Northern Lehigh reports midyear benchmark gains and details ESSER spending

Northern Lehigh School District administrators presented midyear benchmark results Wednesday and described how federal ESSER funds were used to support student learning and staffing.

Mr. Schneidery, presenting Peters Elementary data, said the kindergarten DIBELS core support group grew “from 53% to 66%,” a 13‑percentage‑point increase, and that first grade showed a 9‑point gain. In math benchmarks he noted kindergarten proficient/advanced rose “from 6.1% to 32.4%,” and that students in the far‑below‑basic category had fallen substantially.

The Slatington Elementary presenter reported the share of students at or above grade level rose from about 33% at the beginning of the year to 41% at midyear, with ELA on/above grade level moving from roughly 37% to 47%. The district’s middle‑school presenter said 204 middle‑school students were properly measured on IXL and that roughly 72% had shown positive math growth since the start of the year; 51% met at least half a year’s expected growth and 28% exceeded one year’s growth.

High‑school benchmarks showed large reductions in students in the far‑below category for math, with the on‑and‑above‑grade group climbing from about 12.9% to 31.5% between the first and third semester snapshots, Dr. Bali said. The district also used classroom diagnostic tests for biology and reported gains there.

District staff explained how ESSER funding was spent. An ESSER report posted for the public and board showed ESSER I and II are fully expended; ESSER III funded staff positions (instructional paraprofessionals, an ELD teacher and paraprofessional, a kindergarten teacher, a TIS teacher and administrative positions), T‑Mobile hotspots, a nurse at Peters Elementary, after‑school tutoring, and purchase of projectors and other learning materials.

The presenters said the midyear data are part of a continuing cycle of data dives and interventions: the district uses platform data to identify individual students for remediation or enrichment and plans additional analysis and reporting at the next data snapshot and the year‑end presentation.