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Pewaukee Board Hears Wisconsin Forward Results; District Lays Out Targeted Action Plans
Summary
District staff told the board the Wisconsin Forward exam shows Pewaukee in the state’s top 10% overall but highlighted gaps for students with IEPs and certain demographic groups; the district outlined learning sprints, expanded phonics (UFLI) and diagnostic supports to close those gaps.
Candace, a district assessment lead, told the Pewaukee School District board on Thursday that changes to the Wisconsin Forward English language arts exam and new score scales make direct year‑to‑year comparisons unreliable, but overall results keep the district near the top of state rankings.
The presentation detailed results across grades 3–8 and 10, with Pewaukee ranked in the top 10% statewide in ELA and math. Candace said the state’s adoption of updated ELA standards produced a redesigned Forward exam and a new scoring range, so “our scores and percentages are really not comparable to past years.”
Why it matters: district leaders said the Forward results will inform school‑level priorities but are primarily a summative measure. They emphasized that the exam should trigger diagnostic follow‑up, not replace teacher‑administered assessments used for short‑cycle instruction.
Board members and staff pointed to persistent achievement gaps. The presentation showed students with individualized education programs (IEPs) meet or exceed state averages for students with IEPs but still trail their peers locally (for example, Candace reported about 43.1% of students with an IEP in grades 3–5 met or exceeded ELA standards versus substantially higher rates for students without an IEP). Staff also highlighted demographic ranges by race and economic status; math showed wider variation (examples cited ranged from roughly 50% meeting/advanced for Hispanic students in some grades to more than 88% for Asian students).
District action: Anthony and school leaders described specific interventions already in place or planned. Elementary schools will continue short, targeted “learning sprints,” expand use of the UFLI phonics program up to fifth grade, and bolster teacher professional development to improve diagnostic skill. Anthony said the Forward exam “is a screener” that should prompt further, more specific testing and interventions, and the district will rely on tools such as STAR and classroom diagnostics for in‑process measurement.
On opt‑outs and reporting, Candace told the board parents may opt students out and that fewer than 1% of students take alternate Dynamic Learning Maps assessments; she said a 5% opt‑out threshold affects federal reporting and could have funding implications, though the district has not approached that level recently.
Board reaction and next steps: Members asked for cohort and trend analysis and urged staff to use Forward results alongside more frequent diagnostics. Staff said they will present related school action plans and demonstrate how district and building goals link to teacher‑level measures at future meetings.
The district said the Forward exam will be administered again in spring; staff also listed upcoming assessments (ACT/PACT, ACCESS for ELLs, DLM) and ongoing screeners (STAR, AIMSweb Plus, CogAT).
