5-18-26 Groton Board of Education Meeting

001This is a meeting of the GRA board of education committee. The whole meeting being held on Monday, May 18th, 2026 at 6:06 p.m. Um, it is being held in person and online. In person tonight, we have Mike Whitney, we have Adrien Johnson, myself, Beckerie Washington, and Mitch Shimbrock. And online, we have Jay Whitlock, and um Dr. Andrea Acman. And with that, we have quum. Jen White is absent tonight, and Sean will um Sean Corman will join us shortly. The first thing on the agenda is review of the May 11th, 2026 meeting. And that's the meeting at 6:00. I don't know what happened to the meeting at five those minutes, but this is the meeting at 6. That was the day we had 5:00 meeting and we had a 6:00 meeting. So, this is only the

0026:00 meeting. I think Adrian, I think we have some time. um >> yeah, I think um well, somebody can read it or listen to it if they really care, but I I um I think at the end of it um at the end of section five, it should just say no action was taken. >> And it should say uh Mr. Johnson explained his request and not Mr. Thomas because that was your request. >> Yeah, it was my request. Yeah, it should say that I >> Okay. Should say Mr. You don't see anything else in there. >> Well, I think we could rewrite the whole thing if we wanted to. >> So, I'll just have some >> I think Shannon had some suggestions, too. >> Okay. >> I don't know if >> incorporate it in these

003minutes. >> I think Joyce did ask Shannon to look it over, but I'll double check. >> Okay. Um, right. So, so I wasn't here for this and I'll I'll abstain, but this is a cow meeting, >> so maybe the no action taken could be phrased differently because you can't really take action. >> Well, we didn't um it was a referral for board to approve the grant, so we didn't move it any further. >> But I think that's what you mean that we didn't do anything. >> We can still make an action of referring it to the I didn't know what it was about actually. >> Yeah, we didn't make action. >> It's still factually correct. >> Okay. Um, we'll approve the minutes as corrected. The next item on the agenda is the state report card.

004And this is the time of the year most board members are excited to um be here to listen to how school district is doing and um where we need to improve upon and um the good things and the bad things. So, and I know Lauren Cassini has worked hard on getting all this together for us. So, I don't know if Susan wants to say something first or you want to just >> Well, we um there's something called the state report card and there's also something called the district profile and performance report. both of those things. It takes approximately a whole year to get through all those items and to have it finalized. So, we're talking about the data from FY25. So, that was all the way last year. This year, we're in the middle of

005assessing or finishing up assessing kids and that's for the FY26 and we start to get that data in the summertime and then we're able to share it with the board by late summer, early fall. So, it takes about a full year, but we will um be able to show you the website that we've created um that um you know that Lauren has worked hard on and show you where the um report card exists from there so that you can see it. Um it's hard to make a copy of it, but we can show you where it is on the landing page. But we wanted to share with you all that we have received from the state and the updated information and take you through that to show you how the state monitors every district and

006holds them accountable. It's called an accountability report. >> Um can I just um maybe just because of the way the um it says state report card and then our attachments labeled a little differently. Maybe in the minutes if we can just refer to Edsite or maybe um link into Edsite that way it doesn't get confusing you know down the road for future reference that it's basically the report card is off Edite >> right and you can see it um at the very end where she has the district page and she's linked that all to the district page to the district data dashboard. So we'll we'll get through that. >> Oh yeah, but really the actual report card is the state report card which is site, right? >> So when you're giving your report, if you're

007using abbreviations, can you spell it out? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> All right, you're ready. >> All right. So um as we always do, we want to orient you to our strategic plan that was developed throughout last year with, you know, a large group of individuals, all stakeholders and city board members, teachers, administrators across the district. Um, this is our finalized plan which went into full effect this year. And so from this point forward, we have certain indicators that we will use to measure our success um in relationship to our plan. That plan includes five pillars which range from academic um accelerated academics to community and uh culture and communication um um increasing the workforce and and so on. And these are the key performance indicators that we will be using to um again

008measure our success against our plan and how we're doing and help us to figure out if we need to make any adjustments along the way. Can you tell us what DPI means? >> Oh, so DPI is your district performance index. Okay. So, it's how um and we're going to get into this in a few minutes um but it's really the measurement of assessments and how students perform um based on those four areas in those core areas. So, it's specific to academics. >> Mitch, >> what do the stars mean? So the stars are really on the accountability report, the measurements that we're looking at. These are the areas of our strategic plan that are addressed. So as an example, in our strategic plan, the academic areas, the accountability index, the district performance index, these are all

009measurements that we're using to base our um success against the strategic plan. So the attendance is also another key performance indicator in our strategic plan and so is the college and career readiness and that is all found within this this particular u presentation that we're going to address tonight. for looking at these measurements tonight. >> Can I ask ahead? >> Um, so for behavior >> and communications and climate, those are not in our strategic plan. >> They are in our strategic plan. They're not in the report we're going through tonight. >> Okay. >> We have other ways that we measure that. >> So, yes, we measure um like culture in a different way. We'll report that out to you. We typically do that this summer for agriculture surveys. We have a survey that went out.

010And so the report we're going through tonight is the next generation accountability report and it's put out by the Connecticut State Department of Education. Um reminding everyone that our mission here in Bratton is teaching and learning. So the accountability index is an overall target that's put out. Again, this is this is specific to the state of Connecticut um and the department of ed. And so they created this accountability index really as it dates back to the uh ESSA. So every child succeeds act um and in order to determine their accountability, they came up with this this criteria. Okay. And so the overall target for the entire accountability report is 85. Okay. And that's a four point system. Now, within that accountability report, you're going to see um different areas, different what we call indicators of

011success for our school district, for all school districts in in the state are measured the same way. Um and we'll go through those indicators in a minute, which are on the right hand side, but really depending on the indicator, there are certain amount of points that you can earn towards meeting that target in that particular indicator. And I stop me if I'm confusing. I know there's a lot of lingo that goes along with this and so the percentage of possible points earned is what makes up that accountability index which ideally would be at uh 85. Okay. And performance on each indicator um is measured against specific targets. So it's not the same target for every indicator. It changes depending on what we're looking at. So what I mean by that is if you look over

012on the right there are specific indicators we look at or the state looks at and measures our success against our students academic um performance and how they achieve. So are they on benchmark or they below benchmark or they approaching benchmark that's one indicator of success. Another indicator that the state looks at is growth, right? So maybe depending on where they're performing, right, in terms of benchmark, are they making a adequate growth uh enough growth to move forward? So that's its own indicator even measurement or score based on that. Every child gets a growth target and our kids know in middle school really by middle school what that target is. And so we're we're looking that in a couple ways and you're going to share that too. >> And so there's a total of 12 indicators

013um that the state scores us on including high school graduation, college and career readiness, um physical fitness. It's really all encompassing. So the purpose and the goal is right how are we performing as a district to really develop the whole child, right? So that's what these indicators really mean. And some of that are listed up here have more than one benchmark within them. That's why you don't see 12 bullets up there. So as in Yep. >> Excuse me. >> Yep. >> What channel was this on? Because my wife is having trouble finding it. She might not be the only person. Is that something can answer there? >> YouTube is on YouTube. >> It's a YouTube video, right? quickly, but I think it's online, too. >> It should be um Caitlyn, did you hear that question?

014How can people watch this in real time? >> So, wait, if you want to do it or you want me to So, hi, it's Andy. I'll put my camera on. So, uh, currently, that's actually one of the reasons I'm here is, uh, currently the district's regular YouTube account is banned from streaming or posting. Why is my video all messed up? Um, so we are banned for the next 6 days. Uh, we had a copyright issue that I can explain to you more later. Um, we're going to work with Rebecca to post this on Facebook. Okay. >> And like going forward, um, especially for graduation and other like award shows and stuff like that. We're actually going to work, uh, we're going to work with her to make sure that we're streaming in more than one

015spot, i.e. like Facebook, Instagram for award shows as well as YouTube. Um but yeah, we we are going to post on Google Drive and then we'll we'll give out the link for the Google Drive for this meeting and for any other meetings that are happening until next Monday. At next Monday, we should be good. Uh actually, it's it's um it's next Sunday at like 900 p.m. or something or next Sunday at 8:00 p.m. is when our band goes away. Um, but yeah, we had a problem with varsity baseball playing music that was not uh licensed by YouTube, which plays I can explain more clear. >> Yeah. Okay, got it. >> Yes, related to music, but that's kind of >> it affects our whole channel unfortunately. So, for for the purposes of all the meetings from

016now until next Monday, um we're going to work with Rebecca to post links to Facebook and it'll be a Google Drive link. >> Okay. Thank you. So there's no wait for people to watch it live. >> Not tonight. >> Not not tonight. Yeah. Not this whole week. Um I mean unless in theory they could join the Zoom meeting, I guess. But as a >> Would they join the Zoom meeting as an attendee if anyone online wanted to, >> right? Yeah, they could join it as an attendee. >> But that's the only option we have because our YouTube thing is kind of it's kind of messed up. We're going to fix any I'm sorry. >> And they could also see the Zoom link um would be posted right on our website. >> Yeah, the Zoom link

017for now. If you go to the Grton School's website right now, if you can click on the Zoom link and join as an attendee, we actually have Kim Fei and Laura and someone named Miranda as Miranda from >> Okay. Oh, yeah. That's the new coordinator. Um, but yeah, so they can join the Zoom for now and we are going to post it on on we're going to work on we've never posted a video to Facebook before that was this long. So we're going to post a link to Google Drive to Facebook is kind of the rough plan. Um, but we got to we got to touch base >> next week it'll be >> in next week it'll be fixed. And like I said we are we are looking at slightly diversifying before the graduation in

018case the promotions and graduations in case something bad happens. Um, and like I said Clint could tell you more. We sent we sent some detailed plans about exactly what we're going to do to to try to fix this in a way that it doesn't impact you guys going forward. >> Okay. >> Can you give us a heads up? >> That would have been good to get a heads up. >> It just happened. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Like uh we actually got uh Yeah, we ended up getting a third strike today. Um or the second sorry, the second strike today. Um, so yeah, it's it's literally as of about noon today. So, sorry about that. >> Yeah, I'm streaming baseball today. Exactly. >> So, we're really sorry though. Um, I'm going to stop talking so you

019guys knew your game. Thank you. I apologize for >> it wasn't it wasn't there was this overall target of 85 is that set by the state? >> Okay, >> all of these targets are set by the state. >> Okay. Thank you. And so what we're looking at here, and I think it's important to note that the accountability index, as I said, there's lots of indicators that um make up this accountability index for the whole child and as a school system. Um and bits and pieces of it come out throughout the year. So you'll notice that you may see some information that you've already had an opportunity to look at. You've now been scored on. And so when we're looking at the accountability index, we're actually looking last year's performance, not this current year. And that's

020important to know for people who may not, you know, work with this often. Um, so what we're looking at is actually last year's performance um and measurement according to the state. This year's we're really just starting and we're just getting into our um state assessments or actually we're in the middle of our state assessment. So, we won't have that information until, you know, over the next few weeks and over the next few months, things will trickle out as they typically do. >> Is this K through 12? >> Yes. This is the entire district. So, it's NGSS, SAT, and all of those other things. All the indicators. Yes. And so, trendwise, our accountability index um over the last several years, you know, before co um the last the highest index we had with 77 um as

