Victory Map Report Victory Map Report
Grade 4 MCAS Longitudinal Performance Analysis (2023–2025)
Subject Mathematics
3-Year Trend
-3% Overall
School avg 44% → 41%
State Gap
-14% Diff
Consistent below state avg
23
24
25
Sample Size
415
Total students assessed
Core Strengths: Base Ten Operations
The Number and Operations in Base Ten (NBT) category consistently remains the highest-performing reporting category. Students demonstrate functional proficiency in standard algorithmic procedures and place value comprehension compared to other conceptual areas.
Algorithmic Fluency
Computation items involving multi-digit subtraction and multiplication (4.NBT.B.4/5) show strong retention, averaging 55-65% correct across the three years.
Division Stability
Division items (4.NBT.B.6) peaked at 72% in 2024 and maintained a strong 59% in 2025, significantly outperforming more conceptual standards.
Critical Weaknesses: Fractions & Word Problems
Fractions (NF)
Persistent struggle with fraction concepts and operations.
4.NF.B.3: Addition/subtraction of fractions with like denominators remains critically low (averaging below 35% in '23-'24).
4.NF.C.6: Converting decimals and fractions with denominators of 100 dropped significantly to 29% in 2025.
Multi-Step OA
Challenges in translating language into mathematical operations.
4.OA.A.3: Multi-step word problems involving addition, multiplication, and division dropped from 37% to 34% (2025).
Comparison Problems: Multiplicative comparison items (4.OA.A.1/2) dropped to a mean of 39% in 2025.
Comparative Category Trends
Reporting Category 2023 2024 2025 3-Yr Trend Operations & Algebraic Thinking (OA) 45% 46% 39% -6% Number & Operations - Base Ten (NBT) 59% 53% 49% -10% Number & Operations - Fractions (NF) 41% 37% 40% Static Measurement & Data (MD) 39% 39% 43% +4% Geometry (GE) 59% 29% 45% -14%
Strategic Focus for 2026
01
Conceptual Fractions
Shift from algorithmic drill to visual models. Focus on number lines and area models to bridge NF standards (4.NF.A.2, 4.NF.C.6).
02
Language Decoding
Address OA.A.3 weakness by integrating "schema-based" instruction for multi-step word problems to identify underlying structures.
03
Preserve NBT Gains
Maintain standard NBT performance through spiraled review, ensuring foundational place value doesn't erode while targeting NF.
Report generated based on IT301 MCAS Item Analysis Summary Data (Methuen School District #01810000, Donald P Timony Grammar #01810060)
Trend Tracker Slides Data Intelligence
TREND TRACKER
MCAS Grade 4 Math · 2023–2025 Analysis
3 Years
415 Students
5 Categories
The Performance Gap
2023 Performance 44% (State 56%)
2024 Performance 44% (State 57%)
2025 Performance 41% (State 55%)
Overall school performance has dropped 3% over the last 2 years, while the gap between School and State averages widened to -14%.
Strength Spotlight
Base Ten Operations (NBT)
Algorithmic Wins
Standard computation remains our strongest anchor. Students are most comfortable with:
Multi-digit Subtraction
4-Digit ÷ 1-Digit Divisors
Place Value Comparisons
57% 3-Year Avg
NBT remains 10-15% higher than Fractions across all years.
The Fraction Challenge
Critical Conceptual Gap in Number & Operations (NF)
39% AVG
17%
Adding Fractions
Solving real-world problems involving addition of fractions with like denominators (2023).
29%
Decimal Literacy
Converting fractions to decimals and plotting on number lines (2025).
33%
Equivalent Models
Creating or identifying equivalent fraction models (2024).
The Impact
The shift from whole numbers to rational numbers represents our most significant hurdle. Conceptual understanding is lagging behind procedural skills.
THE WORD PROBLEM WALL
Operations & Algebraic Thinking (OA) scores dropped from 46% to 39% in the last year.
Language Literacy
Translating verbal "multiplicative comparisons" into equations is a major failure point.
Multi-Step Complexity
Performance plummets as soon as a third step or second operation is introduced.
OA.A.3 Standard Trend
'23 37%
'24 33%
'25 34%
Target: Proficiency requires reaching 48%+ (State Benchmark)
2026 Strategy Map
Turning insights into intervention
Visual Modeling
Mandatory use of Area Models and Zoom Number Lines for all Fraction/Decimal instruction (NF.A.2, NF.C.6).
