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Brentwood lays out 'Graduation Plus' secondary plan, highlights gains in tests and CTE expansion
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Matthew Gangler presented the secondary budget framework 'Graduation Plus,' citing gains in ELA and math, expanded CTE pathways (Campus Fresh, DECA, agribusiness), increased dual‑enrollment and proposed staffing additions to sustain growth.
Assistant Superintendent Matthew Gangler presented the Brentwood Union Free School District's secondary budget and the district's "Graduation Plus" framework, framing it as a K–12 continuum that begins in kindergarten and emphasizes college and career readiness.
Gangler told the board the district is translating strategy into programs across middle and high schools, from middle‑level CTE requirements to expanded dual‑enrollment options. "Graduation Plus starts much earlier than cross the stage," he said, adding that the district is building systems to track career and technical education requirements and student progress.
The presentation included performance data Gangler said reflects district efforts. He reported district growth of about three percentage points in mathematics participation and an ELA assessment gain of 7.6 percentage points in grades 3–8. On the Plan Pilot (a performance‑based learning initiative), he said participating students consistently outperformed nonparticipants and that special‑education students in the pilot showed gains, with the percentage scoring 65 or higher increasing by 28 percentage points.
Gangler highlighted new and expanding career pathways: Campus Fresh, an agritech/agribusiness program that produced more than 80 pounds of lettuce and is being promoted as a first‑of‑its‑kind Long Island pathway; expanded DECA teams competing at the state level and traveling to Atlanta; and a growing slate of dual‑enrollment offerings with SUNY Empire, Syracuse SUPA and Suffolk Community College. He said the district currently has 543 students in the business institute information systems pathway and 88 in the culinary academy, and cited 107 students in district student‑employment placements.
The presentation also described new initiatives launched this year, including LaYuna (a cooperative program with Local 66 and Hoagland) and Pathways Beyond the Bell, a temporary wraparound program for students needing intensive supports to stay on track for graduation.
Gangler proposed targeted staffing to sustain these programs. He requested two reading coaches and an additional bilingual restorative coach at the high school, replacement hires to cover retirements across buildings, and possible TOSA support for long‑term ENL students at the middle‑school level.
The presentation included graduation statistics: an overall graduation rate of 83% and a rise in diplomas awarded from 1,157 in 2024 to 1,372 in 2025, with increases in local and Regents diplomas.
Board members and Superintendent Wanda Ortiz‑Rivera praised the breadth of programming and community partnerships, noting the district's growing career and technical offerings and student engagement programs such as e‑sports. The board did not take a vote on the secondary staffing requests during the session; Gangler closed by noting ongoing work to align staffing with projected enrollment changes.
Next steps: the district will continue staffing analysis tied to final enrollment projections and return to the board with more detailed budget figures for formal consideration.
