Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Assessment Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District selects STAR Reading for middle-school screening, lays out interim schedule
Summary
An assessment work group recommended STAR Reading as the middle-school reading screener (85% consensus); the district will use STAR Reading and IXL Math in September and January and run two interims (fall and early spring) to reduce spring testing fatigue and support PLC-driven instruction.
Brian Graham, director of curriculum and professional learning, told the board the district convened an assessment work group that reached a strong consensus in favor of STAR Reading for middle-school screening. “The number 1 choice was the STAR Reading Assessment,” Graham said, citing the tool’s research base, reporting quality and ease of implementation.
Graham described a multi-part plan for 2026–27: STAR Reading (fall and January) and IXL Math for screening; two interim assessments (one in the fall and one in early spring) and careful timing so interims do not conflict with WIDA or Smarter Balanced windows. The goal is to provide teachers and PLCs with timely, standards-linked information while reducing assessment fatigue late in the year.
The presentation emphasized how teachers use interim assessment blocks (IABs) in PLCs: selected questions guide instruction, inform entry/exit tickets and become the starting point for formative work. Graham described a process used in algebra and geometry PLCs to review IAB items, highlight key standards and create classroom formative questions; he said teachers sometimes print IAB items so students can work on paper one day and enter answers online the next to deepen learning.
Why it matters: Choosing a consistent screener and clarifying an assessment calendar affects teacher planning, progress monitoring, and compliance for multilingual and special-education services. Staff said the changes aim to combine actionable standards-based data with minimal instructional disruption.
What’s next: Implementation plans include teacher training, PLC supports, and a rollout timeline for pilot-to-district adoption. Graham said the district will provide visual schedules and professional learning so teachers and administrators can incorporate interim findings into unit planning.
