Haddon Township officials report district reading, math gains; cite tutoring, small groups and new curricula

Haddon Township School District administrators presented updated student-performance data to the board, saying the district has closed gaps in English language arts and math and now outperforms the state in many measures.

The presentation, delivered during a regular board meeting, emphasized four implementation pillars — engaging instruction, student well-being, family and community engagement, and a safe environment — and credited a combination of curriculum adoption, tutoring programs and targeted small-group work for gains across grade levels.

District staff pointed to programmatic changes at the middle school, where administrators said they have adopted the Amplify curriculum for ELA, use iReady for math diagnostics, and operate New Jersey Tutoring Core and other targeted tutoring to support students. "Amplify gets them writing every day," said Andrew, a middle-school administrator, summarizing the district's rationale for the ELA adoption. He and other speakers said teachers have paired the curricular tools with small-group instruction and summer programming to accelerate learning.

Administrators presented numeric highlights from state and local assessments. They reported year-over-year cohort gains of about 5.8% to 9% in the tested grades when comparing the current students to their prior-year results; in several grades the district now scores above statewide averages. The district reported that its Algebra and geometry cohorts performed well and that in several comparisons Haddon Township students outperformed a set of similar districts (the district factor group comparison), though the presenters noted the DFG data are reported with a one-year lag.

The presenters gave specific subgroup and program details: the middle school has 1.5 counselors serving roughly 442 students; the district reports 68 tenured staff and a mix of newer teachers (presenters described that as a positive balance for mentoring and collaboration); the district listed 18 extracurricular clubs at the middle school. For students with 504 plans the presenters said meeting-and-exceeding rates were meaningfully higher for that subgroup in at least one grade cohort.

On diagnostics and targeted instruction, presenters said the district used iReady, Amplify, and the New Jersey Tutoring Core; they also referenced a CHOP HOPs program the district used to support executive-functioning skills for some students. A speaker identified as Renee, a teacher, was named during a portion of the presentation discussing science results and professional development needs.

Administrators also shared data on college-entrance testing and advanced coursework. The district reported PSAT and SAT performance above state and national averages and cited AP participation and performance: of students tested in 2024, presenters reported roughly 91% scored 3 or better on at least one AP exam and 66% scored a 4 or better on at least one AP exam. On graduation-readiness metrics, presenters reported a district math readiness rate of 65% versus a 58% state benchmark and an ELA readiness rate of 87% versus 81% statewide.

Presenters noted remaining priorities and gaps. They said vocabulary and context-clue items remain a target area where scores were slightly lower this year, and called for continued emphasis on science professional development and small-group math interventions. One administrator noted that state tests and reports sometimes conceal cohort differences and that the district will continue to use multiple local benchmarks.

No formal motions or votes were recorded on these presentation items. The district presentation closed with a request for continued support for professional development, tutoring programs and family engagement efforts.

The board meeting also included a brief recognition of student representatives; one student, Ruby Steele, introduced herself to the board, while another scheduled student rep, Luke Baldoni, was absent due to a football game.