District previews preliminary 2024–25 student growth: math surpasses pre-pandemic levels, ELA shows recovery signs

Superintendent Dr. Ben and the district’s Office of Teaching and Learning provided a preliminary overview of 2024–25 growth and achievement data at the June 10 board meeting, citing notable gains in mathematics and encouraging trends in reading diagnostics.

"We have double digit growth since 2021 in year-over-year improvements in mathematics," Dr. Ben said, praising a consistent, standards-aligned curriculum and sustained instructional supports. Mr. Rudz, director of teaching and learning, called the slides "a sneak peek" based on preliminary data and said a fuller report will follow to the education committee and then the full board.

District leaders reported that local diagnostics — including I Ready, DIBELS and IXL — showed widespread student growth. The district said roughly 950 students moved from lower tiers to Tier 1 in K–8 reading on I Ready this year and about 1,400 students moved into Tier 1 in mathematics. Rudz reported students achieved approximately 137% of expected reading growth and roughly 119% of available growth in mathematics on district diagnostics.

Preliminary PSSA results released early to the district (the district qualifies for early reporting by using online testing) showed that 83 percent of grade groups (3–8 composite) scored above the previous year’s proficiency percentages in mathematics and reading. Rudz noted that mathematics achievement has "not only recovered, but it has surpassed pre-pandemic level" in some grades; he said grades that have had longer exposure to the new aligned curricula (for example, grades 3–5 in math) displayed the strongest gains.

Reading achievement remains a work in progress, Rudz said, because the district is in earlier years of implementing its new ELA curriculum. "Growth comes before achievement," Rudz told the board, emphasizing that multi-year consistency is necessary for sustained increases on state assessments.

District staff attributed improvements to a coordinated approach: standards-aligned curriculum, regular local assessment, instructional coaches, specialists and data-driven interventions. Gina Ross, who leads special education services, was singled out by Greenwood for her work supporting special-needs students within those gains.

Why it matters: early diagnostic and PSSA gains can indicate instructional progress and influence curricular and staffing priorities for the coming year. The district said it will present a more detailed report on June 24 and publish fuller findings on June 24 and June 30 reporting cycles.

Next steps: the Office of Teaching and Learning will present a fuller report to the education committee and publish finalized PSSA data when available; the administration will use local diagnostics to adjust interventions over the summer and into 2025–26.