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PSAT results show mixed gains as trustees press for targeted action on subgroup gaps
Summary
District leaders reported overall PSAT score gains for 9th and 10th graders and described campus-based interventions; trustees pressed for cohort and campus breakdowns after presenters flagged declines in some student subgroups.
Plano ISD reported mixed outcomes from its 2025 PSAT administration at the Feb. 3 board meeting, with district leaders citing overall gains in 9th‑ and 10th‑grade mean scores and targeted interventions to close subgroup gaps.
"In our 9th grade results for this year, you see lots of blue on there. That's a good thing because that means we were able to make gains across all mean total score increasing over last year," Dr. Kevin Moore, the district's director of advanced academics, told trustees. He said the district outperformed its 2024 testing on many 10th‑grade metrics and credited increased familiarity with the digital, multistage adaptive format for some of the improvement.
But trustees and presenters also highlighted troubling subgroup patterns. Dr. Moore noted that the district's largest 9th‑grade tested subgroup — Hispanic students — showed increases, while other subgroups saw declines that warrant further analysis. Several trustees asked for cohort tracking (following the same students across years) and campus‑level breakdowns to better target supports.
To address gaps, district staff described a suite of interventions: SAT/PSAT capacity teams (three trained teachers per high school), SAT boost camps for 'on the bubble' juniors, a longer Plano Scholars program totaling 15 hours of focused prep, and a new College Board peer‑to‑peer tutoring partnership the district is evaluating. Dr. Moore said capacity teams received Princeton Review training for local facilitation and that some campuses are already running boost sessions.
Trustees pressed for data that could explain why some subgroup results diverge from other assessments such as MAP or STAAR. Trustee Michael Cook asked for a deeper dive into algebra pathway timing and cohort tracking, saying, "If you can't answer that question then how could you fix it?" Dr. Moore and other administrators agreed to provide cohort and campus breakdowns and to continue refining targeted strategies.
District leaders also emphasized free practice resources (College Board/My PSAT and Khan Academy) and said staff will produce family‑friendly guides to help parents and students interpret score reports and next steps.
The board did not take action at the meeting; presenters said they will return with additional analysis and recommended interventions.