021a as an index number. There was a decrease after COVID and we're slowly climbing back up. So what we um or how we scored this past year, so we're 24 25 school year was 70.2 which is a little bit a little from the year before. And remember just keep repeating it because it's so much information but remember that target is 85 and that target is ideally um something we need to achieve by 2030 >> and are we going to go over um I'm sorry but are we going to go over that first is the state like how the state's been coming back for the overall accountability index >> say that again the cost compared to the state >> correct >> yes >> yep >> and so there's really two metric When we're looking specifically at

022the assessment, that DPI, we talked about that district performance um index, we have what's called the performance index, which it's all of the assessments in the district for a specific subject. So, all of the students that were assessed in ELA, all the students that were assessed in math, all of the students that were assessed in science. Okay? So, it's a it's composite summitive assessment across all grade levels. And that score that scale score that each student gets is converted um into a common scale so that regardless of what assessment you're taking. So SATs is included in this um ESPback is included in this right they come up with a common way to um common scale and then they create its point system. So it's overall performance in a specific subject area. Whereas growth, academic growth

023is how individual students are are performing, how they're growing, right? So each child, if there's more than one data point, meaning they've taken the assessment before, they're taking it again, what is their target? How much do we want them to um stretch between that first assessment and this ne next assessment? And that academic growth is is determining did they make it? And if they did or didn't, how close were they to it? So academic growth and that's based on a target of 100%. Because ideally you want all kids to be achieving 100% of their target. And that's for any child who's in public school in the state of Connecticut. And you know, we have a lot of military children going to school who are in school in other states. So you might not get a

024growth measure on certain kids if they haven't been in our state the year before. measures year to year, year to year, year to year, the growth does. Yes. Yep. So the and that was the whole point of the accountability um index, right? So we're looking at all different ways to measure kids and how they're performing. Um not just can they meet this benchmark, but maybe they're not at that benchmark yet. Are they making sufficient progress? Are they are they still growing and succeeding? Um it is import to the performance index. The only students that are um included in that index are students that were part of the October one snapshot for PSIS. So in order to be included in this performance index, you had to be here on October 1 of the of the school

025year and you have to take the assessment with us and that's the group that that can be counted that can be counted. Okay. What >> what does indicator 1 A 1F mean? And then for the top one and 2 A, 2F mean for the bottom one. >> I am glad you asked that way. >> So those are the different indicators. Okay. So if you remember I said some indicator there are some indicators there may be more than one um part to it, right? And so there are these different indicators we have. So, as an example for ELA performance, our performance index, we look at all students and then we look at a subgroup of high need students and how they're performing. Um, we look at math performance of all students and then high need students

026>> and high needs the definition. >> Yes. And so when we're talking about hiding students in terms of um our school system, state h you know um assessments, we're talking about students that have an IEP so are part of the special education program, students that are learning second language as a second language and students that qualify for free reduced lunch. So any combination of that, you may have students that have an IEP and qualify for free and reduced lunch. You may have one that fits into all three buckets. But if you belong in any of the buckets, you are considered a high student. >> So um based on the free and reduced lunch, we assume that high need students are probably half of our students who are paying a little more. And I like that

027you color coded it to show when we made progress and when we did not. So green means go. Yes. And we made progress and red mean we took a little dip there. >> Yes. And so let me just remind you to what this what this all means. So we have our indicator right. This is what the state is looking at um in terms of our performance. So, as an example, ELA performance index, meaning how did all of our students K12 perform on summitive assessments in language arts. Um, and so you can see the next column has your index rate. That was from the 2324 school year. If we're going left to right, um, the next one is the 2425, which was last year, which that's the accountability report we're looking at now. The target is

028what we had to get to. to earn the points we needed. And then the percentage of points earned is really the literally that out of 75 target points, how many what's the percentage that we earned? So, as an example, if we're looking at ELA performance index during the 2324 school year, you can see that our index was 65.2. It's green. That means that was up from the year before the 2022 223 school year. If you look at this year or I'm sorry last year the 2425 school year it was our index was 63.7. So that is down from the year before which took a little dip there. So just based on this um and you said we had to make this talk by 2030. How many points? I mean, so okay, so say 1 C

029the math points index, we only went up 25. That's not going to get us there by 2030. So how many points do we have to get about a year to get us to that 75 or what happens if you don't get to the 75? >> That's that's a good question. Um I mean depending on how you're performing each year, the state at times you can become part of called the commissioners network where they really come in and give you um some intensive uh training um build a plan with the state. I was part of that and you know it was a successful plan to be honest with you. But that's like a step like if you're not making adequate progress every year. If you go a certain amount of years without making what they consider

030adequate progress, you could potentially end up in this or apply for this commissioner's network. If it continues even with that, you could you could become a turnaround school. But that's that's that's a very small percentage of the districts. And please jump in if you know there's something else I need to add. >> No, the alliance districts, you know, um are kind of in there together based on the dirt and um >> I'm not a math major. So, but how many points do you have to get a year to get to the 75? >> So, I do have that. It's a little bit further back. Um and so it depends on um so based on the accountability index which we have to get to 85 right we averaged um this next so for this school year

031what the kids are doing right now we're looking to earn about 4 and a half uh points and it's rigorous like we understand that and then after that it's about two and a half points every year >> or you can spread it out or you can spread it out a little bit more right like Let's as an example, which isn't going to happen because I have I know we can do it, but let's say we don't get to that 75 um or 85 for the accountab I'm sorry, let me start over. But that accountability index, let's say we don't hit 75 next year, we would have to readjust that target to figure out how much do you need the following years to get to that 85. But we have implemented with wisdom the first year

032K5 we're going to see doing at that K8 and we'll have a lot of professional development. Same thing with mathematics K8. And we did um you know that should really um we should start seeing significant growth but even with implementation it might lag the next year or so. But what do they say? Typically takes roughly three years to start to see the effects of like the new programming um curriculum teachers learning it really comfortable. Is it four? >> Yeah. I said we only have four. >> But but they're already in the process, right? Um so what we did not know what we did notice about ELA um two grades in particular seem to impact that score where we where we did have that dip for ELA and that was grade eight and grade three. So

033both ends >> what grade was it? >> Grade eight and grade three had significant dips in that ELA um performance index. >> Have we ever been at the target? >> No. Nobody was >> not many to be quite honest. There aren't many districts, particularly alliance districts. There are there are none that have met the target. Um even some of the stronger districts, many of the stronger districts still aren't there. So, I mean, it's a rigorous goal and we're we're working to get there. >> What do you mean by a stronger district on >> where there's a lot of >> where there may not be as many needs and and that was the wrong that was the wrong word. You're right. Like you call me out on that. You're No, you're totally right. Um but where

034there may be less needs and more funding or you know. >> Okay. >> So, >> thank you. And then um this target for 2030 that has been moved right correct since this system has been implemented. Wasn't it originally like 26 or 27? >> No, I don't. I think originally before co we were thinking we could get there a few years before statements. >> No, I need to go back and look. I thought it was always 20, but I may be wrong. Let me double check on that. Exactly right. Same goal. >> Um in terms of science as well, grade eight um really had a significant dip there um which played into our decrease for this year. That's >> what about math did you say? What math? >> Uh math had some nice um increases which

035is where we see that green where we we've gone up in our index. Um, and I do want to actually going back to the ELA, grade four, grade seven, and grade 11 for language arts all had some really nice increases as well. So, while we had a couple um grade levels that really struggled, there were some that did well that had some good increases. So, what were they in grade four, grade seven, and grade 11? It's interesting the ones transitioning in like the grade three, grade six, you know, it's a little tougher >> because for the green for a math and science, those aren't really big increases. It's it's 0.5 for math and for the science. Am I doing I'm doing my math right here. It's one. >> So, >> okay. >> Yep. Slight increases

036there. >> And so, looking at is that is that presented? Does that seem small to you guys? >> Can I ask you you told us about ELA? What about you really did some >> uh the dips in math. I believe it was grade eight, but I don't have and I don't know why I didn't write this down. I did not write the um what the dip was that the index, but I'll go back and look at that for math. >> And can you do the same for science? >> And for science, I do have it was at grade 8 and it was from 59.6 to 55.8. We had a dip there. But I do have to, you know, speaking a little bit to that grade eight, which does come up later. Um I know this

037year they've really done um they've really stepped up in terms of getting students onto the computer, giving um the IABS, which is part of their they have these interm assessments that are very similar to the the NGSS questions um that they're required to take. giving them more exposure to those, kind of talking them through how they might respond to or where the answer would come from, how you go about navigating and figuring out a problem like that. So, they've really increased the number and exposure for grade 8. Um, and then with the idea that we're now extending uh our K5, STEM 4, K8 for next year to provide some of that vertical alignment, really begin to get them working and looking at the data and making those small changes. I see big things happening here.

038And while we have the grant, also Sarah Beth will be helping some for middle schools and they take on some Wisdom. She's already helped with that, too. >> Yep. >> Awesome. So, ELA performance index. So, I know, you know, I try to go back every year when we after we have these meetings, the following year, I'd like to go back to the meeting the year before to see what were your questions, what were the things that may have confused you, what did you want to know more about? And last year, you did um you wanted to know more about those non- high needs versus high needs and how we performed to the state. So, I tried to embed some of that in here. Um, and again, if there's ever something that you need to know

039more about, I can get that for you. But we are in line ELA performance index. Our high need students, we we have outperformed the state um by a little bit and it's been consistent over time that we outperform the state. Um, in terms of our non- high need students, if you look at them, we are usually we have been right in line with the state. Um, and at goal, if you notice that 75 goal for ELA performance last year, there was a little dip of ours. Um, so we we did perform a little bit lower last year. Um, but really what this helps us to see is that the targeted interventions that we do include um in paying off, right? Because our typically our high students typically need the most support, right? So with that

040and with the interventions that are identified for students, we really look closely at like how each kid is performing at what level are those cusp kids like right on the border who is really hard to find who do they need supports with and that's how they make determination about which kids need support um what kind of support and to what extent. So based on this, the fact that we're continually able to keep above the state with our high students, our interventions are are are strong. I mean, we're always going to want to improve and continue to strengthen, right, and helped identify students, but overall, that's a consistent pattern in our district that we're able to provide those supports for students. And if you see that um 2019 right before we closed for CO was probably

041the best year we've had. So it always Let's get back there and then move forward. Right. And so are you looking at the non high need? >> Wait a minute. I think she was just about to talk about that. >> Oh, we we need to take a closer look at what's that piece. I mean, they they're at goal, but we have this little dish. We don't want to owe any ever forget anyone, right? So, even if they're on par for where they need to be, how are we going to continue to stretch them? And so, that's the next piece, right? We have the intervention, we also need to always think about like that enrichment for students as well because that's how you keep them engaged, right? So, we can't it would be remiss for us

042not to mention that that we may need to take a little look at that and and see like what happened there and can we, you know, what are our steps for that to make sure all kids are are getting what they need. >> Yeah. So, so thanks for bringing our success here. It's important that that though that's a the biggest change for that whole time series. It's a It's concerning because it's not slow. It looks low there, but it's bigger than any change even except for maybe even including virgin co. >> Did you see where the dip what caused the dip? Is it a certain grade level? You know, I didn't go back and look at the grade level on that >> and I will be >> Yeah, it was the first year that we

