The Northampton Area School District academic report for the 2022-23 school year is chock-full of statistics that yield insights into student progress in the district in the post-COVID-19 era.

The report also charts changes and challenges in the district.

Highlights of the 48-page report were presented at the Dec. 4, 2023, NASD Board of Education meeting by NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik, NASD Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michelle Schoeneberger, Elementary Curriculum Supervisor Katie Trach, Secondary Curriculum Supervisor Scott Oste, Northampton Area High School Principal Luke Shafnisky and Northampton Area Middle School Principal Michael Lopata and Lehigh Elementary School Principal Shannin Peters.

“The district has changed during my tenure,” Kovalchik said, citing NASD demographic information in the report.

The report states that, according to the most recent data available, which is for the 2022-23 academic year, from the Future Ready PA Index, the demographic information for NASD states that 42.7% of students are economically disadvantaged and 18.2% are classified as special education.

Enrollment by race/ethnicity includes white, 79.3%; Hispanic, 14.2%; and Black, 3.2%.

The report details NASD’s 10-plus years of goal setting, data analysis and monitoring and an annual timeline of the process.

“This is a continuing process through the year,” Kovalchik said.

Grades 3-12 state academic data is based on Pennsylvania System of School Assessment: English language arts (grades 3-8), mathematics (grades 3-8) and science (grades 4 and 8); and Keystone Exams: end-of-course exams to assess proficiency in algebra I, literature and biology.

Assessment data includes quarterly assessments and other data, such as attendance, truancy, discipline and behavior.

The 2023 PSSA achievement in percentage of students is ELA: district, 53.3%, and state, 53.7%; mathematics: district, 41%, and state, 39.4%; and science: district, 76%, and state, 65.5%.

The PSSA results are analyzed by school district building and grade.

“We do have inconsistencies in buildings and grades,” Schoeneberger said.

The PSSA summary for strengths in the district include overall increase in math and science achievement and grade 4 ELA, math and science achievement and growth.

The PSSA summary for challenges in the district include inconsistencies in growth patterns by building and subject area; ELA achievement, most notably grade 3; and drop in math achievement grades 5 and 6.

The Keystone Exams percentage of proficient/advanced grade 11 students, first-time test-takers, in the spring of 2023 include literature: district, 62%, and state, 59%; biology: district, 47%, and state, 46%; and algebra I: district, 30%, and state, 29%.

The Keystone summary for strengths in the district are first-time test-takers and retesters above state average in all subject areas and literature achievement and growth.

The Keystone summary for challenges in the district are growth in algebra I and biology and Pennsylvania Pathways to Graduation impact on grade 11 cohort data.

The Keystone summary notes that “algebra I grade 11 cohort impacted by students receiving non-numeric proficient.”

“All this information is just one piece of the puzzle,” Schoeneberger said.

The report lists next steps for the district, including formative assessment and instructional decision-making; targeted interventions; math classroom diagnostic testing; structured literacy: professional development and audit; and implementation of new grade 6 master schedule.

The report includes information about Act 158 Pennsylvania Department of Education Graduation Pathways. This provides various ways for students to graduate high school.

NASD results for 2022-23 were Keystone Proficiency Pathway (numeric or non-numeric scores); 39.92% (196 students); Keystone Composite Pathway (numeric scores only): 14.46% (71 students); CTE Concentrator (meet locally established grade-based requirements for Keystone content in which the student is less than proficient): 12.42% (61 students); alternative assessment (meet locally established, grade-based requirements for Keystone content in which the student is less than proficient): 10.79% (53 students); evidence-based Pathway (meet locally established, grade-based requirements for Keystone content in which the student is less than proficient): 5.91% (29 students); waiver (granted by chief school administrator): 3.26% (16 students); and Individualized Education Plan (student with disability): 5.09% (25 students).

The report includes information on Chapter 339 College and Career Readiness, attendance, discipline and 2024-24 NAHS program of studies proposed new courses.

Efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the available of some data, the report states.

The report is on the NASD website at nasdschools.org/article/1364880.