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MACCRAY board hears rollout of FastBridge testing and new intervention groups
Summary
District presenters described completing the first FastBridge assessment window, grouping students by risk for targeted interventions, and a plan for two additional testing rounds with progress monitoring aimed at improving outcomes on spring MCA tests.
Presenter reported the district completed its first FastBridge testing window, noting FastBridge has replaced the STAR assessment and will be administered three times a year (fall, January, and spring). The presenter said staff (including Beth Gustafson and Julie) pulled students for targeted administration and are using FastBridge scores to flag students at high, moderate, low or no risk and to form small intervention groups of about four to five students.
A board member asked what the FastBridge tests cover and how the results are used. The presenter said FastBridge focuses on reading and math, provides a reading score and flags students at risk for dyslexia, and is intended to correlate more closely with Minnesota’s MCA results than previous tools. The presenter said the district plans progress monitoring between the three full FastBridge windows "to kinda help us see if we're making gains or if a kid needs to move from one group to the next." (Presenter)
The district noted the next FastBridge window is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 13–20, and emphasized that, while each administration is a single snapshot, the three windows plus interim progress checks should give a clearer picture of student growth. The presenter also said mini classroom drop‑ins and full observations of non‑tenured staff are occurring alongside the assessment work to align instruction and interventions.
The board asked about how FastBridge fits with other assessments; the presenter said this is the district’s first year with FastBridge and that the tool will be used within MTSS to identify at‑risk learners earlier and to allocate Title I staff, classroom teachers and pull‑out support more efficiently. No formal decisions beyond implementation and planned monitoring were recorded at the meeting.