043really implemented the wisdom >> elementary. Um, and they're getting so much more comfortable with it. I can see it when we're doing our focused walks. Um, and then we'll be having the middle school do that, but it's time that they do something different. So I'm excited about that and I think we're going to see you know see it back and then further it seems to me an awful lot writing on rhythm wisdom and being on the curriculum committee I'm pretty concerned about that. Well, it's more than that. It's the science of reading that they've taken on and it's the phonics program and the Hagerty and starting early and there's a lot of ingredients to it. But the program has been identified through the state of Connecticut as really focused on the science of reading and

044grammar and a lot of other pieces that are needed. So, I think we're headed in the right direction with that. It is a good study though. Yeah, it's important. It's important to call it out. >> Um, you know, so really looking at the why behind it and you know, like Susan did say though, there were there are certain things that do play into that, right? There was the wisdom was new and and was piloted and then the training that took place and I believe it was during this year where a lot of that training occurred. Correct. So ideally you will see that that come back up this year, right? I mean ideally um but it isn't just the wisdom. It's also there were also pieces of integrity that were new to many levels and you

045fly and and that come awareness and then that that prek right like offering prek more students getting them early you're building more vocabulary more foundational skills. So there's so many like layers and pieces to the success of our students which is why it's so important to start young. >> Yeah. Just one more thing. Can you explain because you know these these numbers aren't summarative of the entire district. I believe they start what grade three and go to grade eight. Is that all we're looking at here? >> Uh no high school. The high school as well. So grade three. You're right. So in terms of this, it's grade three because these are when the summer assessments take place. So it's grade three through grade 11, which is 3 through 8 and 11. >> Oh, yes. >>

046Yep. >> 7 through 8 and 11. So this doesn't have 1 2 9 10 12. >> So you know, so it's not >> Yeah. Compass of everybody. curious to see. So I mean one thing that I mean kind of point out is this year um on 25 we had you know some struggles in grade eight and now we're not going to know how they did for two more years like how they um you know where they achieved in high school. No, because they do. We do take the PSAT as freshman and and sophomores also take the PSAT spring. >> Fall and spring. Yes. It doesn't go towards our accountability, but as um >> yeah, as educators, we we look at that and we tease that out. So, yes, we can >> Oh, so does the

047board get the do we go the PSAs? Yeah. >> Uh I believe Matt Jacob does that in the fall when he comes in and reports on his school. He includes PSATs, he includes SATs, uh he exams. >> Yeah. So maybe I would be curious to see when the PSATs are reported broken out by >> I think they are, but we'll double check with you. >> Yeah. But so on page seven it says performance index, right? It says all grade levels. So actually it's not all grade levels through eight and grade 11. >> You're right. Really? It should say all summit of assessments across all grade levels. Right. So it's assessed grade levels. So that we can change that to be clear. take out the word of the >> wall. 3 to eight in grade 11

048for the performance index. Yes. >> And so math again, high needs versus non high needs. Um in the green you see that the high needs in mass rottens continues to remain above the state. Um but our non high needs they are just below state and another big 21 >> 69.8 to 69.7. Are you talking about the gap between I'm sorry. Okay. I'm so >> sorry. >> On this one. So So here's like the you know on the left you've got very encouraging. I mean the amount of time uh that and dedication goes into having high knees score something like that is is take off. And uh and of course there's still a gap right between high needs and not high needs that we continue to try and close. Uh but then the bottom high needs

049are consistently below the state which then of course is hurting our accountability score in this realm because there is what what do you think are the causes for that instruction? We are going to lift the core instruction. You won't need as much more but you're going to lift it for everybody. And that's what we're doing KA with math and ELA and science some of the work them has done. So that's really what has to happen. >> And I was wondering is there some built-in challenge um to have basically roughly 50/50 uh nonhinese Chinese classroom that some of the the gap closing is um drops down the non students not purposefully uh but just you know it's I know there's just an extra and extra um staff. In fact, we to help some highly students, not

050others. But um it must be hard to teach a a one classroom with so many divergent needs whether it's not high need or not. I'm just just trying to like so it's easy to say uh we need to do better with high scores up relative the state but is some of it sort of built in with the kind of the composure of our our district that's that's my question that's why these over the weekend >> so we do have college and honors classes as you know and we have a lot of IB AP ECE and we've really strengthened that by the number of kids taking the courses and taking the test and now being more successful taking the test. So I see when you lift that that's kind of lifting their core up and then

051you're going to get better results. >> So that's that's high school that shows up in the career readiness as we'll see some partially at least but but this is more of these you know are you meeting standards at these different grade level checkpoints. Yeah, >> I I personally would like to see this maybe aside. Um, we don't really do anything for talented and gifted except on the letter. Um, I was wondering if that could help. Um, have some talented gifted programs. Um, but but that's just that's just a thought. I don't think that would be the main driver. It could help. Um but potentially we're just but if I saw high needs below state and they all we know what more tutors right we still need that to decrease the gap because those those high

052needs are right around like you know 50 60% and the non high needs are around 70%. So there's still a gap that needs to be closed but not concerned about we've been pretty stagnant for the last four years actually grow as the state you mentioned as a mitigation for this if I understood it correctly. We talked about IB and AP and uh similar programs. What about your average student who is not a high needs student? Um are we forgetting about those people? >> No, they have they start with college level and they can go up to honors. But I think also highquality instruction is setting standards that kids can raise up to that really have, you know, um, high um, expectations in every classroom. And I think what I've seen with some of these new

053curricular role, that's the expectation for all kids in the classroom is that the level of expectation is increased in ELA, in math, and in science. So the work that they're doing daytoday in the classroom has gotten more challenging and I think that is what lifts it up. >> So you're always going to have to support kids along the way. There'll be kids who who get it right away, kids who need a little more extra help, but I think you set that standard high and that expectation high, you get results. Um, I'm just >> Yeah, it's just such a consistent I mean offet I think this is worth like further attention drilling down on whether more math specialists and elementary levels would help There's something teacher when you get to middle school. So for instance, what

054work grades are particularly driving like there must be some grades that are probably better than others at this. If if you know that then what can we do? >> And of course the principles get the data of every child and every teacher and they work with them and they you know they help support them. Um I will say something. >> So you know thinking that of the age this is largely like elementary and middle school. >> My guess is that differentiated education becomes very tough for a sole teacher in a classroom of 22 kids or whatever our average is. hands. Um, just like Mike's saying here, um, we may even have tutors probably not enough. But, um, so I think this is a great question for teachers because I think they could they could probably

055talk about um, the nonies, the kids that really shouldn't need the extra help, why they're kind of lagging behind. And I have a feeling that that in many cases it's just because the teachers are bogged down with the amount of differentiated instruction that they have to provide. That would be my guess. I'd be curious to know if that was accurate. >> So, the same thing on page 11. >> I would say ask the teachers. Um I don't know if we've got a that's not really an employment sort of >> No, but I can um we can certainly look at a you know we've done those coffee chats before for other things. So you know we do get people come out and talk about things. >> Yeah. But I mean there's definitely especially in math there

056has been needs identified um you know there they started the pilot um for math. So that's now a new piece to this providing that professional development you know at the middle school level the building thinking classrooms which has really been more consistently and please tell me if there's anything I'm missing but um you know I do think it is like that professional development that flexibility with math like being able to you have to have a good math brain and knowledge there, right? Being able to be flexible with the kids like to really understand where they're losing their understanding. So looking at that student work and being able to say, "Oh, it's has to do with computation versus this versus that, right? And be able to be flexible in that in your instruction too." It's a

057hard thing to do really, right? still continuing that professional development helping teachers be comfortable with being able to do that and knowledgeable of of those pieces. It's just it's ongoing work for sure. How long have the state been in 2014? That's when we started the S back 2013 >> I think. started back then. Did Did we ever reach goal? >> No, nobody did. >> I didn't back nobody. I'm just wondering about us. >> Did we ever reach goal? >> And how was the schools back then? >> That I don't know. I have to go back and look that far back. >> All I know is 2019 was the best we had done because I got in 2014. We had had two DODIA grants, one in literacy and one in mathematics. was a lot of professional

058development and new programs and new curriculum and we saw really good results but then you know after co and through the years we we learned more and I think moving towards the way where where we're moving with ELA and math I think should show us the same kind of jump in scores. >> Can I get that information on a site going back to 2014? I don't know if it goes that uh we might be able to I don't know if it goes back all the way back to how >> at least to at least uh 2017 >> 2017 >> I was looking at that you the other day so it was at least that um I don't know about 14 I can go in and look >> used to have a scale it was just

059a 0 to 100 scale and then they changed it to these indexes which makes it more complicated in my mind much easier when you look at a number actually measured something rather than just >> things that we can't ourselves. Any other questions on page 10? Moving along to page 11. Similar similar thing happening here. Um high needs versus non high needs. So we have um you know, in terms of the science again, um, looking at giving students more exposure to those IEDs, having that expansion of the STEM coordinator, um, looking to just have more vertical alignment, more exposure. um to target some science instruction on the assessments. >> Yeah, I was just wondering high needs one. Yes. Yes. It's good to see again we're at or above the state average there. But um we're our

060numbers are going kind of progressively down over the last couple years from there. Is that big enough to be significant? 54.4 53.6 52.5. Um, I guess it probably is. It's like, but we're climbing another one down this year, but might won't go up again next year. Not not as clear. I'm curious about the cohort here. So, >> and remember they only take the science test in grade five and eight and 11. So, I am curious about that cohort of kids and how that same group in fifth grade performed in eighth grade. And we can look into that. I know Ben is working with them doing the interim assessments throughout the grades. So grades three, four, and five will do interum assessments so that kids early on learn about the math, the science assessment. It's pretty

061intricate because there's a lot of reading and writing. And there's laboratories you have to do online. So it's pretty comprehensive. It's more than just a science test. It's a math test and it's a literacy test as well. So I think having that practice with the interim assessments is really crucial. And I know he's doing that also with the middle school science team. And he's talked to Caitlyn about making sure science classes at the high school are also doing the ESPback or the next generation science standards and assessing. >> Is it a state report on the edite? Can can we see that right now? Like between five, eight, and 11. >> Yes. >> You can actually look at those >> specific ones. >> Yeah. I'd be curious to see like and this is just my kids.

