Ellenville Central School District students made significant gains in the New York State Grades 3-8 assessments, results released Thursday by the New York State Department of Education show. The district’s proficiency rates in both ELA and Math went up by eight percentage point, outpacing both Ulster County and New York State in terms of growth rates.

The gains were seen in almost all grade levels and categories. Grade 3 ELA showed the largest year-to-year growth, with an increase of 18 percentage points, followed by Grade 6 Math, with a 15-percentage point gain. “This is significant year-to-year growth, and we are really proud of our students, educators, and families for the hard work that has gone into making this possible,” said Ellenville Superintendent of Schools Lisa A. Wiles.

Wiles credits the gains to a number of factors, including smaller class sizes at the Elementary School, a new Math curriculum, a consistent ELA curriculum for Grades K-6, expanded Academic Intervention Services (AIS), and professional development for teachers. The district also uses 80-minute instructional blocks for Math and ELA in Grades K-6, along with an additional 40-minute writing block.

“Our AIS programs continue to expand and evolve, playing a significant role in our progress,” said Ellenville Deputy Superintendent Kelly White. Those programs include small group and center-based learning, dedicated time for reading intervention support, computer-aided instruction through the IXL Learning platform, and AIS English classes in Grades 7 and 8.

The district also provides afterschool support programs, a summer school program, and has invested in strengthening leadership support through the addition of literacy and instructional supervisor positions.

“Not only have we shown significant strides, we had the largest growth in Ulster County, as well as of other districts considered 'similar' schools by the state's demographic categories,” said Wiles. “While challenges remain, the initiatives we have put in place are having a clear impact, and we are encouraged by the results.”

Despite the gains, the data shows that in the 2023-2024 school year, Ellenville Central School District students still lag behind state averages in most academic categories. In Grade 3 ELA, 30 percent of ECSD students earned test scores considered proficient, well under the New York state mark of 43 percent. For Grade 6 Math, those figures are 43 percent proficiency in ECSD and 51 percent in the state.

“We are celebrating these improvements, while also looking at the data to see where instructional adjustments or additional supports may help us to continue our rising trajectory,” said Wiles. She said the district will also compare its results to those of similar schools to ensure its goals are “fair, achievable, and impactful for every student we serve.”