Saint Lucie reports midyear gains in reading; math shows mixed trends
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Summary
District officials said midyear PM2 data show a 5 percentage point aggregate gain in reading proficiency and a 3 point gain in math across reported grades, highlighted scale‑score growth and steady attendance; staff cautioned that final accountability funding depends on the end‑of‑year PM3 calculation.
Dr. Summer, Saint Lucie Public Schools chief academic officer, presented midyear PM2 reading and math results on Jan. 27, saying the district’s aggregate reading proficiency for grades 3–10 is 5 percentage points higher than last year and math proficiency for grades 3–8 is up 3 points.
"For third grade last year, we were at 34% proficient. This year, we're at 36%, which represents a 2% increase," Dr. Summer said, using the grade‑by‑grade tables to illustrate where gains occurred. She highlighted double‑digit school‑level gains at several campuses and reported that average scale‑score growth in reading rose to 4.76 points from prior years, a measure the district uses to track movement from non‑proficient to proficient.
Superintendent Dr. Prince and other board members provided context for the results, noting that PM1 and PM2 cover only reading and math and that other tested subjects (fifth and eighth grade science, seventh grade civics and 11th grade U.S. history) are not included in this midyear snapshot. Prince also emphasized accelerated courses’ effect on cohort comparisons in math, explaining that many third‑ to fifth‑grade students in Accelerated Math Program (AMP) take higher‑grade assessments and therefore change cohort denominators.
Attendance was steady, officials said, with elementary attendance averaging about 94%, middle schools at 92% and high schools at 90%. Staff noted that a one‑percentage‑point change in district attendance corresponds to roughly 400 students and substantial instructional‑hour gains.
Board members asked how these midyear numbers affect funding. Dr. Summer explained that school recognition dollars and many statutory incentives are tied to the annual school grade and the end‑of‑year PM3, not PM1 or PM2. "The only funding attached to the PM3 results…is the total school grade," a staff member said, noting that schools have until Feb. 1 to decide how school recognition dollars will be allocated.
The presentation closed with an emphasis on instructional supports: principals’ collaboration, use of the district’s Power BI data system, multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS) for struggling students, and targeted interventions for accelerated students to ensure courses and testing choices align with long‑term graduation and college readiness goals.
The board did not take formal action on the PM2 presentation; staff said PM3 results and any funding consequences will be reported when those data are available.