Laramie County School District #1 reports midyear gains in elementary math, modest reading improvements

Laramie County School District #1 officials presented midyear elementary assessment results on Thursday, reporting measurable gains in math proficiency and modest improvements in early reading measures.

Director Hall opened the presentation and said the district has seen “155 more students who are proficient or advanced already” at the winter benchmark despite testing 185 fewer students this winter than last year. District assessment facilitator Lauren Knap led the data review and differentiated the district’s two primary assessment tools: the end-of-year standards assessment (referred to in the presentation as YTOP) and the FastBridge universal screener used for early identification and intervention.

The nut graf: District staff attributed math gains to the second full year of Eureka Squared implementation and to stronger tier-one instruction and MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support). For literacy, presenters described a roughly 2% shift from below-basic to proficient or advanced over three years and a 3% reduction in the district’s highest-risk early readers from winter 2024 to winter 2026.

Officials reviewed how the district places students on Individual Reading Plans (IRPs). Staff said K–3 students who score below the 15th percentile on FastBridge are placed on IRPs and receive diagnostic follow-up and monitored interventions; kindergarteners are typically not placed on IRPs in the fall to avoid premature identification until they have had tier-one instruction.

Presenters called out early-window kindergarten screening data: 112 kindergarteners were identified as high risk in the fall, and that number dropped by 18 by the winter screening window. A speaker cautioned that more than a third of incoming kindergarteners showed some reading risk before school, framing that as a community-level concern as much as a school one.

District staff described system changes meant to sustain gains: expanded literacy specialist roles (now expected to coach teachers and build capacity rather than only pull small groups), monthly coaching by two district literacy coaches, PLC-based progress monitoring, and broad staff training in foundational literacy practices. Staff said the district has trained "over 350 people" in letters training and is working to move training into classroom practice.

On funding and supports, presenters said the district applied for a CLSD grant—reported in the presentation as about $14 million—to fund additional coaching and leadership work if awarded. Board members asked about a pending state literacy bill that could require K–12 professional development and broaden screener and assessment requirements; presenters said the district hopes for reasonable rules from the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) and noted concern about expanding identical training requirements across very different K–12 roles.

The presentation closed with staff reiterating the district’s focus on data-informed decisions, MTSS processes for intervening when students do not make progress, and continuing work to ensure consistent instruction across schools.

The board moved on to the next agenda item; no formal vote or action was taken on the assessment presentation itself.