Academic Performance

District educators believe that a student’s progress is measured not by one assessment at a moment in time, but rather by an entire body of evidence. The body of evidence includes, but is not limited to: projects and performances, common grade or subject-level assessments, teacher-created quizzes and tests, as well as other diagnostic tests administered throughout the school year. 

State Assessment Data

FFC8 students are administered the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessment annually.

• English Language Arts (ELA) - Grades 3-5

• Mathematics (Math) - Grades 3-5

• Science - Grade 5

This data is used to track overall student achievement and growth, as well as monitor any specific growth gaps between student groups.  The data is not received until after the school year is over; therefore, it is most useful as a tool for reflection. 

CMAS ELA     CMAS Math     CMAS Science

Local Assessment Data

FFC8 uses a number of high level district assessments to measure general progress in Math and English Language Arts. 

• Acadience Reading (DIBELS) - Measures students' early literacy skills and helps determine if students are on track to read at grade level (K-3)

• Illuminate DNA - Measures students' progress towards mastery of year-long, grade-level standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts (Grades 2-5)

 

 

59% of students at Mountainside Elementary School met their achievement and growth goal of either maintaining high achievement, moving up a level, or demonstrating high growth.  It is exciting that although not all of our students are scoring “benchmark” on the DIBELS assessment, many of our students are making progress toward becoming proficient readers. This will help support Mountainside’s goal of reducing the percentage of students with a “Significant Reading Deficiency” by 5% by May 2025.

Mountainside Elementary School addresses instructional needs in the area of reading using the following strategies: 

• Mountainside kindergarten and first grade teachers use the district-adjusted phonics scope and sequence and Orton Gillingham intervention strategies.  Orton Gillingham is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach reading, writing, and spelling.
• Mountainside teachers monitor student growth through DIBELS progress monitoring and adjust small group instruction based on student needs presented in that data.
• Mountainside teachers identify students with a “Significant Reading Deficiency” and create goals and interventions for those students through developing READ plans.
• Mountainside teachers use the PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) method to track student progress in reading intervention groups. A PDSA cycle is a four-step process whereby teachers and students work together to create positive change. During a PDSA cycle, teachers and students create a plan for improvement; implement, or do, the plan; study if the plan’s actions were successful; and act to create long-term improvement actions based on the results of the plan.

Benchmark ELA and Math Performance Levels 

The charts below show the percent of students scoring in each performance category of the Fall and Spring district benchmark assessment (Illuminate DNA).  This comprehensive assessment includes academic skills and standards taught throughout the school year.   The goal is for each student to increase their score by the end of the year, and demonstrate an increase in content knowledge. 

 

 

Mountainside Elementary School addresses achievement and growth in the area of math using the following strategies:

• Mountainside teachers adjust math lessons for whole-group based on student needs.
• Mountainside teachers provide differentiation based on pre-assessment and formative assessment.
• Mountainside teachers work to provide opportunities for students to engage in productive struggle and discourse with their peers.
• Mountainside teachers utilize Add+Vantage Math Recovery (AVMR) math assessments and AVMR intervention strategies with students who are at risk in their math performance. AVMR helps children develop numeracy and provides assessments and strategies to help teachers identify and address students' learning gaps.

Mountainside Elementary School addresses achievement and growth in the area of ELA using the following strategies

• Mountainside teachers build student agency by allowing students to have productive struggle and student discourse throughout the learning process.
• Mountainside teachers utilize the writing component of the Wonders ELA curriculum.