Holcomb schools report mixed state assessment results; elementary foundational reading strong, comprehension and some cohorts lag

Holcomb School District administrators presented state-assessment and local benchmark data showing strengths in foundational reading but ongoing challenges in comprehension and cohort performance.

Amy (staff member) said the district’s 2nd-grade foundational reading scores averaged 17 out of 19 (about 89%), but added that comprehension scores were weaker: "Our average is about 5 [out of 8] in literary comprehension — 63% — and it's the same for informational comprehension." Middle- and upper-grade presenters noted areas of growth as well as persistent gaps. One presenter reported a drop in one cohort that left it 11 points behind the state average but said recent interventions have narrowed that gap by about four points.

At the middle-school level, staff reported a nine-point gain in math for one cohort, moving that group to the state average. District leaders said MTSS interventions, new curricula (i-Ready) and standards-based grading contributed to improvements, but they emphasized work remains to move more students into level 3 and 4 proficiency bands.

High-school presenters said the district’s ACT-range equivalencies complicate comparisons; the district’s average ACT has been about 16 while a level-3 state-equivalent range corresponds to a roughly 23–30 English score on ACT metrics. Administrators characterized the path forward as continued focus on lead measures — small-group instruction, formative assessments and standards alignment — to produce lagging improvements in statewide assessments.