District presents 2024–25 state assessment data; administrators point to ‘implementation dip’ and set goals
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Summary
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jamal Doggett presented year‑to‑year changes in ELA, math and science proficiency for Mount Vernon schools; the district met its ELA growth target but recorded small dips in other areas and set interim goals focused on third‑grade reading and algebra
Dr. Jamal Doggett presented New York State Education Department data for the 2024–25 school year at the Sept. 16 work session, tracing a four‑year trajectory and explaining an “implementation dip” the district experienced as it adopted new curricula and programs.
ELA and math trends: Doggett reviewed a multi‑year view that showed an ELA proficiency goal of a 3% year‑over‑year increase and a target that 75% of students perform at levels 2–4. He reported the district reached the 75% goal in ELA for the most recent year and achieved the targeted proficiency‑rate increase for ELA. Math showed larger multi‑year gains earlier but a 1% decrease in the most recent year; Doggett and trustees attributed small year‑to‑year fluctuation to the implementation dip that can follow adoption of new instruction methods.
Science and curriculum: Doggett noted the state changed some science assessments, complicating direct four‑year comparisons; the district reported gains in science proficiency in 2024–25 (he cited a 7% increase to a 38% proficiency rate) and recommended exploring a new science curriculum aligned to the revised Grade 5 and Grade 8 exams.
Implementation dip and next steps: Doggett and Superintendent Strickland described the implementation dip as a known short‑term effect of new practices that requires sustained professional development rather than immediate program rejection. Doggett said the district has focused on strengthening tier‑1 instruction, balanced RTI/MTSS blocks for both ELA and math, and professional development in the science of reading and other content areas.
Graduation and accountability: The district’s graduation rate for 2024 was reported at 75%. Doggett said the district will push interim goals on third‑grade reading (the transition from learning‑to‑read to reading‑to‑learn) and on math (focusing on algebra gatekeepers); Strickland said he plans strategic planning this fall to set longer‑range academic targets and asked for realistic, incremental annual gains.
Why it matters: Trustees welcomed the longitudinal perspective and asked for more disaggregated regents‑level pass/fail data for high‑school subject areas (biology, algebra and the Regents sequences) to target interventions. Doggett and Strickland emphasized continued supports for teachers, more prevention in the early grades and targeted monitoring of ninth‑grade credit accumulation as an on‑time graduation predictor.
Ending: Trustees thanked teachers and building leaders for the work that produced gains in several schools and asked administration to return detailed, subject‑level and building‑level results at future meetings.