Byram Hills English chair highlights strong literacy results, AI guidance and a new student portfolio

Duane Smith, the district's English department chair, told the Byram Hills Central School District Board on Monday night that English instruction remains focused on critical thinking even as teachers and students adopt artificial intelligence tools. Smith said the department will pilot a longitudinal student portfolio aligned with the state's new "portrait of a graduate" and emphasized classroom practice designed to preserve academic integrity.

Smith opened with the department's purpose and assessment highlights. He described middle-school ELA proficiency as unusually high — with cohorts reaching roughly 90–91 percent proficiency and top-10 rankings in some state categories — and said AP language and literature results also outpaced state and international averages.

The presentation then turned to the state's redesigned Regents exam. Smith said the test has shifted to next-generation standards and that the district has begun reviewing sample materials issued by State Education officials. "We're not going to use this test for any student if it hurts them," Smith said, describing options the district can use to adjust reporting so students are not disadvantaged by changes in scoring or scale.

On artificial intelligence, Smith described a departmental philosophy and a three-tier approach to classroom use: green-lighted tasks (background research, vocabulary), a middle tier that requires teacher permission, and a strict stance on plagiarism. He gave a classroom example of an AI prompt used to help ninth graders produce an essay outline, then required students to draft their own papers. "We need to teach the responsible use of a technology," Smith said, adding that professional learning and teacher collaboration shaped the guidance.

Smith also described literacy interventions: the district has administered DIBELS oral reading fluency tests in grades 6–8 to identify fluency and comprehension supports, and has used a research-based visit from Dr. Carolyn Strom to guide classroom strategies. He credited teacher-led changes that emphasize metacognitive writing, note-taking, and stronger vocabulary work.

The board also heard that the "Voices in Print" program (formerly a BHEF-funded initiative) has been integrated into the curriculum and brought in-house; according to Smith this change saved about $7,000 while preserving an author-publication experience for eighth graders.

The presentation concluded with questions about how the portrait-of-a-graduate requirements will translate into credits and course placements; administrators said the district will continue cross-department planning and community communication as state guidance evolves.

The board did not take a formal vote on these instructional proposals; Smith said pilots and teacher-led implementation would continue over the coming year.