[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6669921,"mediaKeyId","2173370-3daa66105ac2d34607ff22dc2d377214","parentId",2173370,"title","District outlines FAST PM2 math findings, flags third-grade fractions anomaly and explains acceleration changes","audioSeconds",5660,"startMs",1444000,"endMs",7104000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173370-3daa66105ac2d34607ff22dc2d377214&start=1444&end=7104","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173370-3daa66105ac2d34607ff22dc2d377214/thumbnail_1444000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6669921/Florida/District-outlines-FAST-PM2-math-findings-flags-third-grade-fractions-anomaly-and-explains-acceleration-changes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669921-8fdb32a29ac82885a6563c238ed8ba83/orig.mp4?Expires=1770993559&Signature=hSPT-Aw-dHZvVt3gPtewfrVZAWa96w4rA8cf5Lyl8UPJHZcGFU-dr7fCTRiO4h5auAysbPlioOa1iin80eYGYPT~bdfyobu2DGhdLZCU9byubZPuerioKr7RR2i7ZWzKybRCGqgtqdyIIkSZJxcuDbimdz8yA3iWnTQh10IgW8RAeba6As4fUERdZSC5y9-NZA9Bge7RUh9Cl9EEWq2eFIkWS5w3shRJX9Vmke6xqo7w0-RUEsAN6ffadpIfdWQVUiIwvRzGrnjKmWnM28OImn6P7ZS~1TkwEnRZdVR0d1uV2ryCsNovxX7-1LHLiBD2P0FB6Ra8umxoQ0UctecBsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","School District of Manatee County","date","2025-01-25T06:12:31.673Z","article","District leaders told the Manatee County School Board on Jan. 24 that midyear FAST math progress-monitoring data (PM2) show mixed results and that a test-item distribution issue heavily weighted toward fractions on the start of the third-grade assessment likely depressed early trajectories for many students.

\"This, particular data set, Progress Monitor 2 for math, is a little more complex, really for 2 reasons,\" Superintendent Doctor Weisong told the board as he introduced the presentation, asking members to pose questions slide by slide for context. Deputy Superintendent Evan Jensen and Assessment and Research Director Mister McCarthy led a technical review of how computer-adaptive FAST testing works, testing windows and how the district is changing where accelerated students are tested.

Jensen and McCarthy explained two changes that affect comparisons with prior years: (1) the state FAST system uses private vendors (Cambium for most grades, Renaissance STAR for K–2) under a statewide contract and (2) the district changed which grade-level assessment accelerated students take so that students are tested on the standards they are being taught. \"So we changed the the assessed, grades for some of these courses,\" Jensen said, noting that, for example, fourth-grade accelerated students now take the Grade 5 math test because their coursework covers fifth-grade benchmarks.

Staff emphasized how computer-adaptive tests set a student’s testing trajectory early: a student who misses early items tends to receive easier items as the adaptive engine narrows its estimate. McCarthy and Jensen told the board that question weighting and early-item sequencing can therefore have an outsized effect on a student’s estimate midtest and on PM2 results.

That technical point underpinned a central finding: third-grade PM2 showed an unusually high share of fraction items at the start of the test. McCarthy presented analyses of item distributions and wrote that while previous PM2 administrations had a mix of question types, \"when we looked at this year's data, 98 percent of our students got a fractions question first.\" He and Jensen said most third-grade fraction instruction in the district occurs in the second semester, so many students were being assessed on content they had not yet learned.

Board members and staff discussed why that distribution matters. Jensen said early missed items on an adaptive test can be difficult for students to recover from and acknowledged the result made state comparisons noisier: \"It's not intended to be used as a comprehensive evaluation of how the student's done in the course. We do see growth throughout the course of the year as the student acquires more content in class.\"

Staff also described math-acceleration changes rolled out during the FAST transition: the district is implementing accelerated elementary course codes (3A, 4A, 5A) and now assigns accelerated students to be assessed on the grade most closely aligned to their accelerated course. Jensen said this creates short-term noise in aggregate year-to-year charts because cohorts are tested on different grade-level forms, but staff argued the change gives clearer instructional feedback and better prepares students for later high-school coursework.

Staff outlined follow-up steps: principals and curriculum staff will use PM2 data to create targeted action plans, the district will schedule spring visits to schools with lower results, and the curriculum team will supply five-question formative checks aligned to specific benchmarks so teachers can reteach and re-check progress quickly. Jensen and McCarthy said they are querying the test vendor/Cambium to determine whether the third-grade question-distribution pattern was statewide or limited to certain administrations.

