LONDONDERRY — The town’s three elementary schools have been identified as Schools in Need of Improvement (SINI) based on the most recent scores of the New England Common Assessment Program tests.

In late August, the state Department of Education announced that North, South and Matthew Thornton elementary schools all failed to achieve “adequate yearly progress” in the areas of special education reading and math this past year.

Parents of children attending those three schools have been notified by letter of the schools’ current status.

Superintendent Andy Corey, the district’s curriculum coordinator, said the scores are somewhat misleading since the district’s overall elementary index has still remained higher than average in its overall reading and mathematics scores over the past six years, with the overall reading index averaging 90 percent proficient and overall math index averaging 85 percent proficient.

School by school, 3.25 percent of North Elementary and Matthew Thornton Elementary schools’ special education students were substantially below proficient in reading. At South Elementary School, 5 percent of special education students were substantially below proficient in reading.

Fourteen percent of Matthew Thornton’s special education students were partially proficient in reading, compared to 16.25 percent of North School students and 15 percent of South School students.

The state average for students in grades three through six found to be substantially below proficient in reading is 6.25 percent and 14.75 percent partially proficient.

Over 11 percent of North Elementary School’s special education students were substantially below proficient in math, with 8 percent and 9.25 percent substantially below proficient in math at Matthew Thornton and South elementary schools, respectively.

Partially proficient math scores for that category were 17.75 percent at North School, 14.25 percent at Matthew Thornton School and 14.75 percent at South School.

The state average for students in grades three through six found to be substantially below proficient in math is 10.25 percent and 14 percent partially proficient.

“Where our schools have struggled is under the students with disabilities category,” Corey said. “The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires students with disabilities to meet the same target index as their non-handicapped peers.”

Londonderry’s special needs children attending the town’s three elementary schools averaged 74 percent proficient in reading and 63 percent proficient in mathematics.

Corey said those scores are somewhat similar to the scores of special needs children attending surrounding school districts, and like other area districts, multiple efforts are under way to address the shortcomings.

Over the past several years, local school officials have developed a tiered approach to special curriculum reading and math instruction, and have implemented a new research-based reading and math program for both traditional students and those with disabilities.

Reducing the student-to-teacher ration and offering more opportunities for direct instruction has also been helpful.

Corey said staff from each of the three identified schools have developed SINI plans, which have since been submitted to the state Department of Education.

“As a district, we were working with the state to analyze our special education scores to address the achievement gap,” he said.

In the letter sent to parents at the start of the current school year, Corey urged them to keep in contact with their children’s teachers and administrators.

“All of us are working together to ensure development of a successful improvement plan and improve the quality of education we provide to all our students,” Corey said.

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April Guilmet may be reached at AGuilmet@newstote.com.