Killingly superintendent reports higher SAT benchmarks, fewer behavior incidents and falling absenteeism

Superintendent Susan Nash told the Killingly Board of Education on Sept. 10 that Killingly students posted gains on state and national assessments and that the district is sustaining improvements in safety and attendance. Nash said the district's Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) performance in both English Language Arts and math exceeded nearby districts and that 63% of Killingly High School juniors met at least one SAT benchmark in 2025, up from 52% in 2024.

The achievement update made student support the immediate priority for the coming year: Nash said staff will expand middle-school math supports and provide additional teacher workshops informed by last year's PSAT/SAT tutoring data. "Back to school was very smooth this year," Nash said, praising coordinated transportation planning and staff work to verify routes and drop-off points.

Nash also reported a 26% reduction in office referrals between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years and said climate surveys showed more than 87% of students gave positive feedback about feeling safe and supported. The superintendent credited partnerships including the school resource officer and outreach work by Christina Main for helping reduce chronic absenteeism through home visits and engagement efforts.

Board member Kevin Marcoux thanked Nash for the report and for promoting the district's strengths. The board did not take formal action on the achievement report; Nash said the district will proceed with planned interventions and monitor progress at future meetings.

The board is focusing on middle-school math supports and additional teacher workshops as the next steps in the district's academic-improvement plan.