District curriculum and leadership staff presented a multi-part plan on Oct. 21 to align instruction, assessments and interventions across Somers schools.

Presenters outlined three district priorities for the 2025–26 year: refine the K–12 MTSS (multi‑tiered system of supports) and assessment plan; provide professional learning on the district's new data platform (LinkIt); and advance a K–12 vision for math instruction that reflects New York State guidance.

As part of the MTSS work, the district has named an MTSS coordinator at each building (a co‑curricular role added to existing staff duties). Coordinators are to analyze schoolwide data, participate in building-level whole child success team meetings and help identify targeted interventions. The district is continuing a partnership with Educational Elements for MTSS alignment and professional learning.

For assessment, Somers is piloting IXL's Level Up as the universal benchmark for reading and math. District staff said the Level Up benchmark will be given in fall, winter and spring for students receiving tiered supports and can also be used in "real time mode" to monitor progress. The district will continue DIBELS and other curriculum‑based measures; staff emphasised that Level Up provides strand‑level diagnostic breakdowns teachers can use to plan small‑group instruction. Presenters said the district is phasing out STAR as the primary universal benchmark.

District staff said they are developing a more detailed parent report to replace the single overall score parents previously received, so families can see strand‑level strengths and recommended focus areas.

To make intervention work more actionable, Somers has adopted LinkIt as a centralized platform to house attendance, assessment (including IXL), state testing, behavioral referrals and progress monitoring. Staff said initial LinkIt training and rollout is focused on administrators, MTSS coordinators, counselors and interventionists; the district is connecting LinkIt to the Infinite Campus student information system and building the technical backend before a wider rollout to classroom teachers.

Staff also described a K–12 math vision developed with teacher committees and PNW BOCES. The district plans professional learning grounded in the New York State numeracy briefs and a "math rope" model that emphasizes adaptive reasoning, strategic competence, conceptual understanding, productive disposition and procedural fluency.

Presenters said the work will be iterative: this year is a pilot and baseline year for new assessments and platforms, with adjustments expected after each benchmark administration. The district asked for patience as technology integrations and training proceed and said it will report results and next steps to the board.

The presentation and Q&A took place during the central office presentation item on the Oct. 21 agenda.