Ending: District staff told the board they will continue school-level support, request technical clarification from the vendor about third-grade item distributions, and bring school-specific action plans to spring visits.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Workshop - January 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Manatee County School District staff presented midyear FAST PM2 math results on Jan. 24, describing how adaptive testing, the district’s math-acceleration policy and a heavy early distribution of fraction questions in third grade affected scores and outlining instructional follow-ups.","taxTitle","Manatee, School Districts, Florida","taxId",13113,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":44,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6669924,"Audit committee reports auditor transitions, CRI name-change delays sales-surtax signoff",1210,234000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173370-3daa66105ac2d34607ff22dc2d377214&start=234&end=1444","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173370-3daa66105ac2d34607ff22dc2d377214/thumbnail_234000.jpg","/articles/6669924/Florida/Audit-committee-reports-auditor-transitions-CRI-name-change-delays-sales-surtax-signoff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669924-8794a996ba60758ffd97393665803286/orig.mp4?Expires=1770993559&Signature=k6Nqqe6Zo87i28eLzBWjtLGtgORSzmtaOLqfXpa-qvRETstuONWc98GORfSUP94NgrjoOM9uAWpN4Px2BP5JBqI5-dIXqfWQ8JSwbN2yPbpXJTEbo8CPU10HmwU4VZoR5MB~s9e7RvkVdXjnI0yT~L4yyBVIU6dH9vPz1B5jvKL4CQOYzcu4g6LFmVYp7ysOxppk06qHQypeNvTNzJQxejfNOEdpPjNRbe9kxrX4jdGWvLC2Fe4ae2~DK2~Ecq1FLexWjdQNuiW9Y6DbwVwgTT5akrOWZ4-TevMlbRHbCVsJUFiO1Q1Mlnb1c6z0fuDgtLEbHD3z1Wj5U8Ii3bck2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mister Daniels, chair of the audit committee, told the Manatee County School Board on Jan. 24 that the district has received an engagement letter from Pervis Gray for next year’s external audit and that RSM will begin internal-audit work July 1.

The committee’s report matters because the district relies on outside firms for several audit functions: internal accounts reviews, a mandated sales-surtax audit and the state operational/financial audit. \"We've got an engagement letter come to us from Pervis Gray, who is gonna be the outside external auditors for next year,\" Daniels said. He also told the board CRI remains finalizing a legal-name change before it will sign reports, and that the sales-surtax report is complete but still unsigned.

Daniels said CRI is finishing work under the current contract through June 30 and described the incoming internal-audit engagement: \"First thing we're asking them to do when they come in is to do the risk assessment. Every 5 years you're required to do a full deep dive risk assessment.\" He said that RSM’s engagement letter is scheduled for the board’s March meeting and that RSM will begin work on July 1.

The audit committee also briefed the board on how the CRI firm has been restructured. In response to a board question, Daniels said: \"CRI was purchased by an equity fund. What they've done is they've taken the pure audit part of their practice and they've got a CRI, Inc, which is the audit side. And everything else, consulting side, tax side, internal audit side is all under a new banner and a new umbrella.\" He said the district’s attorney and purchasing staff are reviewing the new legal entity and related paperwork before reports are signed.

Daniels told the board the auditor-general will conduct the annual financial audit this year, and that Pervis Gray will handle the internal accounts audit initially as a regional firm. He described a five-year sequence in which Pervis Gray will perform both internal and external audit functions as proposed.

Board members asked about timing and impact. Daniels said the sales-surtax report is in purchasing but cannot be released until the new CRI legal paperwork is completed; if CRI cannot finish by fiscal-year end the district may push some internal reporting to the July meeting. He also noted there will be follow-up reviews of charter schools’ reporting and consistency with new lease and revenue-recognition standards.

The committee reported a planned recognition of long-serving member Skip Wagner, who is retiring June 30, 2025, and noted the committee is recruiting replacements. No formal board vote was taken on personnel appointments or contract awards during the presentation; Daniels said engagement letters for Pervis Gray and RSM will be routed through purchasing and presented at upcoming board meetings for board action.

Ending: The audit committee presentation ended with committee members signaling continued oversight through the vendor transition and a planned board discussion in March and at the end of the fiscal year. The board recessed later in the meeting to an executive session on pending litigation.","At the Jan. 24 Manatee County School Board meeting the audit committee outlined a change in external and internal auditors, delays tied to a legal-name change at CRI, and a planned risk assessment by new internal auditors RSM starting July 1.","actionData","errors"]

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District outlines FAST PM2 math findings, flags third-grade fractions anomaly and explains acceleration changes

Audit committee reports auditor transitions, CRI name-change delays sales-surtax signoff