Madison Public Schools reports improvements across AP, SAT, NGSS and Smarter Balanced assessments

Madison Public Schools presented its annual fall assessment report on Oct. 14, 2025, showing gains on Advanced Placement participation and scores, an increase in the district’s average SAT score and a marked jump in grade 8 NGSS science results.

The district’s leadership told the Board of Education that even as junior and senior class enrollment has declined, AP testing participation and performance have risen: of roughly 375 juniors and seniors last year, administrators said 366 AP exams were taken and the number of scores 3 or higher has continued to climb. Administrators credited expanded extra-help sessions—16 teachers offered additional test-prep time—and encouraged students to take exams even when enrollment falls.

Superintendent Dr. Cook said the participation rate target is driven by federal guidance that expects roughly 95% assessment participation; she noted the district respects IEP recommendations and parental opt-outs when students do not test. "This represents our students' work," Dr. Cook said when introducing the report, cautioning that single-day assessments can vary by student circumstances.

TJ Sanjay (presenter) highlighted AP trends: even with a smaller cohort of juniors and seniors, exam volume remained high and the number of students scoring 3 or better rose. He said extra-help sessions helped students focus class time on content while using the additional sessions for test exposure and strategy.

Mr. Bodner reviewed SAT and ELA/Math comparisons. The district reported a combined average SAT score of 1,154 in 2025, up from 1,139 the previous year; district ELA results placed Madison tied for third in its District Reference Group (DRG) and the district finished first in DRG math for the second straight year.

On NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), district presenters said Madison ranked seventh in the state for the grade-11 science assessment and highlighted an exceptional gain in grade 8 NGSS—presenters referenced growth of roughly 20 points in that grade—crediting targeted curriculum alignment, revised testing windows and deeper instructional planning. Paulson and other building-level presenters stressed that curriculum reordering and the use of interim assessments (IABs) helped students better understand the exam format.

Administrators reviewed Smarter Balanced results (grades 3–8), reporting that Madison ranked fourth in the state for ELA and fifth for mathematics when combining grades across the district, and that Madison was first in its DRG on combined Smarter Balanced measures. Presenters acknowledged that spring building moves, packing and other disruptions in grades 3–5 may have affected some cohorts’ results but said overall achievement and growth remain strong across buildings.

Building-level highlights and challenges: Paulson schools reported multiple first-place DRG showings and notable growth; Brown (now being reconfigured as Brown Elementary) and Neck River results were strong overall but showed cohort differences year to year. Elementary administrators said the third-grade cohort that took the test this year included a higher-than-typical share of students with IEPs—about 19–20%—which helps explain a modest dip in some third-grade scores. Staff outlined targeted steps for that cohort: smaller class sizes, reallocated special-education staffing, continued coaching cycles, more frequent interim assessments and refined small-group rotations.

On enrollment and capital planning, administrators gave the board the district’s Oct. 1 enrollment snapshot: Neck River’s kindergarten and fifth-grade counts are higher than projected, and the district expects to request two additional fifth-grade teachers for Neck River in next year’s budget. The board also discussed the capital improvement plan (CIP) and town requests to include solar panels for Neck River; presenters said the town is weighing whether to allocate building-project funds to solar and noted potential state and federal reimbursement avenues if the town approves the solar project. Board members also referenced a proposed state reimbursement program (described in the meeting as roughly $30 million per year, subject to bonding and competitive awards) that might help offset certain noncapital improvements.

Administrators said the district is awaiting the state report card and that a commissioned enrollment study should return later in October or in early November. Presenters closed by thanking teachers and staff for curriculum development work and for moving through the spring transitions.

The presentation was informational; no board action was required on the assessments themselves.