The overview
At the beginning of the year, CCISD tests elementary grades in reading language arts, or RLA, and math.
The district uses RLA curriculum program, Amplify RLA, and math curriculum program, DreamBox Math, to measure academic success through assessments, according to district agenda documents.
For kindergarten, the district saw the percentage of students who were at or above benchmark scores for Amplify RLA decline compared to the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. Meanwhile, students in first and second grade increased in percentage points, district documents show.
Henley said the same thing follows for older grade levels, meaning incoming second graders would ideally have a “2.0” score, and so on as the grade levels increase.
In each grade level from K-5, the average student score increased compared to 2023-24, according to district data.
Board member Scott Bowen noted the scores received for fifth grade math from the DreamBox assessment were low, and felt summer time could be a possibility as to why students may not enter fifth grade with a 5.0 grade.
“Just as much as I want our students leaving fourth grade at that 5.0, I also want them coming into fifth grade at that 5.0, and if the data really does support that we’re seeing a fall-off there then maybe that should inform some of our actions,” board member Scott Bowen said.
What else?
District officials also shared results from high priority learning standards scores, which are “learning standards determined to have high degrees of leverage and endurance in a student’s educational experience,” according to district documents.
Each student took a pre-learning assessment to measure their proficiency in standards, which could revolve around literacy, writing, math, social studies and more, according to district documents.
Henley said only data from this school year was provided as the district began to implement high priority learning standards in the 2023-24 school year.
The results reflect what students know on a standards-based level before learning the standards-based content, officials said.
Henley said math scores are projected to be lower, as students have not been skilled on the grade level’s standards-based content yet, while reading scores may be higher as it relates to content such as literacy, writing and other skills that the student has already gathered skills in.
Superintendent Karen Engle said district officials will share metrics of progress at the beginning of each board workshop to see how it reflects on the district’s goals.
Board meeting and workshop dates can be found on the district’s website.
