Littlestown Area SD reports mixed academic results: i-Ready growth but district scores still below state averages

Littlestown Area SD staff presented a midyear review of student academic data and attendance trends, reporting measurable gains on winter i-Ready diagnostics but noting that district scores on state assessments remain below Pennsylvania averages.

The presentation, delivered as an informational item, summarized i-Ready fall and winter diagnostics, typical and stretch growth goals, proficiency-scale work across grade levels and subjects, and attendance interventions. Staff said there were improvements in the proportion of students performing on grade level in reading and math, while districtwide scores on state assessments such as the PSSA remain lower than the state average.

Staff described i-Ready as a diagnostic and personalized-instruction tool used this year to measure student growth. On the district's combined reading diagnostic, staff reported that the share of students in the Tier 1 (on-grade-level) band rose from 28 percent in the fall to 51 percent in winter. Staff said Tier 2 (students receiving core instruction plus some additional support) declined from 48 percent to 32 percent. Staff said Tier 3 (students two or more grade levels behind) decreased from 24 percent at the start of the year to a lower current figure, and that these changes indicate gains overall; the presenter warned that some recorded transcript figures were unclear and offered to provide clarified numbers if requested.

In math, staff reported gains as well: the share of students on grade level increased from 18 percent in the fall to 41 percent in winter. Staff said Tier 3 in math fell from 25 percent to 12 percent.

The presenter also cited Pennsylvania's Future Ready score for district elementary grades: an overall English language arts score of 45.7, compared with a Pennsylvania average of 53.9, and noted declines in some secondary subject-area results. Staff said literature scores dropped by 17 percentage points year over year and that algebra and biology also declined, though the district remains above the state mean in some secondary subjects and ranks near the top in the county in math and science for certain courses.

Attendance was elevated as a concern. Staff said attendance is falling across the state and locally and described building-level child study teams and the district's management information system as tools used to identify chronically absent students. The presenter noted that students should not miss more than 10 percent of school days and outlined that the district can run reports to flag students whose attendance is declining. Staff also described available family supports and interventions and said the district will continue monitoring attendance and follow up through conferences and targeted supports.

Staff described the district's work on proficiency scales and common assessments so teachers give consistent, grade-level assessments across classrooms. The presenter emphasized instructional rigor and said most instruction and assessment should be at a depth-of-knowledge level that requires multi-step reasoning and explanation rather than simple recall.

Staff warned that some science results will not be comparable next year because fifth grade and eighth grade are piloting new science assessments; the presenter said that will limit apples-to-apples comparisons for future science reporting. The presenter also said the district will return with one more diagnostic later in the year to show end-of-year results and that a small number of diagnostic participation counts (for example, students absent during testing or new move-ins) remain to be reconciled.

No motions or formal votes were taken on the data presentation; the item was informational and intended to guide future instructional planning.

A staff member offered to provide additional breakdowns and percent-of-participation figures (for example, the share of students at the ACES program who completed the diagnostic) on request.