RCSD reports modest gains on 2024–25 state tests but proficiency remains low

Rochester City School District officials on Tuesday presented 2024–25 New York State assessment results that showed modest increases in proficiency but continued wide gaps compared with peer districts.

Chief Cody led the presentation and told the board that districtwide proficiency for grades 3–8 was 19% in English language arts and 17% in math for 2024–25. Cody highlighted that the share of students scoring in the lowest proficiency band had declined in both subjects — ELA level 1 decreased from 62.5% to 54.6% and math level 1 declined from around 80.1% (in 2021–22) to about 59.7% this past year. The district also noted specific school gains: School 12 (ELA +11.1%), School 7 (ELA +10.8%), and School 15 (ELA +10.3%) among elementary buildings.

Cody and Superintendent Rosser framed the results as incremental progress but emphasized they fall short of expectations and remain below averages in other large city districts. The administration said actions under way include a curriculum audit, a unified PK‑12 literacy vision, a literacy task force, stronger professional learning for teachers and instructional coaches, realignment of intervention practices, and a review of assessment tools to reduce over‑testing and better inform instruction.

Board members pressed for disaggregated data (including special education group breakdowns), asked for evidence supporting curriculum and intervention choices, and requested that the administration share the assessment and curriculum audit tools used to arrive at their findings.

The board did not take a vote on instructional changes during the session; staff said updates and more detailed data will be provided in future reports to the board.