Lansing reports modest winter gains in NWEA while partnership schools show mixed progress

Lansing Board of Education received its winter "98B" student data presentation on districtwide assessment results, with staff saying overall proficiency and growth have in some areas inched up but remain below state averages.

Jessica Benavides introduced the twice-yearly report and turned the presentation to Anna Deponio, Director of Data and Accountability, who said 9,904 students were included in the winter NWEA MAP administration and noted two key subgroups: students with individualized education programs (23.63%) and multilingual learners (about 17%). Deponio explained that the NWEA RIT score places students on a national percentile; the district defines proficiency as at or above the 61st percentile and tracks "met growth" by comparing fall-to-winter results.

Deponio reported district-level changes over multi-year comparisons: overall proficiency for grades 2'12 rose from 15.9% in 2022'3 to 20.9% this winter, and districtwide "met growth" averaged about 49.7% (up slightly from 48.96%). In math, proficiency went from 9.12% two years ago to 17.5% this winter, while the share of students meeting math growth rose from about 51.15% to 57.9%. The presenters emphasized these are winter/checkpoint data and that district goals include reaching state-average proficiency ranges (roughly 3542% depending on grade) and an 80% met-growth target based on RTI expectations.

Presenters highlighted differences by grade and school. Reading proficiency improved among some high-school grades compared with last year's same-grade cohorts; Deponio cautioned that grade-to-grade graphs show cross-sectional comparisons (this year's ninth…