OYSTER RIVER, N.H. — Oyster River Coop School District officials on June 18 presented results from the STAR universal screener and the state SAS assessment, highlighting overall stability in ELA but a concerning pattern of declining proficiency in fifth‑grade math and follow‑through plans to address it.

Assistant Superintendent Suzanne presented the data to the school board, saying STAR “is given 3 times a year” and is “a snapshot” used for progress monitoring and MTSS. She told the board the district uses the 40th percentile on STAR as its internal benchmark and said the district “has no intention of changing that fortieth percentile moving forward.”

The presentation explained differences between STAR (short, norm‑referenced, administered three times a year) and SAS (the state summative test given in spring; participation is mandated under the Every Student Succeeds Act). Suzanne said STAR was renormed after COVID and that the district uses the 40th percentile to identify students “before they get to the 25th percentile.” The board discussed how renormalization can change cross‑year comparisons but Suzanne said staff and school psychologists reviewed the change and elected to continue the district’s benchmark.

Board members and administrators focused on math, especially fifth grade. Suzanne and middle‑school Principal Bill Sullivan reviewed STAR trend charts that showed a reduction in the share of students in the “green” (at or above the 40th percentile) across the year; Sullivan said the building’s analysis showed the green cohort “got smaller” and the blue/yellow groups expanded between assessments. Sullivan and others said the fifth‑grade cohort is roughly 138 students, so even small percentage shifts represent several students.

Sullivan described steps already taken and planned: use of an external MTSS consultant for targeted reading and writing interventions, expanded use of common rubrics and calibrated assessments under the New Hampshire Learning Initiative (NHLI), and summer work to analyze topic‑level patterns. Suzanne said the district will “disaggregate both the STAR data and the SAS to look at the areas of patterns where students at least need more.” She and Sullivan noted the district recently moved to concentrate fifth‑grade math instruction in three teachers (those “with the most math background”) rather than across seven, and Sullivan said the district will review continuity between K–4 curriculum and fifth grade.

Administrators described a new middle‑school math specialist role as a resource for analyzing curriculum coverage and instructional practice across grades K–8; Suzanne said that position will work with Clay (named in the meeting) and middle‑school staff to “dive a little bit more deeply into what that data is telling us” and to identify curricular or instructional changes. The district also plans summer analysis and targeted professional development: Sullivan said consultants and NHLI facilitators helped teachers develop common assessments, rubrics and calibration protocols that will continue next year.

Board members pressed for details about the STAR benchmarks and what the district will do to trace individual student movement between bands. Suzanne confirmed staff can pull student‑level growth (for example, number moving from blue to green) and will do so as part of summer work. She and Sullivan emphasized STAR is a single point of data among many used for placement and MTSS decisions.

The district took no formal vote on policy or curriculum changes at the June 18 session; board discussion produced direction to administration to continue with the established 40th‑percentile STAR cut score, to complete topic‑level analysis over the summer, and to use the new middle‑school math specialist role to coordinate K–8 math alignment and remedies. Administrators said they will return with more detailed findings and recommended next steps in the fall.

Ending: District leaders said they will continue STAR and SAS monitoring, produce a summer analysis of topic‑level math weaknesses, and report back to the board early in the 2025–26 school year on findings and implementation steps.