Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum And Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Falmouth presents year-two assessment gains and readies revised report card and literacy adoption
Summary
Administrators reported improved district-wide performance in mathematics and literacy benchmarks after adopting new screeners and curricula; teachers are field-testing proficiency scales and a draft of a revised standards-aligned report card will be presented May 13.
District leaders told the school committee March 25 that second-year data show gains in mathematics and steady progress in literacy after rolling out new screeners and curriculum elements.
Administrators said Falmouth continued year-2 implementation of I-Ready Mathematics for grades K–8 and introduced Investigating History in grades 5–6; they also updated English-language-development resources and added new screeners for literacy. For grades 4–6, i-Ready was used for literacy screening; for K–3 the district selected MCLASS (DIBELS 8th edition) to align early-literacy screening with the science of reading and to help identify students at risk for dyslexia.
Administrators presented benchmark visualizations showing schools moving from low performance/high-growth quadrants into higher-performance/high-growth quadrants in math and described the proportion of students on track for “typical” growth (about 70%) and for accelerated “stretch” growth (about 45% districtwide in math benchmarks).
Separately, the administration discussed district work on proficiency scales, standards-aligned report cards and a field test of a proficiency-based rubric for selected priority standards. The proposed report-card format uses four stages (Beginning, Developing, Progressing, Meeting) for each priority standard and aims to provide clearer, family-friendly reporting language. A family grading advisory group previously helped shape communication and advised on how to present standards and comments to families.
Administrators said teachers have requested more time for professional development, family forums are planned in April, and the administration plans to bring a draft report-card proposal to the committee for fuller presentation on May 13; any formal change to the report card will be voted by the committee at a later meeting.
Why it matters: The district’s assessment and curriculum choices shape classroom instruction and parent communication about student progress. The grading/report-card changes could alter how families interpret student performance and will require teacher training and public engagement.
What comes next: selection of a K–6 literacy program (decision expected within a week of the meeting), April family forums, a May 13 committee presentation, and a committee vote scheduled later when the district brings final report-card language.
