Perkiomen Valley SD presents annual data: enrollment declines, EL and special-education increases; staff seeks added therapists and counselors

Perkiomen Valley School District administrators presented the district's annual data summary, outlining declining enrollment over the past decade, rising percentages of economically disadvantaged students and English learners, growth in special education enrollment, and a set of recommended staffing and instructional resources.

"This is our annual data presentation," Doctor Russell told the Perkiomen Valley Board of School Directors as he opened the presentation that combined assessment results, demographic trends and resource recommendations. Administrators and building principals described work in mathematics and science, early literacy and structured literacy practices, interventions for English learners (ELs) and special education students, and student-wellness initiatives.

Key takeaways - Enrollment: Administrators reported enrollment has fallen by roughly 1,000 students over the past ten years. - Economic-disadvantage: The district reported 23.5% of students qualified as economically disadvantaged for the 2023-24 school year; the district compares itself to the state's subset of districts with 20—2% economically disadvantaged students for benchmarking. - Assessment results: District presenters showed PSSA (grade-level) and Keystone (end-of-course) results; elementary math sites showed high growth and achievement in piloted schools while middle- and high-school math proficiency is lower and mirrors a statewide decline since COVID-19. Administrators and the board discussed the complexities of interpreting Keystone and PSSA trends because some Keystone scores are attributed to students in their eleventh-grade cohort and the 2020 Keystone administration was canceled. - Literacy and structured literacy: The district said it is implementing a structured literacy approach (explicit, systematic instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency and comprehension). Supervisor Natalie Harenko summarized that structured literacy is "an evidence based approach to language instruction" and that early indicators (DIBELS results) show some improvement in K-2 benchmark measures. - Interventions and pilots: The district is piloting I Ready at elementary buildings (already used at middle level) and has trial approval for a Viking Zone (a morning support/enrichment block at the high school) to run April 1'16 as a pilot; administrators said they will report back with results. - Staffing recommendations: District leaders recommended hiring an occupational therapist and a counselor/social worker (positions currently covered under contract) and said a special-education teacher is under consideration and dependent on early-intervention eligibility trends.

Board discussion and clarifications Board members asked for more information on how to interpret recent drops in math and Keystone scores. Doctor Campley asked whether the declines are a statewide testing issue or a local teaching issue, saying, "I can't believe that this is not an issue with the test rather than how anybody's teaching math." District staff explained that a statewide pattern includes a large dip after 2020 when some Keystone administrations were canceled, and that certain Keystone scores are reported in an eleventh-grade cohort, complicating year-to-year comparisons.

Administrators also raised practical factors affecting test results: newer online administrations mean students must navigate digital platforms and typed responses; board members and staff discussed the need to practice computer-based writing and digital reading strategies with younger students. The district said staff will work on rolling out test tools and digital-skills practice during professional time and use multiple assessment measures (DIBELS, STAR, local assessments) to target interventions.

Special education and English learners Presenters said EL numbers have approximately doubled since the 2018-19 school year and that special-education enrollments have held steady or increased while overall district enrollment declines. The district described tiered supports through MTSS and interventions through co-teaching, targeted small-group instruction, and contracted services; recommended staffing additions would reduce reliance on contractors.

Student wellness District leaders noted extracurricular participation as an important protective factor and cited the Safe to Say reporting system and the Pennsylvania Youth Survey as data sources for wellness and risk/protective factors. Safe to Say tip volume declined from 132 to 97 year over year in the presented data; principals and administrators said they have seen fewer in-school disciplinary referrals and cited PBIS and restorative practices as part of the improvement.

What the board asked for next Board members requested additional detail in future reports: disaggregated outcomes for Keystones by the year (and by grade when possible), a clearer breakdown of the economically disadvantaged calculation over time, and follow-up data on the Viking Zone pilot, iReady pilot results, and the proposed staffing additions.

Provenance Topic introduced: "Thank you, Miss White, and good evening, board of school directors. This is our annual data presentation." (Doctor Russell) Topic closed: "With that, I will turn it back to the board, and we will, as a team, entertain your questions. Thank you again for the opportunity to share the information." (Doctor Russell)

Ending Administrators framed the presentation as both a review of pandemic-era impacts and a road map for targeted interventions including structured literacy, math resources, and additional student-support staffing. Board members pressed for more disaggregated data and asked district staff to return with pilot results and additional analyses to place recent test scores in context.