062My sense was this was years ago now. There wasn't too much science instruction really in the elementary levels. It naturally goes up from there. But that might be true. Yeah, >> you can look at the individual grades. You can also look at them by school um and then filter by different populations as well. Special education. So yes, there are lots of filters that you can work with. Just keep in mind that it's a low um number. Sometimes there's just an aster um question used two things. One is an observation. I happen to consider personally ELA, math and science to be the three most important components of the education our students get and I'm very disturbed by the trend I see here in the non high needs. The other thing is, is this a pattern? And

063I know you had said you were concerned about us, not not anybody else. I am too, but just cur out of curiosity. Is there a similar trend going on throughout the state for other districts? >> Well, you can you can see that trend. I guess maybe I need clarification. Do you mean specifically with the non high needs? You can as a state average >> where they are that is the trend. So they're kind of flatlining. They they have a little bump this year. Um >> that is that state trend. That's kind of why we do the the double line there, Mitch. So you can kind of see the average of the state with our average. And of course I'd rather have our green line be much higher above the state in both areas. But the

064it does show you the trend for both the state and for us. What about lines districts? >> I was just going to say, so if you were comparing us with um light districts, >> we do. We have a slide. I mean, I don't think it breaks it down to this extent. Um but we tend to be on higher end of performance within those districts. >> Thank you. >> And so the next indicator is academic growth. The target is always 100%. And again, it follows the same sort of pattern in this chart, right? Your indicator on the far left, the far left. Um, and then moving over was our uh accountability index the year before in 2324, our accountability index for last year, our target, and then how many um points we've earned. Uh, so you

065can see that we had all increases in academic growth. in the 23 24 year. This year we took a slight dip in the ELA growth and um and then a loss links which is specific an assessment specific to our students who are learning English as a second language um and and that that specifically has to do with their language. Now based on the growth, grade five um grade six and grade 8 had um dips that really impacted our 24 25 um growth. 38 in particular had um a 14.9% decrease. And there's a phenomena there because in the eighth grade we have at least five sections filled with honors algebra and that's a grade level that you would expect and we also advance them in the seventh so they get more rigorous mathematics but that's not

066showing evidence that we have that happening unless maybe we've gone through the middle school mathematics because this is really looks at middle school mathematics. So could we be rushing them? You know, we have more questions. So they're going to be looking at that more closely, the teachers with administrators to see why is that phenomena happening and disagregating those, you know, those honor algebra kids and seeing, you know, how they're doing. And so this at the individual student level this is sort of like matters most to them and informs the the teachers the most right this is you know okay you're you're showing grow different like threshold levels that that's where we can work you know something meaningful that I didn't work with on a student level um and although I look back at last year's

067presentation um even those we got some areas of red down from last year were still up higher in the growth than two years ago for instance. Um does this does growth actually get somehow folded into the the overall index? >> Yes, it's it's these are all indicators. all of these uh combined premium or accountability index. I think the next page also shows a little more insight to growth because either you know if you get 100% of your growth whatever that target is I made that target. Yay. But then there's another way to look at it and it's the percentage of growth that I made. Right? >> So there could be kids who make threequarters of their growth but they get credit for that. So that's a you know it's kind of an interesting way but

068I do know that kids are aware of their growth targets by middle school and I to that point um this really is what teachers really look at. They know the targets the kids are all trying to make regardless of how they performed. And remember, based on based on your grade level and how you performed the previous year, right, determines how many points you have to make it the next year to be considered making your target, right? Um, and so teachers really talk to kids about that. So obviously in grade three, that's your first year, you're you're um taking self an assessment. you don't have, you know, you're not included in this because there's been no target. I've got two data points. So, this actually begins at grade four, right? Because now we have our grade

069three score. How many points do we need to get to in grade four? So is is growth um if if a student is right at state average in grade three in ELA 100% growth would be being right at state average in grade four or where would it be? >> Well, so it's specific to the scale score and grade level. So it's a range, right? So if you are if you are considered at grade level, right? There's a range that that you're in to be considered at grade level. >> Yeah. We'll say that number is 71. I forget the scale number but the grade. So then in grade four it's presumably harder but say the average is still 700. So >> um you know for being at grade level at that bottom number on the grade

070level included in that saying so the bottom say the bottom number in the at or above grade level is 700 for grade three 700 for grade four. the same add or above. We know that it changes a little bit, but would that be 100% growth because you learned one year of information that how much growth is that? Is that zero because you just kept up with three years? >> No, no, it literally there's a number there's a number of points you have to get. So depending on whatever that score is that you're given, you have like let's say 12 points you have to make for the next year. logically, right? If you're at grade level and your target is 12 points, you're still going to be at grade level. You're not going backwards, right? You're

071still going to be at grade level because you made the points necessary. You've hit that target. So, logically, you you stay at grade level. You may even be right on the cost above grade level, right? If you're hitting that target every year, well, and I think you break it down to the one, two, three, four, right? In order to make growth, you can't stay at a one. You need, you know, we're always moving to move them up to the next band. >> So that would be the the kind of growth that is expected, right? >> Did I answer that for you? >> I do think I know it's complicated. >> I think I had sent you just to kind of wrap your brain around it like the visual where it shows like grade four you're

072in this band you have this many target points you have to get I can resend that just to kind of I'm just a visual learner so if that helps might help answer your question and if you still have a question you can shoot me an email but I'm happy to do that so you can see those targets do you have a sense of why the state for just this one goal target 100% practic I can See, you know, that would be wonderful. Maybe every student who is growing their education from one year to the next, but it seems practically impossible to actually get 100%. >> Do they ever get 101%. >> They can't target though. That will be everyone, >> right? >> Everyone um showing grow as I interpret it. Well, so no, because it

073doesn't necessarily h it's so I feel like I'm about to take you down a rabbit hole, but so we have students the target is 100%. And I think the rationale is we have students that are going to hit their target. We have Exactly. We have students who may not get to their target, but we also have students who may surpass their target. And so it's like this average. >> Yes, that's the next page that that helps us. Yeah, let me show you. at 7:09 at this point. >> I'm sorry. >> Sean meeting at 709. >> So last year you had uh inquired about the different what we call levels, right? Like how students are performing. And so what we know is there's four main groups in performance, right? We have a group of students who

074are performing below grade level. Our group that's approaching grade level, our students who are at grade level and then our students who are exceeding grade level. I mean that's one, two, three, four. That's four bands that they can fall in. And then as and we do this as teachers in our classroom too. We start to look at um well okay well where did you fall in that band? So, I'm in the level one band, meaning I'm performing below grade level, but where did my students fall? Are they completely Are they on the bottom of that scale? Are they on the top? Like, they could they just need a bump to get over into that that approaching. Um, and so that's what this is showing you. So, you'll see level one low, level one high, right?

075So, it's the different ends of that scale, that band. Okay? And what you were wondering last year is how are those students that are below grade level, how is their growth compared to those students who are above grade level or at grade level. And if you look at this particular slide, it's interesting. So the blue is it's our growth rate. Meaning yes, my student made it. No, my student did not in that particular category. Okay, so that's a yes or no question. They either made it or they didn't. The green is our average percentage of the target achieved, meaning how close did we get as as a group. How close did we get to meeting our target? And so what you can see is in both ELA and math, there's two distinct groups. Um the

076level one low >> and the level four high. So polar bands, right? which kind of goes to what you were saying Adrian about right that differentiation and that wide range within one classroom you do that's that's what we're looking at here right that's your your wide range of >> where students fall in any given class and your high your your level four high too yes so your level four high and your level one low and then if you look in the middle that level two remember that's our approaching so that level two High means they're just on the we call those our cusp kids meaning they're just on the cusp of making benchmark of being where they need to be at grade level. Right? And that's typically where we target many of our interventions. Has

077this changed since last year? This is what we have. This is last year. So we don't have this year's yet because I mean has this changed? I mean those those kids that are approaching How did they do from last year before that? >> I think this is kind of trendy. I think this is pretty. But we can look at that. >> Yes. So, >> those are the kids we're always talking even in when I was on the board in 1994. Those kids I f any um movement moving for that fence once inside for sure. And I I use Mystic River as a good example because that was really he built his goals last year around specific groups of students and they really focused their energy and and paid close attention to how those students were

078performing throughout the year right in the classroom. And then the interventions they gave it was specific. they really targeted the um students who were who have English as a second language and based on his target interventions and the monitoring that he did those kids a good percentage of them made their target last year that was part of his goal. So that's that's just that's a good example that pops into my head immediately. So yes, I do believe it works. Um and then we look at those you know that level one low group, that level one high group, right? Typically those are students who are receiving specialized or targeted instruction as well. at this think because of differentiated teaching you know and do they have that in their curriculum differentiated teaching >> study everybody doing the

079same thing >> no there's differentiation I don't know what it looks like exactly however they are in grade level text so that's what I say when you raise the cord you give them grade level text and they might get with that grade level text, but they're they're reading, you know, at grade level. So differentiated would be somebody in that class saying Mitch is in third grade, but he's reading in a fifth grade level. >> Yeah, you are. >> What in wisdom to help Mitch? Well, >> I would say >> it may be more in Whitten Wisdom that they would have various other texts that you could be using in addition to. So, Mitch might be an avid reader and then would be reading even more texts that around the same topic. So, they still do

080have independent reading and varied reading to help kids to go beyond and to catch up. And that's really small structure, right? It becomes during that time or um in some cases blocks that they have intervention. Um do we ever send students like say Michigan is on fifth grade. Do we ever send him to fifth grade class for reading or say Adrian do high level math in third grade and we send him to fifth grade to do this high level. I know there has been um some work with with a math specialist and reading specialists and that again a small group um whether it's to get them up to grade level or you know even beyond there there has been some enrichment opportunities the kids you know one is spec a few specifically in that I'm

081going to pretend I'm still at work and one of my engineers has come up to me with the answer to a problem and wants me to sign off on it. And I say to them, walk me through this and where would we and I don't expect you to walk me through every scenario. Let's take for example um the bottom one for ELA. Where do we want these bars to be? That's what I thought you were going to say. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. Any other questions? >> Anybody online have any questions? >> No. No. Very good. So, our chronic absenteeism, we had a slight increase this last year compared to the year before. Um, the target is to be under 5% chronic absenteeism. And the points we earned, you can see um 39.4

082and 11.2. We had we had an increase in the year before >> and an increase is a decrease and a decrease is an increase if you really want to be best in the head. >> I know chronic absenteeism we want to be that's the number we want to be as low as possible. >> Um and so really as part of the strategic plan and work around attendance it's been rigorous this year. you have um someone coming in and working with all the district all the schools in the district on attendance tier one interventions versus tier 2 and three and developing those. We've uh updated the attendance policy. Um each school and the district all uh participate in attendance meetings looking directly at um individual students where they are on a chronic absenteeism list, what's going

083on um how you get them authent. So it's been an intense year for attendance. Um and we're going to look at that closely later. Um, but I do anticipate this to again be where we want it decrease for next year or for this year. So, if I'm reading this correctly, for uh school year 2425, which is as last year for all students, we we generally had only 80% of the population in school, 20% were not here, and then it's much worse for the high needs. That's that's a tremendous >> comment. So yeah, because I don't want you. So there's two different things we look at with attendance. One is called the ADA, right? The average daily attendance. How many kids are coming to school on average every day? And that's up near like 95%. That's

084the goal and that's typically where um those across the district are at. We talk about chronic absenteeism. We're talking about students who depending on the number of days enrolled in the school year have 10% or more of absences. So, as an example, if you have the flu in September, right? There's 20 days of enrolled uh membership for that year so far, right? You're automatically chronically absent. After 21 days, you've been asked in 5 days. You're chronically absent. you're on our list right now. Let's say that same student, this is no more school rest of the year. They are there every day. They pretty quickly come off of that list because their absences remain the same, that five number five, right? But the number of days they're in school is getting bigger. So the percentage insurance,

085so they are no longer considered 10% um or more and they come off the chronic absency is >> okay. So in the beginning of the year you'll have a different look different numbers than you will get people are in >> right >> but 18 at the end of the year out of 180 puts you on the list right and you'll see trend data in her next presentation that kind of shows you the months that they've gotten there's been more illness we also have kids who don't get on the bus and the parents can't drive them in that's a problem or parents who keep kids home to babysit little children or parents who take them to Disney a couple times a year on vacation. So, there's lots of reasons or we've had families that travel abroad

