District says renormed NWEA results show 'high average to high' achievement; board asks for deeper trend context
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Summary
Assistant superintendent and curriculum director presented renormed NWEA winter‑to‑fall growth showing strong percentile ranks in K‑2 and positive trends across grade bands; trustees asked for cohort comparisons and alignment with state assessments.
Assistant Superintendent Rhonda Henry and Director Margaret Hendrickson presented the district’s winter NWEA data and implementation plans for literacy and mathematics. They said NWEA renorming (2025 norms replacing 2020 norms) resets national benchmarks and that Farmington Public Schools is performing at high average to high achievement in most grade bands, citing K–2 percentile ranks above the 80th percentile and growth exceeding expectations in multiple cohorts.
Presenters linked recent gains to multi‑year investments in the science of reading and high‑quality curricular resources (EL Skills Block, Wit & Wisdom) and described classroom practices for small‑group instruction and team‑based staffing. They noted improvements in both literacy and mathematics and explained how NWEA percentile ranks differ from proficiency measures on state assessments (M‑STEP/SAT) while providing predictive correlations.
Trustees pressed for clarification on which schools and cohorts drove gains, how percentile ranks translate to state proficiency, and how intervention tools (UFLI, Delta Math) are used in classrooms. Presenters said the data allow teachers to set individual growth plans and identify students at or above the 80th percentile for acceleration. The board asked for continued deep dives into trend data and cohort comparisons at future meetings.
