Curriculum committee: Kennett SD shows strong middle-school growth but persistent elementary math gaps

Kennett Consolidated School District staff presented 2024–25 PA Future Ready and PVAS metrics to the Curriculum Committee on Nov. 24, highlighting a mix of gains and continuing challenges across the district.

Unidentified Staff (presenter) provided a district snapshot: "our economically disadvantaged students are sitting at approximately 48%, 19% for ELs, 16% approximately for special ed," and noted PA Future Ready reports are published in arrears. At the elementary level, Greenwood was reported at 60.1% proficient or advanced in ELA versus the statewide average of 49.9%; staff said Greenwood met or exceeded statewide growth targets in ELA but showed shortcomings in mathematics. Staff linked lower math outcomes at some schools to staffing instability (several long-term substitute placements) and to a state certification shift that narrowed elementary certification to pre-K–4, reducing the pool of fifth-grade-certified teachers.

The committee discussed interventions and district responses. Staff described expansion of MTSS coaching, daily collaborative team time for teachers, targeted professional development in math instruction for elementary-certified teachers, and the use of local screening tools (AIMSweb, I-Ready) alongside PA metrics to identify students for intervention. "There's a formula that we have in place for course placement," an administrator said, describing fall benchmark triggers that place students in math-extension interventions when the student falls at or below the 20th percentile on local diagnostics.

Kennett Middle School showed particularly strong catch-up growth in the presented PVAS metrics. Staff reported a PVAS academic growth score of about 80 for ELA and about 100 for mathematics at the middle school level — figures staff described as "catch-up growth" that exceed a year’s expected progress. Presenters credited intentional scheduling, collaborative teams, targeted interventions and leadership for that improvement.

At Kennett High School, staff reported 60.9% ELA proficiency and described new measures including universal screening, bimonthly data meetings and plans to intensify math supports and ensure Algebra alignment between middle and high school courses. Staff also noted that some buildings are Title I or ATSI-designated and that ATSI is monitored on a three-year cycle; recent middle-school improvements may affect that status in future monitoring cycles.

The Curriculum Committee scheduled a dedicated review of ACCESS (EL) data at the Dec. 15 meeting and invited board members to submit questions ahead of that session. Presenters emphasized the district's multi-year work to build a guaranteed and viable curriculum, strengthen tier-1 instruction and provide targeted interventions to close subgroup gaps.