086because they live in other countries and they'll take the family for a month and that really is we got a lot of chronic absenteeism for that. We have a lot of days for that. But the schools have really I mean this has been a major focus for them this year. the school that probably struggles the most and um continue to support high school. It's a different animal, you know, but um there is it there to um like separate the students who are definitely have a legitimate reason to be absent because like you said, they had the flu. I don't have a clue as compared to what Susan saying, people that went to Disney and whatever that vacation. How did that look? >> So um and just because I mentioned the high school, the attendance team

087up there, which is um you know, I mean really does a great job of meeting that. They meet every week um a different team meets every week to look at those students, make contact with them, who are they, why were they out and then they put them on different lists and they and provide interventions for them. So you could literally look at her list and know which students went on vacation and that's why they're on the list who's creeping up over the year like 3 days here, three days there, who's a medical um emergency. So it's, you know, it's kind of that in that situation it's out of their control, right? It's a medical need, but she could tell you just about every child that's chronically absent for the reason behind it. >> And the

088state defines it as excuse or unexcused. So we have a definition for it. >> And that's the difference. So chronic absenteeism, if the state does not care why you're not in the seat, you're not in the seat, you're missing instruction versus truency, which is it's different. It's different, right? That's looking at unexcused specifically >> and how does that look for us? >> Our truency has decreased over the years. Um so TR is your unexcused absence four times in a month or 10 times in a year. So meaning you didn't have a phone call. You know there's no doctors, no they were not excused. Our trend has been going down since 2022. we were over 30% then we're down to about 27% now um for >> tray 27% >> but unlike chronic absenteeism you don't come

089off the list if you're tr you're >> if you're trick in September you're still trying because you missed that mark you four or more excuse in that month so that's the difference >> and we don't put as much of a weight on on that truency as we do chronic absentism Have you read that? >> I think so. I'm trying to observe all this. >> I know. >> It's so overwhelming. There's so much information. >> So, I think in at least middle school, high school, maybe the elementary schools, uh, attendance is taken more than once during the day. How is that? Like, so do you have to miss a whole day of school to have it count against you like a good day or you miss like the first half? Does that hit you worse than

090the last half? Like do you have to actually the whole day of school like no? >> That's a great question actually. Um, so defined by the state an absences you were missing 50% or more of the instructional school day. So, in Power School, which is our student information system, there's a calculation in there that actually does that work for you. So, at the high school level where they're taking attendance every period, right, it's or you make clock in, there's clock in and clock outs and it's adding up that time. Um, so it's it's literally like a calculation in there versus at the at the elementary level where it's just a day, but there's a certain amount of time. So, if you make it to 112, right, you you've been there 50% of the day. I'm

091going home. You're not asking that versus you didn't make it quite that 50%. So, yeah, it does look at that. >> When you said instructional day, does that subtract out recess or lunch to be very learning experiences? >> That's a good question. I actually want to say that I have to look into that. I have to go back and look in powerful and see the calculations it takes out. It may take out I don't know go back and I just have a suggestion just based on personal experience and it's only for the high school. Um sometimes kids aren't in school because they're like not actually in the school building because they're doing something else school related, not a field trip normally. Actually sometimes a field trip um like they're out somewhere um for like band

092or something like that. So they're they're performing school functions. They're just not in their classes and I have before like automated your child was absent today that like they knew ahead of time. Uh but and so I just you know just call leave a message. I'm sure sure it's changed. Um, but if I didn't call the message, would that then count as an absence like and like hurt our hurt our overall statistics? It seems like they're not somehow there's the machinery about someone's on a field trip, but now they're not in class. They're not they're not in my class. >> I'm sure they're too many of them. >> But but it goes like I don't I don't know. It seems like it's two different parts of the machinery and they and by the end of

093the school day sometimes I get back their like what you know they should be here and so I was wondering if that could be looked into particularly at high school level um where I think the biggest school doing something But I still got missed class period. >> Yeah. AP test would do it. >> Yeah. Math is called >> you know he's there. >> Well, no. I knew they were there. So I didn't >> worifer. They should be marked absent. No, they wouldn't be marked absent from school. It wouldn't count as absence. >> Sometimes it's period by period like absent from such and such period. I know they were there suffering taking a test or something >> wrong different school. I'm just wondering if it was in Yeah, I need to look into that because that

094shouldn't it shouldn't count as an absence. >> Yeah. It just seems like the two folks are talking to each other. >> Questions do college and >> college and career. Yeah. So, um college and career um percent taking courses. So, as Uh, as a reminder, this is where you either take two AP um like higher level courses. So whether it's AP, IB um uh or dual credit. Yep. Or you take two CTE classes or to workplace experiences like um EMT as an example or nursing um and rising. Those all count forward. So this two I'm sorry >> no AP or IVs >> or IB or dual credit >> I know combination >> or yes or combin or a combination >> combination >> is that just assessed like this is only high school stuff that's >> so

095now this is specific to high school yes >> is it assessed like for 12th graders only because they will have had like no >> no This is 11th and 12th. >> 11th and 12th. Okay. >> Yeah. So, this is 11th and maybe I need to do that for next year to specify the worry bugs next year. >> And you said CTE. >> Y know what CTE. So, can you tell us what CTE is? >> Career tech education like your career pathways or career tech courses. And so we've had a nice increase in the number of students participating in those courses. Um, and then we've also had a nice increase in the percent of students that are passing the exams associated with those courses, which is really good to see because sometimes when you raise the

096number, you might not see as many passing, but we're starting to see that the raised number and the better scores. Just a quick one to to be considered college and career readiness, if I understood this correctly, you have and I thought I heard you Beverly clarify this, you need either two APs or two IDs. What if you're in uh a regular class? >> Well, you can be in a career path class, right? a dual credit. So a higher level course, CTE, Joe's tech courses, um or workplace experience like nursing and um so there's lots of combinations. So yeah, that's how you earn points there. How many what percentage of our students are in this category? It doesn't know what Mitch's question would be. >> Uh 96% 86% of our students are taking AB, AP, IB,

097CT, dual credit. Um okay. >> And that's specific to 11 and 12th graders. >> Okay. That's a good thing. >> That is a good thing. So one question so this this is a real area of strength and it's increasing in terms of well both numbers really uh for the percent passing exams I which exams like so AP exams right and passing would be usually um what are the other exams that they count because I was wondering if every class actually had an exam have to take care of that. >> Um, so your AP classes would qualify um assessments, your IB assessments, um, the assessments associated with with let's say the ENT course or the nursing program. So any any courses associated with those classes >> so art a nursing associated with the nursing >> so

098AP sorry AP I don't like I guess heard AP is the first one I >> EMT >> nursing What about SAT? >> SAT is SAT >> SAT. >> Okay, everyone takes that. >> So anyone benchmark there or so here's the kicker or earning three or more college credits >> as well. What about CT and I mean in some career tech ed they actually get certified. Uh what would be an example of one drawing? So what would be an example the CTE? >> Well like a project way or um engineering course or um could be accounting course or business course or you know anything that's down that. >> I don't I don't think so. I don't think those count, but I can look into that. I think we should because I thought that they did somehow.

099>> So, should we be concerned that only 56% of our students and 86 that take these courses are passing? Well, I think we've seen a large number of kids taking the courses and um so I think the more experience they get with them, the better they're going to do on these assessments. So, and we've seen that that's increased too. Would I love it if they all got three, fours, and fives? Yeah. But, you know, we do offer supports school activities or clubs to help them with AP. There's opportunities here in CTL to meet with specific teachers. So, there's opportunities throughout the day and after school to receive some support. Yeah, I really think that um this is something that we should get into more and we've got into curriculum last year a little bit and

100this year, but I will give you an example now that I've had three children take AP US history. Um, one of them made it to right around the turn of the 19th century and the other two didn't finish the Civil War in English. >> 1980 And some some people would say that you know a lot of important things happened you know in the you know >> so um you know there's there's a lot to learn in US history and um you know so there so out of all three of those children of 100 years of where we are now. So I think that um really taking a dive into this is important because I think there's other classes that might class in particular I think is pretty hard and we for whatever reason 10th graders

101take it. Um I think world history might be a little bit easier. My understanding I'm not taking this might be easier maybe maybe your 10th gra could shed some light on that situation for us. >> Yeah. But I think that general there's there's a lot of concern some of those different exams on you know getting through the amount of material and are we doing >> you know and clearly there's some kids that are just excel and are going to get fives. Um I mean I know the student that graduated last year they got fives on all all the exam all the exams regardless. because they didn't get through the whole course material. >> There's a little So that's an issue. There's a little built in with our actual school calendar versus schools on the west

102coast start here earlier. Um but um so I'm just trying to at percent passing exams. I'm just one student like an individual student. Um how many exams will they have to pass to be considered passing exam like if they pass the SAT? I know there's a benchmark to that. Would they be good? Um or do they need to like you mentioned percent taking courses they need to take a couple courses do they need to pass a couple exams um that's my question how many exams would a particular student have to pass to count for that and then my other one is um is there any jeopardy for that student just in terms of this um in terms of like not passing on like for instance mention AP but um our IB scores are actually um

103value beyond just passing a test but I scores most students not passing those like those tests. Um so so I guess my two question like what what does it take to be counted as one of the people passing and does it hurt to um to not pass one a given test and if so should we kind of think about you know what what are our best bets of getting a student to pass one of these dual courses right the dual if I if I say you were taking like a ECSU creative writing >> um and and passing that >> with a C. So like for that for that kind of course if they pass the course with a C or better um if they're taking three if they're getting three credits >> those count those

104count >> but do they count as percent passing exams? >> Yes, they would. >> Yeah. So those dual enrollment end of year count to that's where we have a lot of growth right in terms of dual enrollment and say push successful grant >> Jim my question is so we talked about passing exams There was it was brought up about SAT. There's four different sections on the SAT. Would they just need to pass one of those or they need to pass three? How does that kind of factor in? >> I think it's um the SAT is like need overall benchmark. So those are the subtests create you know all the combination of the subtests create like a overall score. So that overall score on SAT is what we consider meeting benchmark. And that will go to

105work. >> Okay, that makes sense. So it's the overall score, not just meeting one career readiness benchmark. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. That's helpful. >> Um I know this the SAT is a standardized test. >> I believe AP is. >> I'm assuming IB is. What about EMT and nursing? Are those standardized tests? >> I think they are standardized. >> Not the way not the way SAT is, but but they're certification. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. And my other question was, how many IB students do we have? >> How many total IB students? >> Yes. >> Off the top of my head, I don't know the answer. I I can get that for you easily. I just don't have it memorized. >> Okay. >> Would you you want me to find out for you?

