Manatee County reports midyear gains on PM2 ELA assessments; board asks for localized data

District research and assessment staff presented midyear (PM2) ELA assessment findings to the school board on Feb. 10, citing year-over-year gains in early learning and elementary grades and outlining how the test platform and item types differ across grade bands.

Evan McCarthy, the district’s director of research, and Derek Jensen reviewed representative state sample items and proficiency comparisons across platforms. Jensen said the district’s VPK performance improved by seven percentage points year over year and now stands four points above the state midyear average. “Last year we were 1% lower than the state midyear in VPK. This year we’re 4 percent higher,” Jensen said.

Presenters explained grade-band differences: K–2 items focus on letters, sounds and early literacy while grades 3–10 emphasize reading comprehension and evidence-based responses (two passages with multi-part questions are common in upper-grade items). The district noted positive growth in third and fifth grades and year-over-year improvements in middle grades, particularly sixth and seventh.

Board members asked for Manatee-specific longitudinal data correlating VPK attendance with third-grade reading outcomes; presenters said district analyses exist and would be supplied to the board. Jensen and McCarthy described tools available to parents via the state’s family portal and noted the district’s weekly superintendent data reviews and principal action plans to target instruction based on assessment findings.

No formal policy action was taken; the board and staff said they would continue data review and bring analysis to upcoming workshops, including planned discussion of school start times.