District reports improvement in several math benchmarks; reading progress mixed with persistent small group below benchmarks

District academic leaders presented end-of-year assessments on June 9, reporting measurable gains in math diagnostics at several grade levels while flagging persistent reading gaps for some cohorts.

On math, presenters highlighted growth at Grade 2 and Grade 5 that they said should flow into stronger middle-school and high-school readiness. The district's IXL diagnostic averages showed Grade 2 three-year rolling averages near 72% of students at or above grade-level diagnostics; Grade 5 end-of-year diagnostic averages approached the cutoff used by the district (the presenter cited a Grade-5 target cut score near 530 and a district average around 529). Staff singled out Donegan Elementary for a notable turnaround in math after concentrated coaching: Donegan's Grade-5 diagnostic score moved from the low 300s to the mid-400s over the year.

Reading results were more mixed. The presentation included matched-cohort (effectiveness) charts showing many students who began the year at or above benchmark largely retained that level, but a persistent group who began well below benchmark remained well below at year's end. Presenters said the district will meet with principals to target interventions for students who remain below benchmark and to review pathways. Early, preliminary PSSA data mentioned in discussion indicated some grade-level PSSA results improved compared with prior years, but presenters cautioned the numbers were preliminary and subject to final verification.

Instructional leaders attributed gains to consistent use of core curriculum, coaching, adherence to grade-level scope and sequence, and increased opportunities for students to respond in class. They emphasized concentrated coaching models produced measurable gains in some buildings and said they plan focused efforts to reduce the persistent well-below cohort in reading.

Quotes and specifics: "Donegan's last year grade ... was only 3% at or above ... If it holds firm, they're at 22," a presenter said in describing preliminary Grade-5 PSSA estimates for Donegan. On math the presenters described increased consistency across classrooms: "All math classes are looking the same. Our Desmos curriculum is working. We're doing conceptualization before formalization."

Next steps: principals and instructional coaches will review building-level data, plan targeted interventions for persistent below-benchmark cohorts in reading, and sustain math coaching and curriculum-alignment work shown to correlate with improved diagnostic and preliminary PSSA outcomes.