Northville presents academic dashboard; i‑Ready rollout shows early literacy gains and raises SAT math concerns

Superintendent Dr. Weber and Assistant Superintendent Emily Polanski presented the district’s academic report and the initial year of a transition from NWEA to i‑Ready benchmarks. The presentation combined statewide test trend data (M‑STEP, PSAT/SAT) with local benchmark results to show areas of strength and concern.

Why it matters: The data will guide district decisions on curriculum, teacher professional development and targeted interventions. Presenters said the district will use i‑Ready to identify students for small‑group instruction earlier in the year and to inform vertical alignment across grades.

Main findings presented

- State and peer performance: The district ranked near the top of a custom peer group on several M‑STEP and ELA measures. Dr. Weber said the district ranks second among similar districts for aggregated grades 3–8 ELA and third in the state for comparable measures. - Early reading and phonics: Polanski highlighted gains associated with district K‑3 literacy work and the use of UFLI phonics. She noted that 76% of third graders started the year on or above grade level in reading on i‑Ready (reported during the presentation). - i‑Ready rollout: The district has moved benchmark testing to i‑Ready for K–8; staff described how i‑Ready produces placement, scale scores and percentiles and how teachers will use learning paths and built‑in small‑group lessons to act on diagnostic results immediately. - SAT math decline: Presenters flagged a steady decline in SAT math proficiency dating back to roughly 2015–2019, with an overall decline of about 18% across the period cited in the presentation. Polanski and Dr. Weber discussed possible factors including changes in assessments, the introduction of the Desmos calculator on the SAT and gaps created when students accelerate through grades. - Dyslexia screener and assessments: Polanski said the state will publish an approved dyslexia‑screener list by January and that i‑Ready has submitted its reading diagnostic for consideration; if approved, i‑Ready’s literacy tasks and teacher‑scored pieces would be used in screening workflows.

Actions and next steps discussed

- Professional development: Trustees were told about expanded district PD days and planned vertical alignment work so middle and high school teachers coordinate more often. - Targeted intervention: The district plans to use i‑Ready learning paths to group students for focused interventions and to pursue curriculum alignment and domain‑level work (for example, algebraic reasoning) where data indicate gaps. - Monitoring and follow‑up: Staff said they will return with spring benchmarking results and trend analyses and will use multiple data sources — state tests, benchmark data, classroom formative work and student focus groups — to diagnose root causes.

Quotes

"I intentionally asked the school board to evaluate me, partially based on a growth model for our students," Dr. Weber said, describing the district’s move to prioritize student growth in performance reviews and program decisions.

Assistant Superintendent Emily Polanski told the board: "When teachers get the assessment, how do they support their kiddos? That's the real power of a tool like this — we can act on it immediately." She described i‑Ready’s diagnostic reports, learning path features and built‑in small‑group lessons.

Board questions and discussion

Trustees and administrators discussed the causes of SAT math decline and the role of curricular coherence, acceleration practices (students skipping grades or advancing rapidly), access to graphing calculators and readiness for Algebra II. Board members asked for subgroup splits (gender, socioeconomic status and race) and staff said more disaggregated analyses and growth‑focused trend work will be available after the next benchmarking cycle and in the spring report.

Ending

Polanski and Dr. Weber said they would return in spring with additional i‑Ready results and disaggregated trend analyses, and they signaled district commitments to PD, curricular alignment and targeted supports for students identified as partially proficient or below grade level.