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District reports above-average student growth on PVAS; officials flag 5th and 6th grade concerns
Summary
District curriculum staff presented PVAS growth data showing most grades meeting or exceeding state growth expectations; administrators said they will dig into 5th- and 6th-grade dips and replicate practices from high-growth classrooms.
Shippensburg Area School District curriculum staff presented PVAS growth data showing the district outpaced state expectations in many grade levels and subjects but flagged specific grades for follow-up.
The presentation, provided to the board as the curriculum report, described growth (progress over time) rather than achievement (a point-in-time score). Presenters said dark blue on PVAS indicates students exceeded state growth standards, light blue indicates moderate exceedance, green indicates meeting expectations and red/yellow indicate students falling behind. The district's spring assessment data (the presentation referred to the prior academic year and spring 2023 results) showed notable growth in several elementary and middle grades in math and ELA; algebra, biology and literature keystone indicators also showed favorable growth.
District staff told the board that 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th grades showed math growth above state expectations while 6th grade showed a decline that warrants investigation. In English language arts, staff said 4th and 6th grades showed growth beyond predictions, 8th grade met expectations and 5th grade raised concerns.
Administrators said next steps include identifying 'bright spots' (classrooms and grades with above-expectation growth), studying practices to replicate that instruction in lower-performing grades, and continuing to monitor diagnostic data such as IXL, Acadience and classroom measures. Board members pressed for local context (how Shippensburg performs against itself rather than only versus the state) and asked for additional breakdowns to be provided at a future meeting.
Why it matters: Growth data helps the district prioritize coaching and curriculum adjustments where students are not progressing as expected and highlights where practices are working.
What the board heard next: Curriculum leaders said they will dig into 5th- and 6th-grade causes, consult coaches and teachers for replicable practices, and return with targeted plans.
