We are excited to celebrate the incredible learning growth our students have achieved over the past four years in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science! Thanks to the dedication of our students, families, and staff, we have seen steady progress that reflects a strong commitment to academic excellence and continuous improvement.

Across all tested grade levels, proficiency rates in ELA, Math, and Science have consistently improved, culminating in our highest results yet during the Spring 2025 ISASP assessments:

• ELA Proficiency rose from 68.3% in 2022 to an impressive 73.9% in 2025.
  
• Math Proficiency grew from 66.3% in 2022 to a strong 70.9% in 2025.
  
• Science Proficiency saw remarkable growth, with 5th, 8th, and 10th grade scores increasing from an average of 58.3% in 2024 to 70.3% in 2025 — the highest level in five years! 

District Sees Three-Year High in 3–5 Math Proficiency on ISASP

We are excited to share great news: Math proficiency for students in grades 3–5 has reached a three-year high on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP)! This achievement reflects the incredible effort of our students, staff, and families, and is part of a larger, ongoing commitment to strengthening mathematical thinking across all grade levels.

Our district’s math improvement efforts have focused on building a strong foundation in conceptual understanding, early number sense, problem solving, reasoning, and procedural fluency. Rather than focusing solely on answers, we are helping students develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts and the ability to think critically and flexibly.

Several key actions have contributed to this growth:

• Fall 2022: We improved intentional supports for students needing additional help in mathematics, ensuring early interventions were targeted and responsive.
  
• Fall 2023: We adopted Illustrative Mathematics as our core K–12 instructional resource, enhanced our math screening tools to better identify students in need of support, and introduced clearer pathways and supports for advanced learners.

Together, these efforts provide a more consistent, rigorous, and responsive math experience for all students. We have prioritized ongoing professional learning and collaboration among teachers, focusing on effective mathematics instruction, deepening conceptual understanding, and refining intervention and enrichment practices to support all learners

Positive Growth Across Grades 3–11 in ISASP English Language Arts

We are also proud to share strong results from the 2024 Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) in English Language Arts (ELA). Students across grades 3–11 demonstrated positive growth, with many grade levels reaching their highest proficiency rates in three years.

• Fall 2023: We adopted myPerspectives as the core instructional resource for grades 8–11, emphasizing critical thinking, diverse perspectives, and authentic reading and writing experiences. Alongside this, we have focused on key instructional shifts in literacy to deepen comprehension, strengthen writing, and build vocabulary and language skills.

In particular, we saw significant gains in grades 8–11, where ongoing efforts to strengthen secondary literacy instruction have been a major focus. Our work in supporting literacy growth across all grades is part of a long-term, districtwide commitment to ensuring that every student becomes a confident, capable reader, writer, and communicator.

While grades 8–11 showed particularly strong gains, we are also proud to report that in grades 3–7, students have either maintained or grown their levels of proficiency, laying a strong foundation for continued success in literacy.

Science Success: Highest Proficiency Levels in Five Years

We are proud to celebrate major gains in Science as well. After several years of declining trends nationally and statewide, our students in 5th, 8th, and 10th grades made a strong rebound in 2025:

• 5th Grade Science proficiency climbed from 65% in 2024 to 72% in 2025.
• 8th Grade Science proficiency rose from 62% in 2024 to 70% in 2025.
• 10th Grade Science proficiency jumped from 51% in 2024 to 69% in 2025.

Several key steps contributed to this success. In Fall 2023, we implemented new, research-based science instructional materials to better support student learning:

• Grades 6–8 adopted Amplify Science, which integrates hands-on investigations, data-rich activities, and real-world problem-solving.
• Grades 9–10 began the transition to OpenSciEd Biology, a curriculum that emphasizes deep inquiry, scientific modeling, and student-driven learning experiences.

We have also strengthened our focus on aligning instruction with the Iowa Science Standards, ensuring that students are developing critical thinking, investigation, and scientific reasoning skills that will serve them well into the future.

We are energized by these results and motivated to keep building on this momentum. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for their dedication and hard work in making this progress possible. Together, we are advancing academic achievement across all areas and preparing every student for a bright future.

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