TYRONE — Administrators at the Tyrone Area School District presented a list of “glows and grows” from the 2024-25 state assessment data during Tuesday’s regular school board meeting.

According to elementary school Principal Kristin Musselman, elementary students with disabilities continue to make gains in math proficiency and growth expectations. However, third and fourth grade math scores decreased slightly and were below state averages, she said.

At the middle school, 55% of eighth graders were proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment’s math exam, 25% above the state’s average, said middle school Principal Shane Cowher.

High school Principal Darin Ricciotti said the school’s Keystone Algebra test scores met the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System’s expectation for growth.

In English language arts, students in the fourth, seventh and eighth grades met the annual academic growth expectation, and scores on the Keystone Literature test were above the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System’s projections, officials said.

Third and fourth grade’s English language arts percentage of proficient or advanced students decreased significantly, Musselman said, noting both grades were below the state’s average.

At the middle school, fifth and sixth grades were also below state averages, Cowher said.

The 11th grade cohort scores on the Keystone literature test have decreased 30% in the past four years, Ricciotti added.

According to their report, 11% of elementary and middle school students were chronically absent in the 2023-24 school year, meaning they missed more than 18 days. At the high school, 17% of students were chronically absent during the same school year.

Goals set

The administrators plan to have 70% of the district’s fourth and fifth graders score proficient or higher on the 2028 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment’s English language arts exam.

They said all subgroups in fourth and fifth grades will meet or exceed the state’s growth expectation for English language arts by the 2028 Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System report.

In math, officials hope to have all subgroups in fourth and fifth grades meet or exceed the Pennsylvania Value-Added Assessment System’s 2028 report.

By the 2028 Future Ready Index, officials said all schools will meet or exceed the performance standard for attendance, meaning less than 5% of students will be classified as chronically absent.

The administrators presented a series of action steps they plan to take to achieve their goals, which included data-driven measures such as diagnostic and benchmark assessments, targeted interventions at the elementary and middle schools and new curriculum programs for autism support and Life Skills classrooms.

Other business

In other business, the board approved its financial reports and then took a consensus vote to approve the remaining agenda items, which included a resolution requesting a public school facility improvement grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

If awarded, the grant will be used for high school roof renovations and to replace the elementary school’s chiller.

Business administrator Faith Swanson said the total amount of those projects is about $1.5 million, which includes a 25% match.

Swanson said district officials plan to ask state Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair, and state Rep. Scott Barger, R-Blair/Huntingdon, for letters of support.

The district plans to hold a committee meeting next Tuesday to prioritize the physical plant and operations committee’s budgetary needs, in case the district doesn’t receive the grant funds, Superintendent Leslie Estep said.

Among the list of personnel matters the board approved was Swanson’s resignation as the district’s business administrator, effective April 22.

After last week’s work session meeting, Swanson said she doesn’t want to leave the district and is stepping down for private reasons.