The situation
Just because a district is small doesn’t mean the state assessment and student achievement stakes are low. Lexington City Schools serves 3,000+ students in Davidson County, North Carolina.
When new academic leadership came on board in 2023, they found an assessment strategy that relied on free, state-provided benchmark assessments lacking rigor, tight alignment to state standards, and predictive capability. These limitations prevented teachers from knowing where instructional gaps were in real time. So they manually tracked formative data in spreadsheets that differed from school to school, with little trust in the results. “We needed benchmark data that teachers could actually understand and use. Without that, you’re not going to move instruction,” said Leigh Jones, chief academic officer.
Instructure is a true partner that wrapped its arms around us and helped us implement benchmark assessments in a meaningful, engaging, and consistent way.
Leigh Jones
Chief Academic Officer, Lexington City Schools, N.C.
Insights
As they examined their benchmark tool, it became clear that its limited scope gave teachers little insight into how to help students specifically. State-assigned end-of-grade (EOG) test forms based on earlier, limited benchmark data meant the entire assessment strategy landed on shaky ground.
Having adopted Canvas nearly a decade prior, they began exploring Instructure assessment tools: Mastery Connect, Mastery Item Bank, and Mastery Predictive Assessments. They found valid, standard-by-standard insight and data reports that actually gave value to district leaders, administrators, and classroom teachers. “[Superintendent] Dr. Hardy said, ‘I don’t care how much money we have–we’re going with Instructure and Mastery Connect!’” Jones recalls.
That clarity and partnership mindset with Instructure energized the team to implement something new.
Solution
Like any district-led initiative, the rollout faced early skepticism. But Lexington’s team focused on building trust, training lead teachers, and asking Instructure for support.
- Lead teachers trained first, learning to create common formatives with the Item Bank.
- Principals and teacher teams took part in data conversations from the start.
- District leaders visited schools to interpret benchmark reports with staff.
- Instructure provided virtual PDs, data webinars, and quick responses.
After Benchmark 2, the tides started to turn. Assured that benchmark data wasn’t being used as gotchas, staff started requesting more access to the Item Bank and requesting data sooner. Principals started using results to guide conversations around reteaching and pacing. “After that second benchmark, teachers could see the growth. They were asking questions and owning it,” said Beth Felts, director of accountability and school improvement.
Outcomes
Academic gains skyrocketed in just one year, and teachers’ and students’ responses to assessment data shifted. Mastery Predictive Assessments correctly predicted reading and math scores with 82% and 88% accuracy, respectively. “Without Mastery Connect, we would not have made the progress we had last year,” said Felts. “It was the most significant tool we used."
District academic results:
- Middle school exceeded growth for the first time.
- 7th-grade math scores increased 25.7% from the previous year.
- English 2 end-of-course proficiency increased 7.6% from the previous year.
- Four out of 5 schools met or exceeded growth in every subgroup, including students with disabilities.
Instructional shifts:
- Teachers design and share formative assessments
- Principals and lead teachers conduct PLC data dives into standards.
- Staff frames benchmarks as formative and a tool for reflection and progress.
The partnership is just beginning. For districts like Lexington, Instructure goes beyond tools to offer trust, urgency, and a willingness to roll up its sleeves to help them help students. Because every school of every size deserves meaningful data and real results.
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