District and South Middle School report upward trend in math; gaps persist for students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged

Eau Claire Area School District officials told the school board that middle school math performance has trended upward in recent years, with the district and South Middle School now performing above state averages on the Forward Exam — but large gaps remain for certain student groups.

At a Focus on Results presentation, Mandy VanVleet, the district’s executive director for teaching and learning, and Michelle Raacki, director of secondary programming and post‑secondary readiness, outlined the district’s instructional framework and steps to improve outcomes: a guaranteed and viable curriculum, coordinated instructional delivery, and targeted professional learning. South Middle School principal Caleb Hunt and assistant principal Christy Brower described classroom practices and coaching strategies they say are driving improvement at that building.

The administrators told the board the state recalibrated Forward Exam benchmarks in 2024, so comparisons to earlier years use gap analysis rather than direct score‑to‑score comparisons. Raacki said the recalibration prevents simple year‑to‑year benchmark comparisons but that the district now shows a favorable gap versus the state. She said the district’s plan focuses on improving universal instruction (tier 1) while expanding tier 2 and tier 3 supports.

The presentation disaggregated results by grade and demographic groups. Key takeaways presented to the board include: - District and South Middle School grade‑level results improved and now exceed the state average in recent years. - English learners showed steady improvement and have performed above the state in the last two years. - Students with disabilities showed a declining trend in proficiency at middle schools; the district described this as “an area of growth.” The presenters cited a 6.3% gap for students with disabilities in the most recent year. - Students who are economically disadvantaged showed a 30.2% gap compared with their peers; district leaders said this is the largest recurring gap across socioeconomic groups. - Additional gaps cited: 55.5% for students who are Black, 17.5% for Hispanic students, 40.5% for students who identify as two or more races, and 28.1% for white students in certain cross‑sections; presenters used the disaggregation to prioritize supports.

To address these gaps, district leaders described multiple actions already underway or planned: - Guaranteed and viable curriculum: teams selected essential standards (grades 6–12) and are writing unit plans, learning targets and aligned assessments; full implementation across grades is scheduled. - Curriculum resource CPM (College Preparatory Mathematics) adopted; new math teachers attend pre‑school training and follow‑up days during the year. - Professional learning: math instructional coaches at each middle school, coach‑led teacher collaboration, and district‑wide PLIP days focused on mathematical discourse and student‑centered instruction. - Instructional model: the district has adopted the Art and Science of Teaching to structure lessons and feedback practices. - Tiered supports: math interventionists for diagnostic and targeted supports; special education is focusing this year on specially designed instruction and improving IEP plans tied to math standards. - Building‑level practices at South Middle School: shared leadership, walk‑through triads where teachers observe peers, Building Thinking Classrooms strategies to deepen questioning, and AVID/PBIS routines.

Principal Caleb Hunt and assistant principal Christy Brower described coach‑teacher cycles, quarterly conferences tied to classroom data, and peer observation cycles; math coach Beth Duhman was named as a key on‑site coach working with teachers to refine questioning and classroom discourse. Brower said the school set a value‑added goal and trained staff to use consistent routines and instructional practices.

Board members and staff discussed next steps. Several members praised the progress while urging more work to close persistent gaps. Commissioner comments stressed the need to scale successful classroom practices, sustain investments in coaches and interventionists, and partner with community organizations to address non‑school barriers to learning. Superintendent Johnson and school leaders said continued resource commitment to tier 2 and tier 3 staffing and professional learning will be needed to sustain gains.

Why this matters: improving middle‑grade math outcomes affects high‑school readiness and long‑term educational trajectories. The district framed the current work as a systems effort: aligned curriculum, teacher supports and targeted interventions must operate together to narrow gaps.

The district will continue to report progress through the board’s regular Focus on Results cycle and requested continued board support to maintain staffing and professional learning investments.