Academic review: district recommends continuing some assessment tools, dropping others

Dr. Montgomery presented a district-level "return on investment" review of instructional programs and digital tools, saying the academic team evaluated programs against board goals and implementation phase. She told trustees the district previously approved more than $50,000 in academic purchases and that each program was assessed for cost per user, impact and monitoring capability.

Her recommendations included continuing NWEA (the universal screener used K–12), continuing TestTOWN because it consolidates state accommodation data, keeping Edugence for RTI and tracking, and retaining Schoology as the district learning management system. She also recommended renewing Edgenuity (credit recovery) and not renewing Cirrus and not renewing Edmentum (Exact Path/Study Island) for 2026–27; the stated reason was that a recently awarded blended learning grant requires the district to select HQIM-aligned tools and seek a single consistent K–12 solution.

Dr. Montgomery said the team will conduct a blended-learning summit May 5–7 to finalize tool selection and bring a recommendation back to the board in April. On expansion of early-grade tools, she recommended extending MCAS from K–2 to K–5 for intervention purposes. Trustees pressed for clearer measurement showing which students actually use the tools and whether usage correlates with growth; one trustee asked the staff to produce strategic reports linking program use to outcomes rather than waiting multiple years.

No binding procurement decision was made at the meeting; Dr. Montgomery said some contracts will be brought forward for formal approval during the budget/adoption process.