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LTISD to replace MAP growth with IXL next year; district reviews universal screener performance and second-grade dip
Summary
District staff presented end-of-year universal screener results and said the district will move from MAP Growth to IXL next year. Staff flagged an unexplained decline in second-grade math growth and said coordinators will spiral missed standards into third grade.
Lake Travis ISD staff presented end-of-year universal screener results and told the board they will transition from MAP Growth to IXL for district growth monitoring next year.
Kathy Burbank, director of accountability and achievement, reviewed district assessment use: MAP (given three times per year for K–5 math and 3–5 reading), MCAS (K–2 reading/dyslexia screening) and locally developed LTCs (local test checks aligned to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills). Burbank said MCAS is required for state reporting and that the district uses LTCs to monitor mastery of essential standards.
Burbank said the district’s math growth for grades 3–5 was above projections but that second grade showed “a huge dip” on the end-of-year MAP report in two reporting categories: computation and numerical representation. "We looked at the data a little deeper… our coordinators are working out a plan to spiral those TEKS into the third grade so that we're making sure we're finding where that gap is," she told trustees.
The presentation noted the district will replace MAP Growth with IXL in 2025–26. Staff said IXL is TEKS-based, offers more formative checkpoints while a student progresses, and includes practice and remediation resources tied to specific skills that teachers and parents can access. The district said IXL can be used for accelerated-instruction waivers under House Bill 1416 and that it piloted IXL on some campuses.
Trustees questioned testing frequency and student burden; staff said LTCs are short, skill-focused checks rather than full-length standardized tests, and that campuses use PLC (professional learning community) time and data digs to review student results. Burbank said accommodations are available for students who qualify and noted LTCs were teacher-developed to provide common grade-level measures.
Trustees asked whether parents would be provided training on IXL; staff said they would look into parent resources and added that principals would receive training during summer administrative sessions.
The board also reviewed SAT School Day participation data for juniors and the district’s plan to offer an ACT option in future years. No policy votes were taken during the presentation; staff said more detailed campus-level data are available for trustees and principals.
