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Hastings-on-Hudson staff outline steps to address mixed math results, low opt-outs
Summary
District presenters showed grade-by-grade state math results, reported mostly high participation with 36 middle-school and seven elementary refusals, and described concrete steps—data cycles, MTSS, FastBridge, professional development and a K–12 committee—to improve coherence and acceleration pathways.
Melissa, a district presenter, laid out recent 3–8 state math results and the steps the Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free School District plans to take to strengthen math instruction. She said the district’s grade-level performance varies by cohort and that the district uses multiple measures when students opt out of state assessments.
The presentation compared Hastings to other Southern Westchester districts. "So for math 89% scored at or above proficiency," Melissa said while describing percentile ranks and counts by grade. She reported that grades 3, 7 and 8 outperform regional peers while grades 4–6 trail the region. Melissa also noted low opt-out numbers: "at the middle school... we only have 36 students who refused" and "in the elementary school... 7 students across grades 3 and 4." When students do not take the state test, she said staff "triangulat[e] data" using the Renaissance Star screener, course grades, real-time work and end-of-unit assessments.
To address variability and raise rigor, the district described several concrete steps. Staff have implemented an ongoing data-review cycle and are strengthening MTSS supports. A FastBridge pilot is being used to identify student needs and to track interventions. The district is providing targeted professional development with Dr. Angela Sobrin to strengthen instruction and to design coherent pathways so students do not skip critical content when they accelerate. For high-school students who fall below thresholds, the district will provide AIS; the district also cited expanded access to AP, SUPA and University at Albany coursework for later high-school grades.
District leaders said they are forming a K–12 mathematics committee that will be a decision-making body charged with selecting resources that support differentiation and coherence as students move through grades. Melissa said the committee will set concrete goals and recommended continuing to cross-check math trends against ELA and other measures to understand underlying causes.
The presentation closed with a pledge to return updated data and to follow up on a question about whether particular student profiles are opting out; Melissa said she would review recent data and report back. The district noted this work will inform curriculum choices and interventions ahead of next school-year planning.