Schema Focus
Explicit teaching of word problem "types" (Compare, Equal Groups, Change) before calculation (OA.A.3).
Spiral Review
Intervention Blueprint Guide Intervention Blueprint
Data-Driven Strategy for NF & OA Standards
Target Grade Grade 4 Math
Intervention Objective
This guide provides actionable instructional shifts to address persistent gaps in Fractions (NF) and Operations & Algebraic Thinking (OA) as identified in the 2023-2025 MCAS trend analysis. The focus shifts from procedural drills to conceptual modeling and linguistic decoding.
Focus Area 1: Rational Number Concepts
The Critical Gap
"Students are performing 'blind' operations without visualizing the size of the whole or the parts."
Impact Standard: 4.NF.A.2 & 4.NF.C.6
Scores consistently below 40% when items require plotting fractions/decimals on number lines or comparing unlike denominators.
The Strategy: Visual Anchors
The "Zoom" Number Line: Move from discrete objects to the linear model. Require students to "zoom in" between 0 and 1 to find tenths and hundredths.
Area Model Consistency: Use the same 10x10 grid for both equivalent fractions (4.NF.A.1) and decimal conversion (4.NF.C.5).
Focus Area 2: Linguistic Decoding (OA.A.3)
The Critical Gap
"Students fail when multi-step problems hide the underlying operations behind 'noise' language."
Impact Standard: 4.OA.A.3
Performance drops significantly on multi-step items versus single-step computation. Students guess operations based on "keywords."
The Strategy: Schema-Based Instruction
Kill the Keywords: Stop teaching "altogether" means add. Teach students to identify the structure : is it "Total Unknown" or "Change Unknown"?
Tape Diagrams: Mandate bar models for all 4.OA problems. If they can't draw the relationship, they won't pick the right equation.
30-Minute Intervention Block
0-5m
NBT Fluency Sprints
Preserve the strength. 10 rapid-fire multi-digit subtraction or division problems to maintain baseline proficiency.
5-20m
Conceptual Deep Dive (NF or OA)
Guided Practice: Focus on drawing. "Draw me a model of 3/10 and 27/100 before we add them." or "Draw the tape diagram for this multiplicative comparison problem."
20-30m
The "Why" Wrap-up
Error analysis. Show a common mistake (e.g., adding denominators) and ask students to justify why it's incorrect using their models.
Grade 3 Victory Map Report Victory Map Report
Grade 3 MCAS Longitudinal Performance Analysis (2023–2025)
Subject Mathematics
3-Year Trend
-3% Overall
School avg 45% → 42%
State Gap
-13% Diff
Consistently below state avg (55%)
23
24
25
Sample Size
380
Total Grade 3 students assessed
Core Strengths: Operations Fluency
The Operations and Algebraic Thinking (OA) and Measurement & Data (MD) categories show functional procedural strength. Students demonstrate strong basic recall and standard calculation skills when the context is familiar.
Division & Property Recall
Fluency items like 3.OA.C.7 peaked at 76% in 2025. Students also show strength in standard commutative property applications (3.OA.B.5).
Basic Area Concepts
Area by unit counting (3.MD.C.6) and tiled rectangles (3.MD.C.7) showed strong performance at 81% and 79% in recent years.
Critical Weaknesses: Fractions & Geometry
Fractions (NF)
Persistent struggle with equivalent fractions and number lines.
3.NF.A.3: Plotting fractions on number lines remains critically low (averaging below 15% across '24-'25).
3.NF.A.3: Equivalency and comparisons dropped to 17-22% , significantly lagging behind state averages.
Geometry (GE)
Challenges in identifying shape attributes.
3.G.A.1: Identifying shapes with right angles is a chronic weakness, bottoming out at 6% in 2024.
3.G.A.1: Classifying quadrilaterals by attributes peaked at only 30% in 2025.
Comparative Category Trends
Reporting Category 2023 2024 2025 3-Yr Trend Operations & Algebraic Thinking (OA) 47% 47% 53% +6% Number & Operations - Base Ten (NBT) 44% 41% 41% -3% Number & Operations - Fractions (NF) 37% 32%
Grade 3 Trend Tracker Slides Data Intelligence
Grade 3 Tracker
MCAS Performance Audit · 2023–2025
3 Year Trend
380 Students
Performance Audit
2023 Performance 45% (State 56%)
2024 Performance 43% (State 54%)
2025 Performance 42% (State 55%)
Performance has fluctuated but remains 13% behind the state median. Gains in Algebra are being offset by Fraction losses.
