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Board hears winter benchmark results; staff cite reading gains, board presses for math strategy
Summary
FastBridge winter benchmarks showed fluency gains across several grades and identified variability in math results. Staff described MTSS, peer mentoring pilots and the need to develop math interventions and curriculum guidance; board members urged action on hiring and program evaluation.
District staff reviewed winter FastBridge benchmarks and explained what the results mean for reading and math interventions.
An assessment lead summarized the use of FastBridge and how fluency and comprehension metrics are reported across grade levels. "We use FastBridge assessments," the assessment lead said, and staff noted fluency gains in elementary grades compared with fall results.
Staff said the district has concentrated resources on tier 2 and tier 3 reading supports and is now turning attention to math. A pilot peer-mentoring program for reading interventions showed promising results—"4 out of 4 are showing growth on their progress monitoring," the assessment lead said—while math interventions remain understaffed because applicants have been scarce.
Board members pressed staff on fall-to-winter math patterns, curriculum choices, and whether changes in state testing or local administration could explain trends. One board member said, "I don't see the change," and urged the district to analyze past programs and measure long-term impact rather than cycling through new curricula.
Staff said they are reviewing elementary and secondary math curricula, considering restructuring MTSS supports for math, and exploring hiring approaches for a dedicated math intervention position. They emphasized that some grade-level percentage changes can result from very small cohort sizes (one student can represent 3–5 percentage points in a given grade).
Next steps: staff will continue curriculum review, explore options to staff math intervention roles, and track progress through the district’s MTSS framework.
