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Board hears fall NWEA and M‑STEP results; trustees press for targeted interventions
Summary
Dr. Dan Berger presented fall 2023 NWEA and M‑STEP results showing Ann Arbor Public Schools' mean scores above pre‑pandemic national norms and proficiency rates above county and state averages. Trustees pressed for clarity on assessment burden, measurement of intervention effectiveness and plans to target students most affected by pandemic learning loss.
Dr. Dan Berger and district staff presented the district’s fall 2023 benchmark assessment results (NWEA) and the most recent M‑STEP proficiency data to the board, stressing that these are point‑in‑time measures to be combined with classroom and other evidence.
Dr. Berger said the district’s mean reading and math scores are above pre‑COVID national norms at every grade level on the NWEA measures presented: “The Ann Arbor Public Schools continues to demonstrate above average achievement at all grade levels in both reading and mathematics that exceeds national pre‑pandemic norms.” He cautioned that NWEA norms are pre‑pandemic and that interpretation requires context.
The presentation showed that between 53% and 78% of students scored above the national mean in fall NWEA distributions; M‑STEP proficiency rates for tested grades were above both Washtenaw County and the state averages, and AAPS ranked in the top percentiles among Michigan local educational agencies on many measures.
Trustees asked how assessment time affects instruction and how assessment data are used to drive interventions. Trustee Schmidt pressed the district to “find the best way to monitor kids … but to not steal precious instructional time,” particularly for early grades, and to ensure assessments chosen give reliable, actionable information.
District staff and presenters said teachers can access disaggregated reports to identify gaps and group students for targeted instruction; they described pre/post assessments and screeners used to measure summer‑program effectiveness and said a tutoring recommendation would be presented to the board soon as part of an effort to address pandemic‑era learning gaps.
Presenters also highlighted that historically underserved student groups were hit hardest during the pandemic and that closing gaps will require sustained, resourced interventions including targeted summer programming and differentiated classroom supports.
What happens next: the district will provide more disaggregated breakdowns for trustees and bring recommendations for tutoring and intervention funding to upcoming meetings.
