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Superintendent Pellegrino reports mixed assessment trends, praises DESE special-education review with no findings
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Pellegrino told the Gardner School Committee that math performance has improved while English-language-arts outcomes for students with disabilities declined; he also said a recent DESE special-education compliance review produced no findings.
Superintendent Dr. Pellegrino told the Gardner School Committee on March 9 that district progress toward several formative goals is mixed and requires targeted actions at the school level.
Pellegrino said the district is tracking five goals (two district goals, two student-learning goals and one professional-practice goal) and that the most important evidence is the data: in his words, "the data doesn't lie." He said classroom engagement targets (80% or more of students on task) were reached in most schools (he cited a district aggregate near 87%) but noted Gardner Academy was at 48% in the engagement measure and needs focused supports.
On academic screeners, Pellegrino reported math gains for both aggregate students and students with disabilities, while English-language-arts (ELA) comprehension scores for students with disabilities declined since the start of the year. "I don't like this data," he said of the ELA trend, and said principals are developing school-specific plans and additional professional development to address the gap.
Pellegrino also announced the results of two Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) reviews. He said DESE classroom walkthrough scores improved and, in a separate special-education compliance review, "for the first time ever we have had no findings." He called that outcome "wonderful" and said auditors described the district as "radically different" in its systems since past reviews.
Why it matters: The mixed assessment picture has direct implications for instruction, intervention allocation and professional development. The DESE finding of no special-education compliance issues is notable for district accountability and may affect state monitoring cadence.
Next steps: Principals will implement school-level strategies to address ELA declines for students with disabilities, and the district will continue to monitor implementation fidelity for new curricula (Amplify in upper grades) and MTSS/Tier 2 supports to mitigate the impact of weather-related disruptions.
