Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Accountability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District reports modest gain on accountability index but high‑needs gaps remain
Summary
Dr. Fletcher told the board the district’s accountability index rose again for 2024–25, with gains on several indicators and improved chronic absenteeism; however, high‑needs student subgroups (students with disabilities, multilingual learners, free/reduced lunch) showed continuing gaps that the district will target with curriculum alignment and supports.
The Old Saybrook Board of Education heard an accountability update on Feb. 12 showing districtwide gains but persistent subgroup gaps in academic achievement and growth.
Dr. Fletcher presented the state and federal accountability index for 2024–25, saying, “we had another 2.8 8 increase to our accountability index,” and walked the board through component measures including ELA, math, science, Smarter Balanced–derived growth indicators, and SAT contributions at the high school level. She highlighted gains in districtwide growth (ELA and math growth measures) and in college- and career-readiness participation, and she credited improvements in chronic absenteeism for helping the index.
At the same time, Dr. Fletcher noted that outcomes for the district’s high‑needs populations remain uneven: achievement and growth measures for students with disabilities and multilingual learners lag behind the district averages. For example, she reported that high‑needs subgroups saw declines of 1.9–2.4 points in some achievement indicators even as overall scores rose. Board members asked for building-level breakdowns and for clarification about whether percentages reflect cohort size or raw counts; Dr. Fletcher said the district can and will provide per-building totals and disaggregated data.
District priorities flowing from the report include sustained curriculum alignment (K–12), further attention to scaffolds and interventions for high‑needs students, and continued work to reduce chronic absenteeism. Board members emphasized that the data require targeted classroom- and curriculum-level responses and asked staff to return with more detailed, per-building analyses.
What’s next: Staff will provide additional breakdowns by school and by subgroup and continue curriculum-alignment work and professional supports to close the gaps identified in the presentation.
