Middleton District reports early gains on new Amira reading assessment, reviews PSAT results
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Summary
District staff presented fall assessment baselines using the state’s new Amira platform and I‑Ready data, reporting single‑month improvements in K–1 reading and reviewed district PSAT benchmarks; administrators said diagnostic screening and the 95% intervention are guiding targeted small‑group instruction.
District staff presented fall assessment results and initial PSAT benchmarks, and described how the district plans to use monthly data and targeted interventions.
Ms. Gibson told the board the state’s new Amira reading platform is computer‑adaptive and includes fluency scoring; because of the platform rollout some K–3 teachers had optional participation, so K–3 reading data are partial in this first cycle. She said October served as a baseline and reported early gains in the November follow‑up: kindergarten Tier‑1 students rose from about 30% to 59%, while first grade improved from roughly 39% to 64% in that period. Gibson said teachers use automatic diagnostic follow‑ups for students who do not meet benchmarks and that the district’s 95% intervention program helps teachers pinpoint and address specific skill deficits.
On the PSAT, Gibson reported the district percentage of sophomores meeting both reading and math benchmarks is roughly 30%, compared with a state average near 37% and national/global clusters near 38%; board members cautioned that district‑wide PSAT participation (all sophomores) changes interpretation versus opt‑in models. Board members discussed low‑stakes preparation options to acclimate students to the platform and question types.
District staff said more detailed school‑level breakdowns and a January progress report will follow.