Data shows where USD 234 students are improving

USD 234 officials discussed student data and growth, as well as educational opportunities available through Fort Scott Community College, with the USD 234 Board of Education on Monday.

Curriculum Director Nicki Traul, who continues to work with teachers and instructional coaches across the district to develop and align curriculum districtwide, shared some math and reading test data from the fall and spring semesters of the 2016-17 school year.

Traul said during the most recent school year there was a focus on individual plans of study, or IPS, as required by state law. The goal is to determine what courses a student should take along a particular career path.

“We start at the middle school with eighth graders,” Traul said.

Data shows if students are at or above, or below the 50th percentile, the standard used for measuring growth.

“Across the board, the district grew quadrantly,” Superintendent Bob Beckham said.

Traul said areas of growth where the district is “really showing strength” are high school English and math. She said the areas of ninth grade reading, and 10th and 11th grade math and reading are “especially showing great growth.”

Traul said all subjects at the middle school “showed good growth,” but officials are “still working” on the third-through-fifth grade level which has remained flat.

“Ultimately, there are larger jumps in scores that have to be made at the elementary level rather than the high school level,” she said. “Our idea is just to show growth, period.”

Overall, the district is sitting at about 50-50 as far as the percentage of K-12 students who showed growth during the 2016-17 school year, Traul said.

“We’re trying to do things to improve and give teachers the appropriate resources,” she said, adding that more dollars into instruction and resources typically means an increase in test scores.

“We want to show growth each year,” she said. “We will have that conversation into next year … And even if they only grew one point, that counts.”

Traul said there is a plan to talk with administrators at each school building about future goals and also plan parent-teacher conferences on the subject.

“The data paints a picture to instruct us,” she said. “Helping teachers and students is the goal.”

Traul also talked about the state accreditation process, in which each school building is looked at as a whole. She said conversations will take place on meeting the “national norms.”

“It takes several years to see change,” she said. “Our task is, we’re growing but keep growing.”

Traul also talked about some adult education opportunities available through FSCC. The college offers adult education classes to assist students with GED preparation, basic math and reading skills, employment skills and college preparation and transition.

FSCC has also partnered with Fort Scott High School to offer the opportunity for students to receive a high school diploma online from the high school. Approved students will be enrolled in missing courses to earn their diploma, according to information from the district.

There is also a program in which students pursuing various construction trades can take courses at FSCC. Thomas said the ag program at the high school is growing.

“At the high school, we’ve also added a business pathway this year,” Traul said.