District updates K–4 screening, outlines three‑year shift to standards‑based grading at middle school and reports preACT gains

District instructional leaders presented assessment and curriculum updates to the school board.

Amy, reporting for curriculum and instruction, said this is the district’s second year using AIMSwebPlus as the universal screener for K–4; the district administered assessments early in the state window this winter to create earlier diagnostic results and personalize reading plans. Amy said early percentile shifts likely reflect the earlier testing date and that the district will review April results to evaluate intervention impact.

Secondary leaders described a planned three‑year rollout to move the middle school from a points‑based grade system to standards‑based, evidence‑based grading in phased clusters of content. The plan includes working with consultant Tony Bridal, customizing Infinite Campus where needed for the grade‑book display, maintaining letter grades on report cards during a transitional period and convening parent groups to support communication. "We want to shift the conversation closer to learning," a secondary leader said, describing the conversion process and timeline.

At the high school, administrators reported they administered a local preACT this fall to provide early formative data; they said sophomores’ composite scores in October rose nearly a full point compared with spring baselines and juniors scored slightly ahead of last year’s spring results. The district also reported high AP participation over students’ careers (72% of 2025 seniors took at least one AP exam) and ongoing work to reduce participation gaps through a partnership with Equal Opportunity Schools.

Board members asked for additional participation and opt‑out statistics and asked curriculum staff to present I‑Ready and course‑guide changes at the curriculum committee meeting.