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District presents mixed assessment results: Berlin SAT averages above state, subgroup gaps persist
Summary
District leaders reported Berlin students scored above the state average in Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (520) and that about 67.9% met or exceeded College Board benchmarks; presenters also reviewed Smarter Balanced and NGSS trends and outlined interventions for achievement gaps.
District curriculum and department supervisors presented a multi-assessment update to the board on Dec. 9, reviewing Smarter Balanced (grades 3–8), NGSS science results (grades 5, 8 and 11), and the new digital adaptive SAT (grade 11). Presenters described statewide recovery trends since the pandemic, a mixture of gains and dips across grade bands, and targeted next steps.
On the SAT, presenters reported Berlin’s average Evidence-Based Reading & Writing score was 520 in the most recent administration, and that 67.9% of tested juniors met or exceeded the College Board benchmark for College and Career Readiness. District staff noted the SAT became fully digital and adaptive last year, with two 32-minute modules and more visual-data items; Ross Hansen, the district’s math and CTE supervisor, summarized the change by saying "the test is now adaptive," and staff explained that the math section’s scoring shifted statewide, producing a one-year dip in many districts.
Smarter Balanced results were described as gradually improving but not yet at pre-COVID levels; staff explained the district uses both a yes/no growth-rate indicator and a percent-of-target measure to track student growth and to guide interventions. NGSS results showed gains at the high-school level (an example cited was an 11th-grade increase of roughly 14 percentage points over two years), while some elementary and subgroup results (notably students with disabilities and high-need students) continue to trail.
To address gaps, staff outlined concrete steps: daily SAT practice problems in math classes, mock SAT administrations for juniors with immediate score review and targeted follow-up, expanded professional learning for teachers, interim assessments aligned to standards, and use of free practice platforms such as Khan Academy and College Board resources. The presenters also flagged ongoing work to market pathway and course opportunities and to use PowerSchool tagging to support student scheduling.
Board members asked about how student-improvement measures factor into state accountability reporting, and the presenters said some measures (for example, high-school growth metrics) are not yet weighted the same as K–8 indicators; they encouraged board members to channel feedback through the district’s legislative/workgroup contacts.
No board action was required on the assessment presentation; it was provided for board information and planning.
