Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cromwell board hears preliminary gains in district test scores; state is withholding official release
Summary
Administrators told the Cromwell Board of Education that preliminary, in-district test results show notable gains but the Connecticut state education agency is temporarily withholding the official release because statewide calculations include outplaced students whose results can change district totals.
The Cromwell Board of Education heard preliminary results showing improved test performance for students attending Cromwell schools, but administrators said the state is holding the official numbers pending statewide reconciliation.
Dr. McLean, identified in meeting discussion as the district’s assistant superintendent, told the board the district has “raw numbers for our own students” that show strong year-over-year improvement but the state will not release final figures until it reconciles data from students who are outplaced or attend other schools yet remain on Cromwell’s roster. “There could be disparities between what I’m seeing now… and what is gonna eventually be the state numbers,” Dr. McLean said.
The distinction matters because Cromwell’s local comparisons are based only on students who attend district schools daily; state figures will fold in students the district pays to attend other programs or magnet schools. Board members pressed for clarity on how the district will present the information. Dr. McLean said staff can present results by building and grade level and also provide cohort analyses that follow groups of students over time.
Board members debated whether to receive all accountability data in a single meeting or to “chunk” it across several meetings. Matt said he preferred to “see it all together… get the complete picture,” while others suggested a two-step approach: an overview followed by a deeper dive. Dr. McLean said the district expects to have the full, public release in September or October and that administrators will include district-to-district comparisons when the state figures are available.
The board did not take action on the scores themselves; members directed staff to bring the report to a future meeting in the format agreed on by the board.
The district also said it will continue to share classroom-level data with teachers and use internal assessments for instructional planning, while reserving the official statewide figures until the state publishes them.
