Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Performance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Northern Cass board told third-grade reading lags, state finds assessment programming error and district flags rising AI misuse
Summary
Administrators told the Northern Cass School Board that third-grade reading proficiency remains below targets, the state will re-evaluate NDA Plus results after a programming error, and the district reported a jump in student AI misuse; the board discussed responses and next steps.
Administrators told the Northern Cass School Board on a June 2026 agenda that the district is prioritizing interventions after persistent third-grade reading shortfalls, and that the North Dakota State Assessment (now called NDA Plus) contractor found programming errors that could affect recent results.
The elementary administrator said third-grade students have “just cannot get their reading up” to the 80% proficiency goal and described curriculum transitions between second and third grade as a factor. The administrator said the district will make the issue a top priority and will “brainstorm and figure some things out” to raise third-grade reading achievement.
District staff also described a state review of last year’s NDA Plus programming, saying the contractor discovered errors mainly affecting grades 6–8 math and some ELA results and that the state will re-evaluate results and delay public releases. The administrator said individual student reports were mailed to families and the district is assessing whether parents will need corrected notices after the state’s re-review.
Secondary and assessment staff reported college-readiness data: 43 of 46 juniors took the ACT on site this year and the district’s mean ACT composite was 20.8 (down from 21.9 the prior year); the preACT mean dropped to 19.1 from about 20.3. Staff emphasized that ACT/preACT participation is now largely optional and that comparisons across years should be made cautiously because of changes in opt-in rates.
On discipline and academic integrity, the secondary administrator said the district logged 167 disciplinary entries this year and flagged an increase in reported AI misuse: 28 incidents this year compared with five or six in previous years, concentrated among middle- and high-school students. The administrator said students often reported using AI because they fell behind and that the district will revisit assessment and instructional strategies to model responsible use.
The board discussed implications of the state assessment review and possible communication with families. One board member noted that an incoming state superintendent candidate favors higher cut scores for proficiency and said the district should monitor state policy changes that could affect local reporting.
The meeting’s presenters emphasized restorative approaches to student behavior and that 82.6% of learners had no documented behavior incidents—information the administrators said they want to highlight while continuing to address the cases that do arise. Staff also described threat-assessment protocols used this year and noted two elementary incidents were investigated, one assessed as low-risk and one not qualifying as a threat after follow-up.
Next steps noted by staff included developing an attendance-intervention handbook, continuing MTSS/intervention refinements under Mrs. Fontana’s leadership, and coordinating with the state about any needed corrections to assessment communications. The board did not take formal action on assessment policy at the meeting but agreed to monitor the state’s re-evaluation and return with communications options if corrected student reports are required.
