Wissahickon district reviews 2019–24 state assessment trends; math dip draws board concern

Wissahickon School District officials presented an annual overview of state assessment results Jan. 27, saying the district continues to outperform peer districts and the statewide average in English language arts and science but that mathematics proficiency—particularly at the middle‑school level—has declined and requires targeted action.

The presentation, led by district staff and co‑facilitated by Dr. Schmidt, the district’s Director of Teaching and Learning, framed results across 2019–2024 and explained reporting conventions such as the Keystone exam banking policy and the 2020 statewide testing cancellation. “We do continue to score better than our peers and the statewide average,” Dr. Schmidt said of elementary ELA scores, while also noting a slight decrease in 2024 and the district’s desire to raise trend lines.

Administrators described findings by subject and grade band: elementary ELA proficiency near the mid‑70s percentage range, secondary ELA and literature proficiency remaining relatively steady, strong elementary science results (about 90% proficient/advanced in grade 4), and more mixed results in mathematics—roughly 76% proficient/advanced in grades…