District presents FastBridge and state assessment data; board discusses subgroup gaps and next steps
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Summary
District staff led an abbreviated data-protocol exercise on FastBridge screeners and the new state cut scores, discussed subgroup performance and testing accommodations, and proposed next steps including KITE mini assessments and capacity building for principals and instructional coaches.
District instructional leaders led the board through a focused review of FastBridge screener results and the new state assessment cut scores, outlining how the district plans to use multiple data points to guide instruction.
Dr. Karjala (district presenter) explained the difference between FastBridge (a nationally normed screener given three times a year) and state assessments (grade-level standard tests taken once in the spring). She told the board the district will begin using KITE mini assessments tied to state standards and work on performance-level descriptors (PLDs) to align curriculum and instruction.
Board members raised concerns about subgroup gaps, with one member noting that white students were outperforming Hispanic peers in fourth grade and asking what targeted supports could be added. Dr. Karjala described the district's QIESA plan and said staff are working on strategies to support subgroups.
Members also asked about testing accommodations for students with disabilities. The presenters said the state had narrowed universal accommodations (noting limits on text-to-speech for elementary reading) and explained the process to request state approval for some accommodations; they added that a district-provided accommodation used without state approval can render a state's score invalid.
On next steps, presenters recommended building capacity among principals and instructional coaches, piloting KITE mini assessments for more frequent, standards-aligned checks, and aligning summer curriculum work to state PLDs. The board framed any measurable shifts in subgroup outcomes as victories for individual students and discussed monitoring progress over time.