Brandywine reports midyear gains on NWEA MAP; district leaders link growth to curriculum changes
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Superintendent Yolanda Lawson told the board that Brandywine School District elementary students averaged above national growth norms on midyear NWEA MAP tests, with administrators linking the gains to recent curriculum and pacing adjustments and noting connections to Smarter Balanced outcomes.
Superintendent Yolanda Lawson reported to the Brandywine School District Board that elementary students recorded midyear growth on the NWEA MAP assessment at the 56th percentile in math and the 59th percentile in reading, figures Lawson said exceed national average growth norms and reflect curricular changes implemented this year.
"Between fall testing in September and winter testing in January, BSD elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grew at the 56th percentile in math and the 59th percentile in reading," Lawson said, framing those results as evidence the district's updated curriculum and pacing for early learners are working.
Lawson cautioned that MAP-to-Smarter Balanced correlations are not guarantees: "That correlation is just that a correlation. A student has to sit down and take the Smarter Balanced test in good testing conditions and try their very best to get there," she said. Still, she said higher MAP growth increases the likelihood more students will reach proficiency on Smarter Balanced assessments.
The superintendent also praised staff across departments for recent operational work, thanking facilities and transportation teams for managing conditions during an unusual snow-and-freeze period and acknowledging school counselors during National School Counseling Week for supporting students' academic and social-emotional needs.
Board members asked follow-up questions about the data and state testing alignment; Lawson said the district will continue to monitor MAP and Smarter Balanced results together and bring deeper Smarter Balanced achievement-level analysis back to the board.
The district's midyear report was informational; no policy vote was taken. The superintendent said further reporting and context will be provided in future board materials.