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District midyear data shows mixed gains; Perkins audit praises Keystone process
Summary
Administrators presented midyear Acadience and course-specific results showing growth in many elementary and middle school grade levels and improved Keystone rescores at the high school; the district reported the Perkins audit identified the Keystone exam process as a best practice.
At the April 14 Jersey Shore Area School District Board meeting, administrators presented a district midyear academic summary and program updates.
Doctor Osenbach reviewed Acadience reading and math data for elementary grades and summarized midyear shifts in proficiency bands. She cited kindergarten reading as an example: the combined lower-performance bands (red and yellow) decreased from 27% at the beginning of the year to 24% at midyear while the higher-performance bands (green and blue) increased from 73% to 75%.
At the middle school level, Doctor Battaglia’s write-up (summarized by Osenbach) showed a small improvement in reading: students in on-grade or above increased from 38% to 39% between the beginning and middle of the year. In math, the district reported growth from 39% on-grade-or-above to 53% on-grade-or-above and a corresponding decrease in students below grade level (60% to 47%). Board members asked for absolute student counts to understand the percentage shifts; staff did not provide a definitive head count during the meeting.
At the high school, Mr. Armbruster reported on Algebra I Keystone retests: 51 of 71 students improved in at least one module on a retest; the transcript also referenced last spring’s retest numbers (93 of 101 students). Administrators said MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) failure reports are decreasing and staff continue outreach to families when students fail multiple courses.
The district also reported results from a Perkins audit tied to federal Perkins funding for CTE programs. District staff said the Perkins review declared the district’s Keystone exam process a "best practice and an exemplary model for the state." Board members asked about Perkins (federal funds) and were told the Perkins audit reviews the building that receives federal Perkins funds.
Board members asked about the Firefly program (a pilot); staff said local feedback has been mixed and that the district is in the pilot year and can provide feedback to improve the program before a larger roll-out.
