Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools Superintendent Patrick Mapes described Wednesday night’s school board work session as a “celebration” of state standardized test results.

Deputy Superintendent Matt Kegley presented the data, beginning with a reminder about the role of testing in evaluating schools.

“’We know that standardized assessments from the state do not tell the whole picture of our children, of our schools, of our entire district,” Kegley told the board. “But they are a moment in time where we can take a picture and say, how are we doing?”

Kegley then reviewed the results, which show steady and significant improvement since 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning and sharply reduced in-person classroom time.

The latest 2024–2025 scores reflect that rebound and continued growth. Among the highlights:

• IREAD testing: 96% of HSE students passed.

• Elementary schools: 10 of the district’s 13 schools reached a 95% passing rate or higher, and every school scored at least 90%.

• ILEARN testing: Combined English Language Arts and Math scores increased 1.4% compared to the previous year.

Mapes noted that more state data, including graduation rates, will be released soon. He and other administrators praised educators across the district for their work in driving the test scores upward.

Still, district leaders emphasized that improvement remains an ongoing process. Each school will be tasked with developing a new school improvement plan to build on this year’s gains.