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District 20 posts largely positive CMAS and DPF results; officials flag areas for focused work on math and writing
Summary
Academy District 20 reported it outperformed state averages on many CMAS measures and earned 'Accredited with Distinction' for the 17th straight year; board members and staff identified 5th-grade achievement and secondary math growth as priority areas and described steps including root-cause analysis, PLC work, and progress-monitoring tools.
Academy District 20's leadership presented the district's 2025 CMAS and District Performance Framework results at the Sept. 11 board meeting, noting strong overall performance while highlighting specific areas for improvement.
Superintendent Haber and learning-services staff walked trustees through participation rates (roughly 89% participation for ELA and math districtwide) and said the district outperformed the state on many grade-level assessments and average scale scores. The board heard that the district retained its "Accredited with Distinction" status for the seventeenth consecutive year and that the district's total DPF score increased to 77.4.
Officials said growth and achievement patterns singling out specific gaps: fifth-grade ELA and math showed declines that will be monitored closely; math growth for grades 6-7 and Algebra I passage for ninth graders were named as priority areas; and the district kept an aspirational SAT math goal (500) even after the state lowered a graduation benchmark to 480. Deputy/assessment staff noted the district's strategy includes root-cause analysis with principals, a tighter look at priority standards by feeder system, and more use of formative and benchmark tools (MAP Growth, IXL) to inform instruction.
Curriculum and instruction leaders also presented progress against strategic-plan targets: the district met a third-grade DIBELS benchmark goal (77% on or above benchmark vs a 75% target) and met some secondary course-passage goals (sixth and ninth grade ELA and math pass rates). Other targets were missed or narrowly missed, including some ELA growth and the 11th-grade 500 SAT goal (55.55% met 500). Staff said additional data (for example, on students on-track credit counts) will be reported by December.
Board discussion focused on how the district turns DPF findings into school-level action. Trustees requested a future review of writing instruction across campuses, asked how PLC work and vertical articulation between feeder schools is being supported, and sought more detail on the district's retention of instructional gains over time.
What's next: Staff said they will continue to distribute growth data via district visualizations and district data labs and will complete unified improvement plans for schools informed by the DPF; trustees requested a future study session focused on writing instruction and continuing updates on Algebra I and SAT progress.
