He promised to boost math scores. If the district’s own test results are mirrored in WASL test gains this year, he can claim to have delivered – at least in part.

Last week, just after the school board and Milligan agreed to a costly severance package, the district released May test results showing dramatic gains since September.

It’s far too soon to declare success, but the district’s concerted efforts to improve math scores under Milligan seem to be bearing fruit.

In May, for example, 74 percent of the district’s fourth-graders answered at least half the questions correctly on the district’s math basic-skills test. In September, only 32 percent could.

Administrators believe those gains will translate into better results on the statewide WASL tests as well.

Milligan promised to zero in on poor math performance when he was hired last year. His first dramatic move was to spend more than $1 million on a basics-oriented Saxon math curriculm to be used as a supplement to the regular math curriculum.

In addition, Milligan and top deputies required regular testing of students in the third through 10th grades to be used as a diagnostic teaching tool and to measure progress.

Both were sound moves. It shouldn’t have taken a new superintendent to see that the district’s existing curriculum was weak on the basics – and the basics are the foundation for the problem-solving approach that is emphasized in the WASL tests.

The regularly updated student performance database installed under Milligan gives teachers, principals and administrators a wealth of information that allows them to spot gaps in math instruction while there’s still time to address them.

The Milligan strategy of using Saxon as a supplement has not gone well at the high school level, district officials concede, and they plan to rethink that part of the effort.

The school board rightly decided that Milligan needed to leave because of other liabilities he demonstrated after he took over the top job last July. The emphasis on math instruction should continue next school year under an interim superintendent; the next permanent superintendent will be expected to make it a priority.

Give Milligan credit for lighting a fire under the district’s math efforts. It’s a shame he set off too many other fires that were more damaging than helpful.