Niskayuna presents preliminary 202425 student assessment results; district outperforms statewide averages

NISKAYUNA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT staff presented preliminary results from New York State 32828through289 assessments and Regents exams, saying the district is outperforming statewide averages but that year-to-year comparisons are constrained by changing cut scores and test formats. Jess (Staff member) led the presentation and provided the data overview.

Staff said preliminary statewide English language arts proficiency was 54 percent; the district's reported ELA proficiency was roughly 12 points higher than the state figure. For mathematics, preliminary statewide numbers were described as ‘‘right around 60 percent’’ and the district was said to be ‘‘outperforming slightly.’’ Staff noted that the district's eighth-grade math figures are affected by whether students take Regents algebra or geometry instead of the grade-level assessment (about 125 to 140 students are in that accelerated group), which can make direct grade-to-grade comparisons misleading.

Staff described recent changes to science assessments: New York State shifted to computer-based science tests for fifth and eighth grades and removed a separate hands-on performance component; statewide reference figures cited in the presentation were about 35 percent for fifth grade and 44 percent for eighth grade (the presenter said the state sometimes reports a combined 44 percent figure). The district highlighted investments in curriculum and resources, including Carolina Smithsonian science kits and a reorganization of middle-school science sequencing, as actions believed to contribute to gains.

At the high-school level, staff said some Regents exams were rebranded or replaced recently (for example, living environment mapped to a new biology Regents; earth science to an earth-and-space-science Regents) and that algebra results showed a small decline. Staff credited a newly funded alternative-education program with helping close gaps in graduation and Regents success for students at risk of not graduating on time. The presenter emphasized that most district results are preliminary and that state cut-score adjustments mean single-year changes should be interpreted cautiously.

Committee members asked about family access to individual student reports; staff confirmed family report pages break out student results and comparisons to state averages. Staff also said the district uses multiple data sources (formative, summative and benchmark assessments) and a developed MTSS framework to guide instructional decisions.

Staff committed to follow-up analyses: disaggregating results for students who take Regents exams in middle school, continuing item analyses for dipped areas such as algebra, and expanding targeted small-group instruction and benchmarking for ninth grade. The district said it will continue to report preliminary figures as the state finalizes cut scores and data checks.