Pittsburgh schools report gains, large subgroup gaps remain in third-grade math

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Public Schools leaders presented a third-grade mathematics status update at a progress-monitoring meeting May 12, reporting measurable within-year growth in many schools while acknowledging large proficiency gaps for several student groups.

Superintendent Dr. Wayne Walters said the district’s target for third-grade math proficiency is 36.4% on the state PSSA/PASA mathematics assessments and framed the presentation around disciplined progress monitoring using the district’s Classroom Diagnostic Tool (CDT) and MathWalk classroom observations. “This evening’s presentation will highlight what we are seeing thus far, where targeted supports are actively underway and how we are maintaining consistent progress monitoring practices across schools,” Walters said.

The presentation showed increases from fall to spring in multiple measures: Walters highlighted a 6.8% rise in the share of students likely to be proficient or advanced and a 14.9% increase in the percentage of students performing at or above grade level from fall to spring. He also pointed to average scaled-score growth: in six months, roughly 15 schools posted average gains of 100 scale-score points or more, a district benchmark for substantial within-year growth.

At the same time, Walters and the district’s leadership emphasized persistent equity gaps. The materials presented showed assessment completion rates near 94–99% across subgroups, but subgroup proficiency by spring remained uneven: white students were shown at about 22.9% likely proficient/advanced while Black students were shown at about 2.5%; students with IEPs, English learners and economically disadvantaged students were presented in the single-digit proficiency range. Walters said these gaps remain a district priority.

District staff described three core strategies to close gaps and accelerate learning: (1) sustained curriculum-embedded professional learning and targeted K–3 coaching, (2) strengthened family partnerships including a newly launched PPS family math website and school-based family math nights, and (3) assessment practices designed to drive instruction (tech-enhanced unit assessments and clearer guidance for teachers).

Walters detailed monitoring and implementation activity: the district’s MathWalk process now reaches hundreds of classrooms each cycle (more than 320 classrooms visited in fall and 356 in a subsequent cycle), and the CDT and ILC assessment platform are being used to guide coaching priorities. He acknowledged capacity limits—coaches are stretched and principal–coach partnerships vary by school—and said the district will systematize those partnerships and refine leadership supports in 2026–27.

On family engagement, Walters said the PPS family math site (launched in late March) provides grade-level resources, instructional videos and links to vendor supports such as DreamBox and Imagine Learning. He reported that over 80% of schools had hosted family math nights by the meeting date, with participation projected to exceed 91% by late May; Walters cited attendance examples at Mifflin (86), Phillips (84), Wolsler (72) and Grand View (58).

Walters also described assessment rollout experiences: the district reported nearly 90% of grade-three teachers initially reporting ILC scores across early units, with a decline to about 70.8% in unit 4 tied to pacing differences and competing assessment demands. He flagged vendor limitations—specifically, difficulty with batch-printing student reports—as an administrative burden the district is working to resolve with Imagine Learning.

Board members pressed district staff on several implementation questions. One asked whether the high-growth elementary schools were departmentalized; Lindseay Smith, executive director for K–2 STEAM, said at least half of the named high-growth schools were departmentalized but the district has not completed a comparative analysis. Another member pressed whether families have regular access to assessment data; Walters replied that families do have access but batch reporting challenges affect some aspects of distribution to households.

A board member said she was "incredibly disappointed" that Black students, students with IEPs, English learners and economically disadvantaged students have not shown larger gains. Walters and Smith responded that some students show meaningful scale-score growth while remaining below the proficiency threshold and that the math team uses CDT results to prioritize coaching and targeted supports for schools showing less progress.

The meeting concluded with a district reminder of upcoming family engagement events and the committee’s adjournment. Tracy Reid, chair of the education committee, closed the session.

What’s next: district leaders said they will deepen use of MathWalk and CDT data, formalize principal–coach partnerships, scale professional learning on student work analysis, and continue vendor engagement to improve assessment reporting features.