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Middle‑school student groups show multi‑year gains in reading; math progress mixed, OPS to explore daily instruction and reorganization
Summary
Research presented to the board showed that no middle school met a composite goal of 3% annual growth in both math and reading across multiple student groups, but many student groups showed sustained improvement in reading. OPS plans to explore daily math and reading instruction and reorganize school structures to prioritize core academics.
District research staff told the board that a complex middle‑school goal — requiring growth in both math and reading for multiple student subgroups — was not met by any single school, but that several student groups demonstrated meaningful gains over three years.
The goal required each middle school to increase by 3 percent annually the share of students meeting or exceeding growth goals in both math and reading across multiple student groups (race/ethnicity breakdowns, English learners, special education, and students eligible for free and reduced lunch). Research staff reported that no school met that composite standard. However, when examined at the student‑group level, many subgroups showed sustained year‑to‑year growth in reading; educational‑benefits (free and reduced lunch) students increased across all three years. Overall, student groups ended 2024–25 with higher percentages meeting growth goals than in 2022–23.
The presentation noted a potential trade‑off in 2024–25: reading gains appeared to coincide with weaker math performance for some groups. Staff told the board they are considering structural changes — daily math and reading instruction for all students, reorganized schedules that prioritize core academics while retaining student interest and career exploration, deeper implementation of the science of reading at middle level, and more advisement‑based interventions for reading.
Board members asked for more school‑level detail. Presenters said the dashboard tools (the 360 dashboard) can provide school‑level and subgroup breakdowns but that the workshop summary did not include every school’s line‑by‑line data. Staff committed to provide further breakdowns on request and to surface promising practices for replication.
Ending: District staff will continue to refine reporting, consider schedule reorganizations to deliver daily core instruction, and expand targeted intervention opportunities during advisement time at the middle level.
