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Exeter Township leaders report early gains as EXL math rolls out in grades 3–4
Summary
District officials and elementary teachers described the first-year implementation of EXL in grades 3 and 4, citing live diagnostics, action plans and teacher professional development; teachers reported rapid, individualized gains but board members pressed for clarity on PSSA alignment, screen time and long-term costs.
Superintendent Dr. Christy Hower told the board the district piloted EXL in second grade and has now expanded the program into third and fourth grades to “increase grade‑three reading proficiency and strengthen foundational math skills.” She said the rollout was intentionally aligned to the district’s comprehensive strategic plan and the PA Core Standards.
Principals Matt Hathaway (Jacksonwald) and Jennifer Cook (Lorraine) described daily routines that mix teacher‑led instruction and EXL’s online “arena” diagnostics. Hathaway said EXL helps principals and teachers “get really into the student data” and allows targeted, small‑group instruction based on diagnostic flags and teacher‑assigned skills. Cook noted a live‑classroom feature that lets administrators see student work in real time and provide quick support.
Several classroom teachers gave concrete examples. Fourth‑grade teacher Melissa Adams said the system’s diagnostic “narrows it down to subskills” so teachers can form flexible groups; third‑grade teacher Karly Pirelli said one student moved from a second‑grade diagnostic level to a fourth‑grade level during the year. Josie Whitney and Mason Leonard described quizzes, auto‑graded reports and action‑plan links that send students to tailored practice.
Board members asked whether EXL’s items mirror state PSSAs and how the platform’s scoring should be interpreted. District staff said EXL provides a PSSA‑skill alignment view but cautioned that year‑one test results will lag; on the EXL score metric they explained “80 is not a percent” and that the platform’s model weights higher‑tier questions differently.
Parents raised screen‑time concerns during Q&A; teachers said typical EXL use is two short live sessions (about 15 minutes for ELA and 15 minutes for math) embedded in a broader range of hands‑on and teacher‑led work. Administrators emphasized professional development and principals’ monthly data meetings to ensure consistent use across schools.
The administration thanked EXL representatives (Megan Bullock) and the K–6 curriculum supervisor (Becky Bush) for on‑site training and called the program a tool to provide daily, actionable evidence of student learning. Superintendent Hower said the board’s investment included both software licenses and targeted professional development so teachers could use data immediately.
The presentation closed with an acknowledgement that it is the first year for EXL at these grade levels and that the district will continue monitoring how in‑year growth translates to state assessment results. The board asked for updates as additional data arrive and for more parent communications about score interpretation and screen‑time pacing.