106How many I >> I'm interested. I got to go through the third person the chairman. >> So I think a few hundred students take IB classes. You're saying enrolled in the IB diploma program? >> Yes. It's a few dozen. >> Yes. I was going to say how many diploma >> do you specifically want to know the diploma program not students who are >> I need both comparison I'd like to see both >> I'd like to see both >> because a lot of kids will do a combination of IB and AP >> which makes sense Yeah. >> Yeah. I would like to see it broken down by the number total number of students taking IB the total number of students taking AP and then also the data about the the kind of crossover the students that

107are doing both. And so total number of students taking IB, total number of students getting the IBM, total number of students taking AP and the crossover of students taking IB and AP. Correct. Okay. I just want to add I think said it but last year I think it was last year curriculum for at least the A and I scores and um very helpful and enlightening and so it seemed that I thought the closure of the committee at the time would like to see that continue on an annual basis was very helpful. So curriculum committee have more time to drill down. >> Just I'm just suggesting this continue what we did last year with the API. I mean they're kind of working out finally the format they probably have. It is very if you look back

108we got it was either November or early December where we talked about that. I think actually I think Matt Brown came in and talked to the whole board about it also kind of did a summary. >> That's a nice thing about having it on Zoom. You can look back at the recordings and see the minutes and kind of get a real quick briefing. anything but looking forward. We also want to continue looking forward >> another question. >> It just didn't lower my hand. Sorry. >> That's okay. That's okay. >> So, did that be your referral? Oh, I'm sorry. You can just put it on. >> Yeah, that's good. >> This is a good page. So, high school graduation and beyond. Yep. So, when we look at um indicator number seven is on track for high

109school graduation. This specifically looks at firsttime nth grade students. Um and if they are carrying the load where they earn six credits their first year and they have no more than one semester. And so we saw a a good increase there. Um our four-year graduation cohort is always several years behind. Um but our four years first time again first time 9th graders that graduate within four years. Um and that's 88%. And then our six-year graduation cohort is first time nth graders that graduate within six years. And that's specific to our um our highs population. >> When you say 2023 cohort doesn't mean they graduated in 2023 class. >> Why is that? I mean why is it even farther back than what? Why would it be like saying you graduated yet? the people who graduated. So

110maybe like last year the class of 2025 graduated is the 2023 cohort they graduated in 2023. >> Yes, that's the graduating class. >> So yeah, why is it like they know they don't even know? >> We don't need Well, we don't even get um those adjusted graduation rates. It's it's not timely. There are a few things that to be quite honest or not. So they're always like a few years behind that. Like if you look on the report card for staff attendance, that's always several years behind. Yeah. And I don't know the reason. I can look into it but I think we need to write all down. So this is um the first number for number seven is graduating class of 2023 and the second one is graduating class of 2024. >> I'm sorry. Say

111that again. >> School year. This is 9th grade in 2023 or 2024. And so when we get back, >> you want to know how to add >> no what about the 48 I should say 48 graduation all students they graduated >> 2023 that's what it was I said >> and another one is 2024 but we would know how many students 2025. >> Yeah, there states to do that. We could have those numbers. >> Well, we give them our numbers. >> They do and then they process them out. Um because it has to do with first time uh ninth graders that graduate in in four years. Exactly. >> Yeah. But we would know the 2025 number ourselves. Yeah, we could go back. >> We could go back and and they >> say unofficial unofficial in >>

112I think the high school does that kind of thing. >> We don't have and um by reducing the number of credits they need. We think that's going to help us now because we're almost to that 94% Yeah, I think so. >> No, this page um is the most reassuring. Think we can get there by 2030. We'd like to get to everywhere by >> and then indicator 10 really deals with postsecary. It's two and fouryear colleges. So, graduating students who within a year um enroll in a two or fouryear postsecary um institution. So this this one can is did there like if the school districts can get together push back on this and like expand number 10 because so someone graduating and going straight to ED as a full-time job right into the Navy full year

113>> and they're nothing but successful. >> So I we can speak directly to the military piece where we you know through our meetings. This has been an ongoing process of trying to get credits for that. And correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding at our last meeting was that really military two systems like who houses that information and the department of education can't agree and aren't willing to share information. That's kind of the gene am trying the military superintendent liaison group that I work with since 12 >> um has been trying that's the first thing we we saw just like you why doesn't that counter are where it's at you know really that that should count for something >> and there was a gentleman there um who we're understanding is that the information is

114housed with >> Ross who's in charge of family military affairs. >> Yes. So, he is might be reported out, but then I can't remember the gentleman from the army who was there who was new. I can't remember. I apologize. I can't remember his name, but he was talking about the level of access and how we potentially move forward a little bit even if it's under the the umbrella of a pilot, right, to try to get us in there some. So, you know, there's always gluers of hope that maybe this will will happen, but the army has a better shot of getting us the enlisted data for some reason. >> Yeah. >> Um, are we ready for visit? That's not a real happy site. >> It is. It is. It's We're crawling up with physical fitness

115and the assessments um that come along with it. Um, and that's grade four and It's grade four, 6, 8, and 10. >> 6 for a second. Page 15. Yeah. >> So for item 10 is if I heard right it go but they're considering postsecary entrance is going to college >> and they're not counting the other stuff >> careers. >> That's what I thought I heard and I'm sitting here going >> does it count for a trade school if they go to a trade school two or four year post secondary. So, but but it has to be within the first year after graduating high school. So, let's say somebody takes on a job at B, builds a little not, you know, builds their skill a little bit and then opts to go into a two-year school

116to build that EP might pay for, >> right? Well, which I think many many students now take that route to try to avoid, right, some of those heavy costs. If they are in E for two years and then are able to go back, well, that doesn't necessarily window. >> So, those students that take that doesn't count. >> Doesn't count. >> So, this is the system if they're Can they accept it but then take the year or do they have to go >> being accepted into multiple schools or they accept they sorry >> that aggravates I'm sorry that really aggravates me because um we still need people to do jobs that don't require all the freaking degrees I got in college. Okay. Um, and they were less and less >> I feel the same way. >>

117And there's a lot to be said for that. >> And if you're calling it college and career readiness, it's ultimately careers. How we get there is all different kinds of ways. >> Well, that should be a separate category then and that should count for something. But okay. Well, I'll talk to the governor next time I see him. >> Okay. >> Thank you. I'm sorry for the >> letter to the state department of education. I don't know who addressing >> he's come right here and we've had a conversation >> and I'm sir. Yeah. >> Meet your representatives in the state legislature. >> I did write a letter from the superintendent group years ago and it they just can't figure it out. They can't figure out how to get the data. It's just crazy. >> And get

118rid of the Can't you don't they get rid of >> can't they don't they don't young men who enlist get or women who enlist get some kind of verification paper that they've enlisted and we just send that to the state through power school do the same thing for jobs. >> Okay. So physical fitness >> physical fitness and this is the percent of students that are meeting or exceeding what's considered the health fitness zone. Um it is a low number. Um it is slowly going up. Um this year was a big year of focus for them. So I'm interested to see these results which I'll be compiling. Their deadline to get them are is the end of May. So I'll be compiling those early June. We'll have a good idea. Um but the the PE teachers

119really worked together this year. They had a lot of professional development. They work closely on just trying to identify as an example, do they want to do the Per or the mile run? And so like it's consistent across the buildings and across the grade levels, but also collaboration and calibration of how are we administering these assessments, how are we scoring these assessments. And there was a lot of um misunderstandings or different different understandings probably a better word of what it should be. So they really took the time this year to do that to provide incentives for students in some cases and in some buildings. I think it was the middle school, don't quote me on that, where they they took students into more of that small group setting where someone may be one of the

120kids may be embarrassed to be performing an assessment in front of others. So, they're really trying to think outside the box of how to help kids improve, building it into the beginning or end of every um PE class. So, they've really spent some time thinking about and figuring out how to reuse scores. Have we changed our physical education curriculum in any way? I mean, when's the last time you did anything with that? That's that's a good question that I don't know the answer to >> because these laws have always been. >> So I mean maybe that's something the curriculum committee can look at is the PE curricul >> potentially. I honestly don't know the answer. It'd be interesting to see historically from the beginning of taking these tests how the kids are doing to now

121because I just would say that our kids are also more sedentary. I mean I don't think they're climbing on monkey bars and they're doing all that stuff. >> But I mean giving them more opportunities to do that. So I I believe even some of the schools are working it into their recess like little activities and stuff. So they it is being addressed. Um, I think the teachers who are teaching at those grade levels are making sure that throughout the year we're practicing those skills, but you're right, if it was in a curriculum document and that we did it K through 12 and paid attention to those benchmarks, we would be better off. >> What grades are is it particular grades? >> Grade four, six, eight, and 10. >> And then and then the test is

122it not that the presidential physical fitness test. >> It's just the Connecticut fitness assessment. >> I don't know how closely align it does. >> Is it the reach that's >> the 1950s? >> Yeah, it is. >> Yes. >> But we're not doing as well as we were in the 1950s or whoever did them in the pull-ups, the situps, the stretches, the mile run. Yeah, >> lot what's lot happened in a lot of areas of education that test >> has not changed >> has stayed the same >> that our kids have done are doing different things too interesting >> what's the arts as well what's that >> um arts access so that that has to do with um dance theater music media um taking grades 9 and 12 participating in any of those courses which are

123requirements. >> We did pretty specific specific place. >> How are we not how are we not 100% in this? I thought it like like the arts, the performing arts or like there's a category that you're required to do before you graduate, right? Or how's the way what's the path of avoiding arts? I thought it was the graduation requirements. So the target is 60% and we're at 66.5. So we're really we should get more than 100 points but we got at least 100 the target. >> Oh I see that I have studies >> because it gives you and I think in that those particular areas you do have certain options and I would have to look at like but of those requirements there could be a a non considered a non arts potentially. I would have

124to look at them. >> Yeah, >> but that would be the only you taking music, theater or >> any questions for this page. And so really that's where we get our accountability index from. It's it's all of those 12 indicators combined. Um to get our 70.2, >> you know, are they equally weighted? Like for instance, because you're talking about like, you know, ELA, math, and science, one would think that some of those be more weighted than others. Like when they when they do the million, could I add up all 12% earn divide it get 7.2 or something? Like how did I >> Yeah, you're adding up the percentage of points earned. You're adding that up and dividing. >> So I don't believe they are weight. They're not weighted. That's where the targets come in. That's

125where that weight occurs. You see what I mean? >> So like number 12 Raxis is the same as number two ELA academic growth. >> Yeah. But what the expectation is maybe different. Is that a way to like uh you know if you wanted to if if our goal were to raise a total accountability index should we look at the places like for instance look at way below 100 >> um then then going back >> well if all like we're at 11 and 12 here physical fitness and aren't axis. Um, but then they call it these things. If they're all equally weighted, then places where we're way below 100% the point earned that really hurting our accountability index. Um and so just kind of looking back through um it's our growth our our growth uh wants

126the two I guess it's just two like the different worlds we're all kind of like as you said like these were actually in terms of percent so easier to understand like 50 years 50 or so 50 to 60% of the possible points are that's what we're in the academic growth. So real low compared to what we could pick up. Um and then uh absenteeism we take a huge hit right like chronic absentee all students 3 and a half% of points earned chronic abs students 11% earn um and then and then and then you come around to physical fitness again but it's like that growth and um the absenteeism and this physical fitness that really get you I don't know 2 A B C D E F are they counted individually maybe like or or are

127they add together with the like if we go back to that that line? >> Yeah, that one. grow around 50 to that go all together and two >> or do these get entered in like are these weighted equally to every other box or is this combined one number that's like >> I believe it's it's combined >> to make A2 yeah so so growth absenteeism and physical fitness really hammer our accountability in that >> which is why there especially with the chronic absentee because you think if that if you can fix that some of the other things have a better chance of improving as well because if you're missing all that instruction >> we're not going to be performing where we could be you miss so much instruction >> that's our triple star >> triple staract

128which is why that's been such a huge portion and will continue to be. >> So that next page though is kind of interesting that what there that one >> sorry >> Jay has set the meeting. >> So these were the key performance indicators for the academics. Um >> so how do we get there by 2030 is the question right? This is what would have to happen. second and so the the column to the left after the indicators is 20 uh school year 2025. So 2425 which was last year. These are our actual scores as of right now. So the accountability index that we just talked about was the 70.2. Ideally for next year, our target is to get to 75 um run accountability index, which means the group that is currently in the middle of

