administered standards‑based Beacon assessments to provide clearer early‑grade indicators going into third grade.

Operational details and clarifications included: Beacon administrations occur in fall, winter and spring; I‑Ready was reported to be given three times a year (about 66% of standards covered by the January administration); the March Beacon administration generally captured about 85% of the year’s standards; ThinkCERCA deployment varied across schools (examples ranged from about 20% to 100% of expected usage on day one), and principals and central teams monitor platform usage and follow up with site leaders.

No formal policy votes were taken on the presentations at the meeting; staff identified follow‑up actions and said several items (detailed subgroup plans, common assessment adjustments and professional learning rollout) will be part of ongoing implementation and future board reports.