Board hears ISAS and growth data showing high proficiency but slowing growth; curriculum pilots planned

District administrators presented ISAS and FAST assessment results showing that while many grade levels demonstrate high proficiency, cohort growth declines as students progress to junior high and high school. Presenters and board members discussed multiple possible causes, including differences in instructional minutes between junior-high and high-school schedules, alignment of curriculum and standards, and the technical scoring and cohort calculations used in the state assessments.

An administrator explained that the district looks at both screener (FAST) data and summative (ISAS) results to distinguish proficiency from growth, and said the district is piloting new math and considering major changes to the ELA program. A board member asked whether the decline reflected a misaligned curriculum or differences in instructional time; staff noted that junior-high students historically have more ELA minutes per cycle than high-school students under the current schedule.

Presenters cautioned that changes can depress measured scores in an implementation year: "it could get worse before it gets better because that first year, you don't know what you don't know," a staff presenter said. Board members requested continued data on cohort growth and alignment work; staff said building- and district-level teams are actively conducting cause-analysis and that changes being piloted will be monitored through upcoming assessment windows.

No formal action was taken at this meeting beyond direction to continue data review and pilot implementation planning.