129testing, that's what will measure um whether we hit our target or not. That'll give us our accountability index or I'm sorry, our performance indexes for next year. And it looks like we took the biggest bump because we didn't realize we were going to decline last time. So for next year, but then it's just a couple percentage points each year. So it might not be a 5% increase, for instance, in the accountability index next year. Maybe it's 74 or 73 and but then we have to make it up then the next few years to get to that goal by 2030. >> Yeah. So we didn't we didn't meet like last year when we had we had a target for 2025, >> right? >> Our actual did not meet that target, right? >> Yes. In in many

130cases, >> I think the first one that was 72.5. >> Yeah. >> Then the next one down 67 62.5 and 64 >> which made it 732. >> That's what it was built on. >> That's right. That was what it was built on. >> Should we be readjusting our or is he submitted to the state? You know, this is just how how would we track it? We're just trying to figure out how to do that. >> This is how we're measuring our ourselves, right? So, this is more, you know, what we looked at tonight had to do with the state. This is we're using that information, but to help us make sure we can reach the goals we want to reach, right? Based on the items. >> Yeah. What was I talking for 2025? I see

131the In terms of the key performance indicator, I don't believe we have one. We didn't finish it until the end of last year. >> Yeah. So, is everything from 2026 on is the same as what was in last year's packet. And then 2025, now we have the actual new market. The first one was 72.5 and then the DP 67. And then the DPI math 68 62 67 for ELA uh 62.5 for math and 64 science >> and then each one >> uh 72.5 >> sounds right. Good job. >> Do you just have that in your brain or DO YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD MEMORY. >> I knew that it was like we were trying to do it in increments of two to three, you know, to get there. >> And so you definitely didn't make it

132in the four. Yeah, those are correct. >> Yeah. What was it for academics? >> Oh, wait. Never mind. Thank you. And these are well they're hosted as the academic portion of all of this that we're directing. >> So I make a prediction um that we will not make our target for 206 because it's you'd be asking roughly plus five in each of those categories to get there and that that and just I mean the reality is with the pace of change >> we don't see that as a school system my guess is most school systems see that usually either question so you said we have fewer and fewer years target um I I I feel I feel like to me any of the trends we see we're not making our target by 2023. There's nothing

133in the data that suggests we would and I know I know there are new initiatives in the mechan but it just it seems to me like there needs to be a big jump uh in terms of the the resources maybe some other methods that are being put into this. The school system partially because of funding which will come up tomorrow is um is struggling to attain um a a goal set by the state. Um and I don't see how they're going to do that with less resources. >> And less resources means less useful resources for obstruction when they're spending more on fuel and things like that. So it's it's a so so there are areas of strength here and point out but in terms of making his target that's gloom to me. >> We could

134also adjust it so that let's say you do three percentage points which might be more doable and you can still make it to many of these goals with that. >> But um we were basing it on what we do. >> Yeah. It's it's just I like um it's like a sort of call it action and I and I know the the school system hears that but I think a wider audience needs to hear that too. And I don't know what it's like for the other um alliance districts, but it might just speak to inequities in educational funding and and you know on the back of of what taxpayers are paying what. or are under commitment to high need students of all types. Like there there's a lot going into this, but it seems like to

135me we're not 2020, 30. >> I do believe that the governor and the legislators had that in mind with the extra funds that they've given to the district and to the town to really give us that one time shot to try to infiltrate the system. And I think >> you need the booster shot to follow. >> You might need that, but I mean at least it gives us a start, but it depends on how towns will perceive this and how that happens. Did you have a question? >> Yeah. Um, this reminds me of something we called the CPI, course performance index, in my previous job where we weren't meeting expectations. We had a CPI of one that meant we were performing in accordance with the plan and we we were making the right amount of

136money. If we were below that, we were in trouble. Then we had to come up with a plan as to how we were going to get to get there and it would stimulate. That's what this is. I'm not sure what the what the numbers are based on. >> Um but you're trying to get to these particular points. So the this is what the goal is each year to to get where the target is each year to get to the target. >> Right. >> Okay. >> Exactly. >> And um money is not always the answer. I I'm beginning to think, I hate to say it, maybe the curriculum committee want to take a look and see are there things that we can change right now or I guess starting in September um in in the way

137things are are being uh taught in the classroom. We have written wisdom, which I'm told is the the greatest thing is to sliced bread. Okay. Um but what else? And maybe Uh a lot of times when you hire a consultant, the consultants get the information that they need to solve your problem by asking your own people. So the consultant can be the curriculum committee talking to um teachers, department heads. >> I would say that's our strategic Brown public school strategic plan. And there were a lot of people on all different levels that came together to create that plan. And we knew that we had to address these particular academic areas and even with the physed I mean working with the PE teachers and making sure they're looking at curriculum and looking at what the benchmarks

138are so and and uniform systems. So in a sense that's exactly what we've been doing. But >> have there been any changes as a result of that? >> We're going through a lot of change right now. a lot of professional development to have teachers ready for the change. So, but it does take a little bit of time and I think that um but I I hear your sense of urgency because I feel the same because the I don't want to say the sad thing is that these scores have been this way below the state for years. So, it's not just did it just didn't happen. It's been happening. And so now they're at urgency where we should have been urgency years ago too. >> Well, I would say they've been below since co or right

139about the same since depending on how you're looking out. >> Well, they haven't been 75%. >> Yeah. I I would like to just say I I can support that. Um, you know, consultant type thing. I think the award committee can be in a tough place to do that to to you know try to get that information from teachers and people in the districts but possibly an outside consultant with a different with an outside view and a different skill set. Um you maybe that's something that we could talk to and see if there's maybe proficiencies these things can be streamlined um you know to give us a path forward and maybe there's other districts that have have um met these goals, somebody else with some specific experience might be. >> Well, the state department does that

140for free for us and they meet with us about four times a year and they do walkroughs and they they actually you do you do an analysis about four times a year and work with them. So >> at the high school department we had we had the 6 through 12. Remember we still have the STEM math STEM one but yeah we have probably social studies science >> at the high school >> only at the high school and they get a period off. >> Okay. I mean there there are other things like systemic things though that could be this like um curriculum coordinators like that do vertical alignment of curriculum so that you learn 8th grade you know whatever about math and then 9th 10th 11 and make sure it carries through and that each grade

141is is you know picking up where the last grade fell off. We don't really have those anymore. We've got and I think that we're unique in that or I And I know we have one and a half very few curriculum coordinators compared to what a district would typically ask especially districts. So that's why I say maybe there's some system things in here that >> and the ELA and math that started out as K5 is through a grant a DOI grant that ends in a couple years. >> I'm sorry to take this over here. I'm not trying to, but we had a big holiday coming up. It's not I don't consider Memorial Day to be a holiday. It's a sad day. Does do the students have is is anything talk to the students about what Memorial

142Day is? Why we have why we have it? It's not so people can go shopping. Right. nightmare is in a great a great way to introduce a little history to the students and and the significance of what that is. I mean what does it say? >> Well, I think >> exactly >> there is a lot more probably goes on in the vet state but >> yeah I can ask the principles what they have going on >> you can make a referral any something that you want the board to take a look at just send me an email make a referral and to the board and to decide what to do with it. Okay, that was the discussion. This is the district reference group district um how we perform in comparison to them. Um you can

143see Grton's in red. So we're in the upper quarter of um the reference group in terms of performance consistently up on that top quarter. >> This four from the top and the other page and four from the bottom. >> And then there is the comparison by region which is who's who surrounds, right? Um, >> we moved up from last year actually. >> Sometimes we're neck and neck with too education still use that because it hasn't been updated in a long long time. It's another good question, but I would say that when you look at these other districts, they we have more we have more alike and more in common. I would say especially with places like Vernon, you had said Hampton is another one that you felt um was closely aligned. >> Uh I believe

144so. Yeah. I mean it had has a very similar um like like two extremes, right? Like there's a very um high income portion of Hampton and then a very low income portion. So you kind of see some similarities there. Usually we're right beside Vern and somehow East Haven and Bristol did something different. I don't think I've ever seen his team that um yes I just I do want to call out um schools of distinction. So the state um identifies schools like extraordinary progress in certain areas. Catherine Powski and River both earned um the school of distinction for high growth in math for high need students this year. It's the exact same uh distinction both those schools earned last year for ELA. So it's um yeah the second year they're both on the list for high

145need students just a different subject. >> So this year we just had to so they came to the board meeting for ELA no for >> okay last year they had it for ELA and we didn't have them come to the board meeting last year. I think we did we did do a har for them somewhat >> not here as a coordinator but for them >> um so strengths again TRMS and CK high students making academic growth increased number of students just making academic growth in math from 23 24 25 um physical fitness we've made growth there and in our arts access really demonstrates our district's commitment to developing well-rounded students. Um the high school graduation and beyond all of our indicators there was an increase from 23 24 25 and this really supports the importance

146of offering a wide range of opportunities and pathways for students to find a passion. Um it just increases engagement purpose >> in terms of attendance too. It's absolutely everything always comes back to that uh our areas of focus. So in terms of English language arts, we did see a slight decline this year. Um we continue to work through that implementation of the new reading program and we adopted the witness uh reading program for GMS for the 26 27 school year to have that K8 alignment. Um science performance, same thing. We did um We did see that grade eight really was the driver of that decline. We added our STEM coordinator expanded his role to K8 again for that vertical alignment giving them more opportunities with the in assessments and then chronic absenteeism increased um between

14723 and 24. However, this year in particular, Mari writing came, she uh supported the district um implementing tier one, creating tier two and tier three structures. Um to address it, we updated the attendance policy and the district and building level attendance teams regularly. >> How's updating? I think it was even in terms of the interventions that were in place, some of the language that was in there did not align with current like state policy. Um I would have to I have to go back and look at the um the language from the previous form. I think even in regulations we had um letters that would go home and I think we really revised the letters so it's more encouraging for families to want to come because we would hear from families that they felt like

148punished >> by the letters and we wanted them to feel encouraged and supported get those kids to school >> would um so where we're really low also with physical education yet it's getting better area of focus. Are focus far below where it want to be but going in the right direction. I was wondering about that belong here or not. It has to be clear. >> We put I mean it is it is an area focus specifically for the PD department. They're very aware of it. Um the the schools particular administration, the schools are on top of making sure that um they have what they need in their they're um giving the students the opportunities to practice those assessments to do the right way, making sure they understand um making sure all students are participating because

149they do get for that as well. So like those are the first steps of improving it, right? would belong up here yet because it's not what it's going to continue. Um the next page just to get them on to show you that the website how many of you have seen the website here and they've gone to that and so your feedback is really appreciated. So if you feel like there's other things that we could add to this, we can certainly do that. But um did you did you want to show them how they can get to like the um report card? >> Yes. So they could make the report card or the report card that would be um there are some limitations that you run up against, right? like interfacing because it the state site.

