Bullhead City board reviews first-quarter benchmarks, questions steep year-over-year goals
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Stewart told the board the district's benchmark tests (grades 2 '8) show low first-quarter proficiency and explained changes in state tests that make year-over-year comparisons difficult; trustees pressed on goal realism and requested reports ordered by teaching sequence.
At a Nov. 20 Bullhead City School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Stewart reviewed first-quarter benchmark results for grades 2 through 8 and outlined district academic goals intended to raise proficiency by substantial percentages by spring 2026.
Dr. Stewart said the district gives benchmark assessments each quarter (grades 2'8) to align with revised pacing guides and to let teachers focus on grade-level standards. She warned that some test items in the district's new system were drawn from a bank and, for year-long standards that had not yet been taught, could show poor performance that reflected coverage rather than long-term proficiency. "If the standard had been broken down by quarter, then the test items that she selected matched the parts of the standard that were being taught during first quarter," she said.
The superintendent also told trustees Arizona's Department of Education plans to emphasize "essential standards" on the statewide April test (about 60% of the exam), which will complicate comparisons with prior years when test content differed. "It makes it real difficult to compare those results with last year's results because the test is different," she said.
Board members pressed on the district's targets. Dr. Stewart noted district goals that include a rise in third-through-eighth-grade ELA proficiency from roughly 26% to 45% and similar double-digit increases for math and subgroup targets (special education, English learners, students experiencing homelessness). Trustees voiced concern such jumps may be unrealistic and demoralizing for teachers if the targets are not met. "I don't want to discourage the teachers when we only increase by 20% instead of 32%," one member said.
Trustees requested additional, more-useful reports: Dr. Stewart agreed to ask assessment staff to provide benchmark charts in the order standards were taught (rather than ranked by current proficiency), and to return a December report showing both proficiency-order and teaching-order views so the board can better identify retention and instruction issues.
Why it matters: The board sets district goals used for school improvement planning, staffing and potential incentives. Changing state assessment emphases and the limited size of short benchmark tests (40 items) make interpreting early-quarter results more complex, the superintendent said. The board asked for clearer item- and standard-level data to guide instruction and goal setting.
Next steps: Staff will prepare December benchmark reports reordered by teaching sequence and continue item-level analysis so teams can target reteaching and interventions.