Grade 3 Strengths
Procedural Power (OA & MD)
Calculation Wins
The procedural foundation for Grade 3 multiplication and basic data is established.
Fluently divide 2-digit numbers (76%)
Area model counting (81%)
Picture graph completion (68%)
Standard 3.OA.C.7 76%
High proficiency in multi-factor multiplication and division fluency.
The Fraction Barrier
Critical Conceptual Gap in NF Standards
32% CAT. AVG
9%
Number Lines
Plotting fractions on partitioned number lines (2025). Significant drop from 2023.
6%
Equivalence
Identifying equivalent fractions from complex models (2025).
Key Challenge
Students treat fractions as whole numbers. They lack the "part-to-whole" visualization required to plot points or compare values on a scale.
Action: Transition from counting parts to measuring distance.
Geometry Blindness
Identifying right angles (3.G.A.1) is the consistently lowest indicator across all three years.
Indicator: Right Angles
10% '23
6% '24
30% '25
While 2025 showed improvement, students still struggle to identify attributes that define quadrilaterals.
Intervention Focus
Grade 3 Roadmap
Bridging the conceptual gap for 2026
Model First
Require fraction representation on a number line before ANY calculation. Eliminate guess-work on NF standards.
Attribute Sorts
Weekly shape-attribute sorting drills focusing specifically on right angles and parallel lines in quadrilaterals.
Grade 3 Intervention Blueprint Guide G3 Intervention Blueprint
Targeting Chronic NF & GE Standards
Focus Level Grade 3 Math
Instructional Priority
Grade 3 data reveals a split in performance: high procedural fluency in multiplication but severe conceptual gaps in Fractions (NF.A.3) and Geometry (G.A.1) . Intervention must prioritize visual-spatial reasoning over rote memorization.
Priority 1: Fraction as Distance
The Challenge
"Students score below 10% on fraction number line items because they count tick marks instead of intervals."
Impact Standard: 3.NF.A.3 (Number Lines)
Critical deficiency in visualizing fractions greater than one and finding equivalence on a scale.
The Shift: The Hops Method
Interval Counting: Force students to draw "hops" between numbers on a number line to emphasize that the fraction is the space, not the line.
Model Stacking: Teach equivalence (3.NF.A.3) by physically stacking fraction bars directly on top of number lines to bridge the gap between area and linear models.
Priority 2: Attribute Sorting
The Challenge
"Identifying right angles in quadrilaterals is a chronic three-year weakness (avg score <15%)."
Impact Standard: 3.G.A.1 (Attributes)
Students identify shapes by general appearance rather than specific geometric criteria (angles/parallelism).
The Shift: Square-Corner Checks
Physical Verification: Provide students with "Right Angle Detectors" (index card corners) to physically check every shape for right angles during instruction.
Non-Prototype Focus: Show tilted rectangles and non-standard quadrilaterals to break the "prototype" reliance. Focus on "does it have 4 sides AND 4 square corners?"
Grade 3 Daily Intervention Block
0-5m
Multiplication Maintenance
Flash drills on 3.OA.C.7 facts. Leverage this strength to build confidence before hitting the "hard" conceptual content.
5-25m
Conceptual Build: NF/GE Focus
NF Day: Blank number line partitioning. "Partition this line into 4 equal segments. Label 3/4."
GE Day: Attribute hunt. "Find 3 things in the room with 4 square corners. Sketch them and label the angles."
25-30m
Visual Exit Ticket
One model and one explanation. "Draw 2/3 and write why it is larger than 1/3 using your picture."
Executive Performance Brief Executive Performance Brief
MCAS Longitudinal Analysis · Grade 3-4 Math · 2023–2025
Confidential Briefing
Leadership Use Only
Executive Summary
A longitudinal audit of MCAS performance data reveals a school-wide trend of procedural strength countered by a significant conceptual plateau in rational number reasoning. While basic operations (multiplication, division, and base-ten computation) remain anchor strengths for both grades, the systemic failure in Fractions (NF) across Grades 3 and 4 indicates a critical curriculum gap that threatens future proficiency in middle school mathematics.
