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Buffalo schools report gains in early-grade reading and math, district says
Summary
Chief Botticelli told the board that targeted phonics instruction and math interventions helped raise third-grade proficiency and reduce the share of students "well below" benchmark; the district exceeded two of three board-set goals and will report graduation-rate data in August.
The Buffalo City School District on July 17 reported measurable gains in early elementary reading and math, officials said, crediting targeted phonics instruction, curriculum coaching and focused intervention for students affected by pandemic-era disruptions.
Chief Botticelli, the district's chief academic officer, told the Board of Education that cohorts who experienced COVID-related interruptions in pre-K and kindergarten showed significant growth on the DIBELS literacy measures and on a newer math assessment. She said the district met and in some cases exceeded two of three board-set goals for targeted groups.
Botticelli highlighted that one tracked cohort rose from 22% proficiency in third-grade reading at the start of the monitoring period to a district-reported 42% in the current measure; economically disadvantaged third graders improved to roughly 40% proficiency from much lower starting points. She also said the share of students categorized as "well below" dropped substantially in kindergarten cohorts (an example cited: a decline from roughly 67% to 37% well-behind rates in early grades), and that school-specific interventions (for example, expanded Orton-Gillingham phonics blocks and double intervention at select buildings) were replicated to drive gains.
On math, Botticelli said the district's mid-or-above grade-level category increased in multiple cohorts and credited rollout of a K'8 math curriculum (first-in-math) and coaching for teachers. Board members asked for short, replicable descriptions of strategies used at higher-performing schools so those methods can spread; Botticelli and other cabinet members said that data visibility, targeted RTI time, and coaching visits were among the steps that worked.
The superintendent said the district expects to have unofficial graduation-rate numbers ready by August and that additional monitoring sessions and community briefings are planned in August and October.
Next steps: board members asked for shorter written goal-briefs in advance of presentations and more explicit, replicable strategy notes from schools that exceeded targets.
