Midyear reading, math and SEL data show gains; committee flags middle-school math concerns

District staff presented midyear academic and social-emotional data at the March 12 school committee meeting, showing mixed results across grade bands.

Kristen (district assessment lead) reported midyear DIBELS benchmark results for K–4 that showed fewer students in the intensive (red) category and growth in on-grade-level and above-grade-level bands. She said family reports were sent home with explanatory videos and that intervention groups and progress monitoring will continue into spring. Kristen noted that some grade levels — particularly second grade — showed notable midyear improvement in reading screeners.

For mathematics, staff presented IXL benchmark results covering grades 1–8. The district saw movement out of far-below categories in several elementary grades, and building-level differences emerged: Swallow Union showed strong fourth-grade results and an instructional initiative called Building Thinking Classrooms was cited as a possible contributor to gains. Jen Denine (math interventionist) described how teachers used strand-level data from IXL in a dedicated content session to identify students whose average score masked weaker specific skills (for example, strong computation but weaker algebraic/ratio reasoning). Jen described targeted, short-term pulls for students and teacher-created class interventions and encouraged continued grade-level data work.

Multiple committee members and staff discussed a persistent middle-school math gap. Committee discussion noted the transition from elementary schedules and instructional formats to middle-school periods (shorter blocks) and the district's limited middle-school intervention capacity; staff said most intensive (tier 3) intervention is provided but tier 2 supports must be pushed into classrooms given current staffing. Kristen and Jen said Building Thinking Classrooms practices and coordinated curriculum work across grades and into high school are underway and cited seventh grade as an example where the instructional model is producing higher "dark green"—above-grade-level—results.

On social-emotional learning, Abby Couture presented DESSA results (teacher report form at elementary; student self-report trial in middle school). She said the district piloted DESSA in first grade last year and expanded K–4 this year; results showed reductions in the percentage of students scoring in the "need instruction" band from fall to winter in each elementary grade presented (examples given: kindergarten fall 18% → winter 6%; second grade 16% → 3%; fourth grade 18% → 6%). Abby said teams used results to adjust Second Step curriculum timing and counselors revised lesson plans to match observed needs.

Committee members praised the growing data culture and teacher use of assessment data, and some members urged faster or larger-scale interventions for middle-school math. Staff noted constraints — fewer interventionist FTEs and schedule limitations at the middle school — and said next steps include continued data dives, targeted professional development (division strategies, fraction progression work, Building Thinking Classrooms rollout), and exploring options to increase intervention time where feasible.

Ending: Administrators said they will return with spring benchmark results, details on outreach to families, and plans for targeted supports ahead of MCAS and summer.