Luxemburg-Casco reports mixed midyear academic growth; district to form weighted-grades committee

Luxemburg-Casco School District administrators reported midyear academic results showing higher-than-average proficiency in some measures but lower-than-expected growth on universal screeners.

At a Feb. 14 board meeting, a staff member presenting the elementary report said the district’s reading goal was for 73 percent of students to make a full year’s growth on I-Ready; at midyear 63 percent had made at least a half year’s growth. The presenter said, “we had more students come into the year in fall proficient,” which reduces the measurable room to grow during the year.

The district’s math goal for elementary students is 70 percent making a full year’s growth; the midyear figure reported was 59 percent. At the middle school level, the board heard a report that 62 percent of students were on track to reach a one‑year growth target in reading on the HMH assessment, with math behind that goal at roughly 45 percent.

The presenters emphasized that district leaders are treating growth goals and proficiency as related but distinct targets. One administrator said proficiency is “more important” as an ultimate bar and reported a districtwide proficiency rate of about 65 percent, up from roughly 58–59 percent in prior years.

The board also heard that behavior referrals have shifted this year: the presenter reported 310 classroom referrals and about 210 recess referrals through the school year, reversing a past pattern in which recess produced more referrals.

At the secondary level, staff described a new ACT and pre‑ACT test‑prep program held during Spartan Time on Mondays and Tuesdays for roughly three to four weeks; the stated aim is to raise the percentage of students scoring proficient on the ACT reading section. The district reported a multi‑year rise in ACT reading proficiency: 34 percent three years ago, 38 percent two years ago and 46 percent last year; the current goal is a 5 percentage‑point increase this year.

Board members were also briefed on disciplinary and academic‑integrity work. The middle/high school PBIS team led a district lesson on academic dishonesty; referrals for cheating declined from 89 last year to 42 so far this year, the presenter said.

Separately, the board discussed forming a community committee to study weighted grades — whether to use weighted GPA scales for AP or accelerated classes and how to standardize weightings across the district and regional options. A staff member said the district will invite teachers, counselors, students and administrators to join a roughly 20‑person committee and that invitations would be emailed to board members.

The discussion also included brief comments about accelerated course counts at the middle school and the district’s approach to providing tiered interventions (Tier 1–3) and acceleration for students above grade level.

The district’s academic leads said they will continue to monitor the remaining testing window and report updated results to the board.