Status: Strong
Procedural Fluency & Calculation (3.OA, 4.NBT)
Status: Fluctuating
Measurement & Data Interpretation (MD)
Status: Critical
Fractions & Abstract Geometry (NF, GE)
Cross-Grade Category Benchmark (2025 Data)
Reporting Category Grade 3 Prof. Grade 4 Prof. School Mean vs. State Gap Operations & Algebra (OA) 53% 39% 46% -11% Fractions (NF) 35% 40% 37.5% -16% Measurement & Data (MD) 44% 43% 43.5% -10% Base Ten (NBT) 41% 49% 45% -12% Geometry (GE) 38% 45% 41.5% -14%
The Systemic Hurdle
Data across both grades confirms that students transition poorly from whole number reasoning to rational number reasoning .
G3 Number Line Plotting: 9% Proficiency
G4 Fraction Addition: Critically Low Mean
School-wide: 16% State Gap in NF Category
Leadership Takeaway:
"Our current curriculum succeeds at teaching 'how' to calculate (procedural), but is failing to teach 'what' a number represents on a scale (conceptual). Without a fundamental shift toward visual modeling, rational numbers will remain the primary barrier to Proficiency and Mastery levels."
Leadership Directives for 2026
ELA Victory Map Report ELA Victory Map Report
Grade 4 ELA Longitudinal Performance Analysis (2023–2025)
Subject English Language Arts
3-Year Trend
+5% Overall
School avg 50% → 55%
State Gap
-4% Diff
Closed from -7% in 2023
23
24
25
Proficiency
High
Strong literal comprehension
Core Strengths: Reading Comprehension
Students demonstrate high proficiency in Reading (RE) standards, particularly in identifying key details, making basic inferences, and analyzing character motivations. This area shows steady growth and strong state alignment.
Literal Recall & Detail
Standard 4.R.PK-12.1 remains a peak strength, with scores for identifying key details averaging 71-85% across all three years.
Inference & Character
Making inferences about character motivation (4.R.PK-12.3) reached 84% in 2025, demonstrating strong text-based reasoning.
Critical Weaknesses: Writing & Figurative Language
Written Expression
Persistent struggle with multi-paragraph essay construction.
Idea Development: Writing scores for idea development averaged only 22% in 2023-2024, rising only to 27% in 2025.
Language Conventions: Consistent underperformance in punctuation and grammar within the context of extended writing.
Language (LA)
Challenges in interpreting non-literal text and abstract points.
Figurative Language: Identifying types of figurative language and their impact (4.L.PK-12.5) remains at 35% .
Author's Point: Identifying the specific point an author makes (4.R.PK-12.8) bottomed out at 33% in 2025.
Comparative Reporting Trends
Reporting Category 2023 2024 2025 3-Yr Trend Reading (RE) 50% 46% 55% +5% Language (LA) 33% 30% 34% Static Writing - Idea Development 22% 16%
ELA Trend Tracker Slides Literacy Intelligence
ELA Tracker
Grade 4 MCAS Analysis · 2023–2025
3 Year Trend
55% Mean Score
Closing the Gap
2023 Performance 50% (State 57%)
2024 Performance 46% (State 55%)
2025 Performance 55% (State 59%)
School performance jumped 9% in the last year, closing the state gap significantly. Strengths in Literal Recall and Character Inferences are driving this gain.
Literacy Wins
Literal & Inferential Reading (RE)
Comprehension Anchors
Students excel at extracting meaning from the text when it is explicitly stated or character-driven.
Key Detail Identification (71%)
Character Motivation Inferences (84%)
Word Meaning in Context (79%)
Standard R.PK-12.3 84%
Highest proficiency achieved in analyzing character feelings and motivations.
The Writing Wall
Systemic Challenge in Written Expression
27% IDEA DEV.
Long Composition
Students struggle to expand ideas beyond a few sentences. Synthesis of multiple details into a cohesive essay remains a primary failure point.
Conventions Gap
Grammar and punctuation scores (34%) are significantly lower than comprehension scores (55%).
Essay Performance Trend
'23 22%
'24 16%
'25 27%
Improving, but still 32% below state benchmarks for essay writing.
The Abstract Hurdle
Performance drops as the text moves from literal to figurative or analytical .
Indicator: Fig. Language
35% '23
51% '24
35% '25
Relapse in 2025 shows that figurative language (L.PK-12.5) remains a critical instructional gap.
Instructional Priorities
Literacy Roadmap 2026
From Literal Comprehension to Analytical Mastery
Vertical Writing
Daily "Writing-on-the-Fly" drills focused on evidence integration to bridge the Essay gap.