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New Kansas assessment baseline shows Shawnee Mission above state averages, district presents crosswalk to local measures
Summary
District assessment leaders explained the revised 2025 Kansas assessments and presented crosswalks to local measures (I‑Ready, NWEA MAP, Acadience); SMSD reported about 57% of students proficient in ELA and 53% in math, outperforming statewide averages.
At the Nov. 3 board meeting, assessment leaders updated the board on the newly revised Kansas assessment program and how the 2025 results relate to local diagnostic and formative measures.
Dr. Dan Grama said the state changed performance‑level descriptors and cut scores in 2025 to correct vertical‑alignment issues that had produced inconsistent grade‑to‑grade patterns in earlier years. The revised four‑level scale (limited/basic/proficient/advanced) produced more consistent statewide distributions, he said, simplifying interpretation and improving alignment with other measures.
Shawnee Mission data: district charts showed that approximately 57 percent of SMSD students scored at or above proficient (level 3) in English language arts and about 53 percent at or above proficient in mathematics, both higher than statewide percentages reported for 2025. Dr. Grama stressed that 2025 is a new baseline and direct comparisons to 2024 are limited by the changes in cut scores; the presentation included crosswalks showing typical NWEA/I‑Ready percentiles that align with state performance levels.
Local measures: presenters reviewed I‑Ready cohort movement, NWEA MAP percentile shifts and Acadience literacy and numeracy results, noting incremental improvements across many cohorts and reductions in the share of students scoring in the lowest bands. Grama said these local measures generally predict state results and will help the district target instruction through the RTI framework.
Board discussion focused on the difference between formative and summative assessments and the public meaning of the term “proficient.” Members asked for clarity when sharing results with families; presenters pointed to KSDE resources and examples of performance‑level descriptors.
Next steps: the district will continue to implement I‑Ready K–8, refine crosswalks between local and state assessments, use mini‑tests as common formative assessments, and report back with additional analysis at future meetings.
