Missisquoi Valley School District #89 reported widespread gains on the Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program this year, with district leaders saying results show progress but also persistent equity gaps.

Kosha, the district assessment lead, told the board the district’s overall ELA proficiency rose about 6 percentage points to approximately 54%, roughly 1 point below the statewide average, while math rose to about 37% (2 points below the state) and science improved to about 36.8% (state average 43%). "This year in 2025 in ELA, we were just 1% below the state average," Kosha said, presenting data the district received unusually early in October.

Why it matters: administrators said the results reflect targeted curriculum and instructional changes, including a new K–6 reading program and literacy strategies emphasizing morphology. Kosha highlighted dramatic gains in ninth grade, where the district recorded a roughly 20-point rise in ELA proficiency compared with the prior year, and smaller but notable math gains in several upper grades.

Board members pressed for additional detail on cohort growth and younger-grade performance. Kosha cautioned that the VTCAP summative test is administered in March, before the school year ends, which can depress scores for younger students who have not yet covered end-of-year material. The district will compile cohort-level data and fall-to-winter local assessment comparisons to clarify where instructional changes are driving growth.

Equity concerns: the presentation flagged persistent achievement gaps for students receiving special education services and for students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch. Kosha said the largest gaps are for students on IEPs and outlined plans for targeted professional development for special educators and interventionists, including regional training and in-district coaching.

What happens next: administrators said they will provide a fuller winter-data comparison in January and continue deploying reading and math coaches and intervention strategies, while tracking whether gains hold across cohorts.