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Brandywine reports above‑average MAP growth, celebrates graduates and highlights SITE and new dance team
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Lisa Lawson reported year‑end MAP growth well above national typical growth, credited early literacy and structured play initiatives for gains, and noted more than 750 graduates across the district's three high schools. Public comment included introduction of Danceology, the district’s new dance team.
Superintendent Dr. Lisa Lawson told the Brandywine School District board that students in grades K–10 showed above‑typical end‑of‑year growth on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment and that multi‑year growth has improved since 2022.
Dr. Lawson said MAP math growth for grades K–10 has risen well above the 50th percentile compared with a national reference cohort and that math growth has improved about 25 percentile points since 2022. She said reading growth for K–10 rose roughly six percentile points over the past year and has improved about 15 percentile points since 2022. Dr. Lawson noted that Smarter Balanced proficiency data remain embargoed until the state releases them in August, and she described MAP growth as a strong indicator of progress toward proficiency.
Dr. Lawson credited the district’s reimplementation of structured play and a new foundational skills literacy curriculum—particularly in kindergarten and first grade—with driving improved early reading growth. “Their passion, their commitment, their time outside of the school day to work with the curriculum, and the assessments, and the pacing guide has been just absolutely amazing,” Dr. Lawson said, thanking kindergarten and first‑grade teachers.
The superintendent also reported that graduation took place on Sunday, June 1, with more than 750 graduates across the district’s three high schools. She praised administrators and staff who ran ceremonies and thanked board members who attended.
The board also heard public comment introducing Danceology, the district’s first dance team. Erica Brown, speaking on behalf of Danceology, told the board the team will be open to any BSD student in grades 4–12 and presented a brief solo as a token of thanks for district support. Dr. Lawson and board members also recognized SITE interns (Skills for Independence, Transition, and Employment), a BSD vocational program for eligible 18–22‑year‑old students, and highlighted unified sports and Special Olympics participation.
Dr. Lawson said kindergarten reading growth is “nearly double” what it was in 2022 and that continued investment in foundational skills should sustain district reading gains.
