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District rolls out Branching Minds RTI tool and shares preliminary Atlas test results
Summary
Fayetteville schools will begin using Branching Minds for multi-tiered supports; the district also presented pre-appeal Atlas results showing strengths in science and varying proficiency across grades while final adjustments and K–2 results remain pending.
At the July Board of Education meeting the district’s curriculum and assessment leaders outlined two linked initiatives: a rollout of Branching Minds, a multi-tiered system-of-support (MTSS) platform, and a preliminary summary of statewide Atlas test results.
Dr. Tate, presenting a monthly strategic-plan update, said Branching Minds will be used districtwide in 2025–26 to centralize MTSS information, collaboration and evidence-based intervention libraries. "Branching Minds will allow us the opportunity to put everything in one place and it has built-in collaboration tools," Tate said, and principals and site leaders will receive training this year to support rollout. The district also announced the SOAR program for grades 9–12 will relocate to the Alps Building to consolidate services.
Why this matters: Branching Minds is intended to streamline identification and supports for students who need Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention and to give teachers and leaders a shared platform for tracking interventions and progress.
Atlas test results (pre-appeal): Dr. Dugan presented pre-appeal Atlas data for ELA, math and science. She emphasized the data are preliminary and that appeals and test participation certification (95% tested) will shift some numbers before final accountability reports. The district showed higher-than-state-average performance in several grades and subjects: for example, Fayetteville’s third-grade ELA proficiency (levels 3–4) outpaced the state by approximately 16 percentage points in the initial report. Science averaged above the proficiency threshold in several grades; Dugan said renewed standards and test alignment contributed to higher science results.
Timing and next steps: Appeals and certification with the state will occur in August; growth metrics will be released in September and final score report cards in October. Dr. Dugan said K–2 results are delayed because standards are being reset and those analyses will follow.
Ending: Board members welcomed the platform rollout and asked for building-level data at future meetings once appeals and certification are complete.
