Quincy district shows mixed Smarter Balanced results; math proficiency lags, curriculum study underway

Quincy School District assessment staff presented Smarter Balanced Assessment data and analysis to the school board on Oct. 28, reporting that while student growth indicators exceed state averages in several grade bands and subgroups, math proficiency remains below pre-pandemic levels and requires further work.

“All students, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities are being tracked for both proficiency and growth,” Allison Lisonbee told the board during the presentation. Lisonbee explained the district uses student growth percentiles (SGPs) to compare how students progress relative to academic peers and showed standout growth in particular grades and schools, including fifth- and seventh-grade gains and above-average growth among multilingual learners and students with disabilities.

Lisonbee highlighted a persistent gap in math proficiency. "We clearly have work to do in math," she said, outlining a two-phase curriculum study underway. Phase 1 focuses on defining parameters and success criteria, reviewing draft state standards, gathering stakeholder voice and developing learning progressions for updated standards. Staff plan November focus groups with students and will pilot AI tools to help create learning progressions and to evaluate whether current materials teach to the required level of rigor. In phase 2 the district will identify gaps and determine whether changes require a full curriculum replacement or smaller targeted adjustments.

Board members asked whether declines between middle and high school proficiency are statewide and whether testing participation affects high school comparisons. Staff said Washington state shows a drop between eighth and tenth grades and noted that high-school testing participation varies because some students pursue ACT/SAT, CTE pathways or dual-credit courses instead of the SBA; staff also noted the state assessment schedule and a planned assessment update expected in coming years.

The report was informational. District staff described next steps for the curriculum study and said they will return to the board with detailed recommendations and cost estimates before any adoption or purchasing decisions are made.