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Holmen reports state test results: ELA dip at some grades, ACT composite reaches district goal
Summary
District instructional leaders presented 2024–25 Wisconsin State Assessment System results showing a modest ELA decline in some grades, continued math growth, and Holmen’s first‑time achievement of a 21 ACT composite average.
Holmen School District instructional leaders presented the district's 2024–25 Wisconsin Student Assessment System results at the Oct. 13, 2025, board meeting, reporting mixed performance across grades and notable gains at the high‑school level.
Kim Edwards, executive director of instructional services, said the state assessment results are a key piece of evidence for school improvement planning, and she walked the board through Wisconsin Forward exams (grades 3–8), preACT secure (grades 9–10) and the ACT (grade 11). Edwards said the district saw a slight dip in ELA scores that coincided with adoption of new ELA resources at elementary and grade 6 levels, while math showed steady upward trends.
High‑school gains: Edwards said Holmen achieved its dashboard goal for the first time—an ACT composite average of 21—and that the district saw improvements across most ACT subtests. "For the first time ever...we have met our dashboard goal of reaching a 21 as an average composite score," she said. The presentation highlighted particularly strong gains in ACT science, where Holmen outpaced peer districts and the state.
Subgroup performance and concerns: Edwards identified areas for continued focus, including English‑language arts among certain subgroups and math for students with disabilities. She noted the district uses multiple screeners (AIMSweb Plus k–3, i‑Ready k–8) and district coaching to support implementation and said the district has piloted new math resources in K–5 and adopted HMH Algebra/Geometry/Algebra for high school courses.
Why it matters: State assessment data feed building improvement plans and district strategic goals; the board asked for future briefings connecting assessment results to specific improvement steps and how programs such as Title I and district coaching fit into the improvement work.
Next steps: Edwards said buildings will dig deeper into the data, the district will continue rollout and coaching for new curriculum resources, and administrators will report back on alignment between screeners and state assessments. The presentation was informational; no board action was taken.
