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Midyear benchmarks show steady progress in reading and math; science shows early gains
Summary
District leaders presented midyear i‑Ready, Acadience and benchmark data: most grades improved or held steady versus last winter, Acadience showed first‑grade gains of 5 percentage points, and a newly adopted science benchmark rose sharply from August to December.
District academic leaders on Feb. 25 presented midyear results from benchmark and diagnostic assessments, reporting generally steady progress in reading and math and unexpectedly strong early gains in a new science benchmark.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Bridget Doozy and Director of Assessment Brian Owen summarized winter benchmark results (district benchmarks aligned to state blueprints), i‑Ready diagnostics and Acadience literacy screening. Owen said district benchmark scores in math and reading were largely consistent with the prior year's winter results, noting differences in administration timing between years as a caveat.
He highlighted the district’s new winter science benchmark — not administered last year — which showed a double‑digit increase from August to December. “I was surprised to see a 9 and 10 percentage point increase from August to December,” Owen said, and suggested that the result could signal improvements that may appear on this year's state science assessment.
Acadience (universal literacy screener) data showed gains in most grades versus last winter, with first grade showing the largest year‑over‑year increase at five percentage points for students meeting the winter benchmark. District staff emphasized that Acadience measures underlying reading skills (phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency) and is used to identify students who need diagnostic follow‑up and targeted intervention under Arizona’s Move On When Reading framework.
i‑Ready math and ELA diagnostics indicated movement out of the lowest placement bands: the district reported reductions in students two to three grade levels below and increases in students at or above grade level between fall and winter administrations. Staff noted that median growth metrics showed particular gains among students who were furthest below grade level, while students already at grade level present an area for further acceleration.
District leaders described site‑level follow‑up: principals and leadership teams have incorporated the winter data into scorecards to track action steps, reading specialists are meeting with grade‑level teams to plan interventions, and math coaches are providing targeted professional learning. The district plans further use of the data to refine interventions and report year‑end results.
