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Mamaroneck district cites strong PSAT 8/9 benchmarks, plans targeted diagnostics and curriculum changes
Summary
District presenters told the board that 87% of 446 students met the PSAT 8/9 college-and-career readiness benchmark in reading and writing and 77% met the math benchmark; leaders laid out follow-up diagnostic testing, teacher coaching, and summer/fall curriculum revision to close gaps.
Board president Arianna Cohen convened a presentation on PSAT 8/9 results at the Mamaroneck Union Free School District meeting, where district leaders framed the scores as a starting point for targeted instructional work across grades. "87% of those 446 students met the college and career readiness benchmark in the reading and writing test," Presenter (Speaker 3) said, calling the figure "a phenomenal rate."
The presenters said the PSAT is one tool in a larger data-warehouse strategy intended to let teachers and administrators diagnose precise skill gaps and tailor instruction. "The PSAT gives us measurements of skills that they haven't necessarily been taught yet, so we can gauge ninth-grade proficiency from eighth-grade performance," the presenter added. ELA leaders said reading comprehension is a relative strength while writing precision and conventions need attention; math leaders noted a clear split between students in Algebra I and those in the Math 8 pathway.
District staff described next steps: administer targeted diagnostic assessments, use platforms such as NoRedInk and CommonLit to drill specific grammar and writing skills, expand MTSS/AIS supports in math, and revise curriculum in summer and fall. "We're going to bring all of that together at the end of the year — that'll give us a really rich trove of information," Margaret (ELA presenter) said.
Board members asked for public access to curriculum documents and pacing charts; the district said those materials are posted on the Curriculum Matters site but may require fewer clicks to find. District staff committed to sharing more granular, skill-level diagnostics with the curriculum committee by month-end and to continuing teacher coaching and PD to support implementation.