150There's only so much that that will allow you to do. >> Um, so this this brings me brings us to our district's data dashboard on our website. There's more than one way to get to that dashboard. You can scroll right down to the bottom of the district homepage or you can go into the menu and choose data dashboard right under the district strategic plan. Um, and that is where this is available to on my presentation. He's not helpful at me. Um, come out of this for a second. You can click on district data dashboard. >> This is where this is the live study. >> So, this is our live site right on Grs. Anyone can access this. These are our pillars, our strategic plan. if you wanted to know a little bit more about them

151and what specifically goes into each pillar. Um, and then our key performance indicators. So, we have them all listed here, right? So, we measure ourselves like we talked about. It's that same dash uh matrix that's in your packet. We just put it into tiles for easy access here. So, you can click on it and get right to that particular area. the Connecticut report card. It's not that >> collection you count on the accountability index. >> You can that's one way to get there. >> It'll it'll take you there, but then you have to select rotten there. It it's just a limitation what the the state will allow you to do. >> Yes. >> Or anyone to do. >> And I can link it was linked so I have to go back. We're going to link

152the where it said report card right to it. >> Um, sorry. This is There it is. You can come here. But you do have to you have to select, >> right? Yeah. Every click on this, you always have to set again. No, there's not. >> Unfortunately, it's just the way the website >> the state website is constructed. Yes. >> Not this website. >> Yep. But this is >> right. >> And so this is just another way to look at the same information um that we just went through during this presentation. >> I think you also were putting up all your presentations too somewhere on that website, right? So you can get to it there. >> Uh no, we're not doing that, but we can because that would make it also very easy to get information.

153>> Yeah, this would be a good time. I say thank thank you for guiding us through all this data. Going down a rabbit hole. There's a lot of data on here. Keep looking at looking and looking looking. But you look at it with a purpose and you understand what goes into we lost literally the data out here. >> Yeah. Well, and so that is always my ad. I'd say my advice to to teachers, administrators when I'm working with them on Edsite public and Edsite secure as always the first thing I tell someone is you need to go in either a question or purpose because if you just go in wanting to find anything yeah you're going down a real time >> I guess you see the matrix >> yes we can so that is the

154district um that is the report So, I'm going to stop sharing. I'm going to jump right into the attendance. We talked a lot about it in this presentation. So, we should move through this quickly because we have talked about quite a bit. Give us the highlights. >> You want me to give you highlights? >> I will move through this. >> Here we go. We know all of this. >> We know all of this. So, we did revise our letters. These are comparisons. Um, so this is a district monthly attendance comparison. Um, last year five on the left to this year 256 on the right. only um April will come out within the next week or two and then viruses with June um May and June. Um you can see just from this this chart that

155we've made significant gains um in our tackling our chronic absenteeism to date. We're just significantly lower than we have been uh from the year before. High needs. >> So this is like golf. You want the plural score. >> Yes. You want the low here. That's all you have to learn, right? Um so this is high needs versus non high needs chronic absenteeism. So obviously our high needs group is definitely, you know, our target. Um and we've had conversations especially in our district attendance meetings about you know the why behind some of these students. Um and the schools do know they have a very good understanding of who their chronic absentee students are, what's going on with them. As an example, um the middle school has shared that many of those uh students that are chronically

156absent are free and reduced lunch. And in most cases, they find that transportation is an issue, meaning mom or dad or a guardian leaves before the kids. The kid misses the bus. There's no place no way to get to school. It's not like it's walkable, you know. So, you know, how do we how do we combat that, right? How do we try to support that? I mean, we talked about even what transport public transportation is available. What's the likelihood of them being able to have a stop? I mean, these are just just to give you some brainstorming that we've done, right? Is that could that could be a game changer for not elementary school, but a middle or high school student. They had that, you know, ability. They even said, "Could STA go pick up

157have a second pickup?" >> Well, I mean, in terms of funding, I don't I don't know. What are some other alternatives to help get those kiddos in the building? >> Do you have a sense on this one? So like the previous year for reasons you talked about but it kind of tends to stabilize later years or later months because it's less volatile as you said like if you just get in September that's going to put you on the list but it's climbing up January February March this year this year >> they've been So, oh, and I I do need to point that out. This is this year's, not last year, just so you know. I know we're kind of having a switch in our brain. >> Um, so the more days though, when you think

158about those students who miss school, right, on a regular basis for whatever reason, so you have different buckets of kids, you have kids that >> like every month, let's miss two or three days. By the time you get to April, you're now chronically absent, right? versus maybe someone who's been sick more than once with the flu or COVID versus who keeps missing the bus and has no way to get to school versus who physically cannot get there. School refusal, right? So, there are so many different buckets that these kids fall in and schools are trying to manage and um you know even support an >> Yeah. >> What's the low? >> Significantly lower than it was last year. >> Yep. Um, so we measure four times a year. We measure it day 45, day 90,

159day 135, and then the end of the year as a district on our attendance. We're monitoring it all year, but but we take snapshots. Um, and this is by school. If you look at the top, that's the count of students in comparison to their enrollment on day 135. The middle row is our uh percentage of students below 90%. So in other words, how many are chronically absent for per school. Um and then the average daily attendance, how many kids on average are showing up every day for school? And so that's that bottom row. >> So that one stands out for me. >> Yes. >> And I'm going to be completely honest because I' I've really taken some time to go up there and set those attending teams. It's not for lack of trying. There's there's

160definitely they can tell you every student, but I think you know it's a it's going to be a process for the high school of really working towards getting this down. And we have Mari coming again at the end of this year in June to talk about what does it look like for next year? How do we how do we target those kids um that are in 8th grade now that are chronically absent? How are we going to support them when they go to high school? So all of those conversations are happening. uh comparison. So 2425 to 2526 on day 135. You can see that every single school has had a decrease some more significant than others. If you look at things river as an example, it was a 10% decrease in their chronic absenteeism between

161this time last year and this year. And then comparison from day 90 to 135. Um there's a slight increase. I do need to call out that between day 90 and day 135, we did have like an uptick in the flu um at the end of February, beginning of March that really hit specific schools in general. I know like CB I think was one of them. Um you know, so even with that, um the increase is still relatively slate for that that time of year. And this is by grade level. Um And it's it's obvious, right? Our grade 9 through 12 really is the the bulk of our chronic absenteeism at this point. >> Even middle school has done much better this year. >> Oh, yeah. Significantly lower than they were um last year. Kindergarten um

162typically tends to be truly like they catch everything. >> But now that they're going into prek, they'll be a year and it's they'll start showing up in the elementary students do emphasize that like on kindergarten information night and screenings and you know uh beginning of the year open houses that is a big emphasis that kindergarten need to need to be here is really important this is a foundational year so those conversations are are happening I'm running out >> I get to the end >> oh yeah the the grade zero does that include prek or is it just is that actually kindergarten >> no that is certainly So, um, prek does not count towards our chronic absenteeism. We do track it on our own, um, but it doesn't count towards it the state. It'll be >>

163that is that because my state doesn't require prek. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Okay. >> Um, attendance by lunch status versus not. Um, you can see that, you know, there's that gap in by school. Um, there's a significant gap between those students. um more so at the middle and high school and trends. Um we have we have seen a slight increase in chronic absenteeism since day 90 as a district. We've decreased from one year over the other. Our greatest percentage of chronically absent in our Hispanic population. Um and so we've been having conversations about what the barrier may be there or what the reason behind that might be. Um and our free and reduced lunch and um our students in 912 my computer just >> I think that was >> that was that was the >>

164side I'm so sorry >> it was attendance matters >> attendance does matter still matters it still matters matters this was directly from the um state uh this was their their messaging um that we obviously pass on to our families. Yeah. That we need to encourage parents to be sending children to school and children be coming to schools right up to the very last day. Um you know really trying to make sure those celebrations are as close to the end of the year as possible. Um continuing the outreach with families is huge. Um so and the middle school has done their promotion Monday the 22nd. That's usually a board meeting. So we got to figure that out. We might have to switch that up. We did already say that meeting an extra money. >> Yeah, I'll

165just I'll just quickly say that I have noticed um that there was a strong push for absenteeism. Um, and then I called to call my kid out for a doctor's appointment and I got a, you know, a talking to said your child needs to be in school and all that. So I appreciate um you know adding that kind of push like don't just I didn't call them a doctor appointment. >> So um so there is and if you go in the cafeteria a couple of weeks ago I noticed they were trying to make kind of a competition between you know freshman sophomore juniors we could have best whether that works or not who knows but it's I mean they're trying everything >> they really truly are. I'm going to keep working at it. >> Is

166that that's one side I was wondering about the high school one because a big problem that's what the rates are. We have a would be good to have like a separate meeting or maybe about just a high school what they're doing because the rates are way way higher than everywhere every other school. >> Yeah. Yeah. So take a um where where can we as a board or a committee of the board take a deeper dive into that and not question their methods but trying to get a better sense of you know the senior class it's like three out of every 10 students is chronically absent >> it's worse from freshman year to senior year >> and I can get that a little bit but you know more more we don't have the time when it

167comes around in all and we're talking about everything else about the high school, but spent a lot of time attendance. We always we talk about it a little bit, but then we kind of move on. I think Matt Brown is coming to the CW. So we could talk about um >> Mark here and other things. So yeah, so we can ask them questions by attendance and but you could make a referral if you want to do something other than coming to like WAF I didn't know what committee it would go to honestly >> something in support of what you're saying. Okay. Just I think talking to the kids and telling them the importance of coming to school isn't good enough. We need to we need something to motivate them. And that's why I mentioned earlier

168before the meeting started about years ago, Dr. Arian ordered a an ice cream truck to come to the school and um all the uh I forget what the what the why they were getting that reward, but out of her own pocket, too. She had an ice cream truck come and all the kids who had accomplished a certain feat, okay, got free ice cream. that can be staffed too. That's besides something if you do something like that that'll motivate the kids to come to school and there's a bit of also on the other end help because I saw like the high need students were free lunch students at higher craft expertise and like more supports knowing more about the problem might allow us to allocate more resources where they could be most useful. ice cream shop

169like that for sure or otherwise comments. >> Thank you. I personally thought that was great. >> It was a nice conversation. All of those questions >> and information that you want. >> She can actually watch. >> Yeah. >> I always do. I will make sure I'm giving you what you want. >> So, um, what we really want is to see what we really want. for sure cuz um it seems like the same thing for years and years and years. I mean I like to see some >> like we did in 2019 even before that you know >> the career readiness is a big >> a big motivator too. time, you know, because some people will say they're really budgetminded people. We may disagree with them, but they'll say, "But we're throwing money at you guys

170and we don't see any progress." And these reports almost validate what they're saying. We see little progress, but not the progress that a lot of taxpayers want to see. And I'm just being a devil's advocate. Yeah, some might say that our increases hasn't been enough where we're not actually seeing money from >> the increases have been lower inflation actually seeing >> negative but >> there's an answer to that comes up again looking at it and see what we could be doing better with what we have >> but look at the high school football field It's it's it's just been hold on for years and years. Now there's a a big huge new investment football field. It's going to be multi-use field. That's the kind of jump sometimes is needed. >> It's all about money. It's

171all about money. But we're kind of running at a similar level throughout the years. But so we'll see what happens. Hopefully things will get better, you know. Thank you. It was I really appreciate everything you do, all the data that you give us. It's great. >> Well, and you can always reach out if you're looking for something, you know, >> and you get back to us with some good questions. >> Yes. Give me a couple of days. Um, but yeah, just to search it out, make sure I'm getting the right answers to you. >> Thank you. >> My thing is there a gonna talk about the dashboard, but I'll take notes. >> Are you sure? >> No, you sure? >> I'll take notes. Thank you. >> I wrote rich in it. It was um it

172was me. >> No, no, no, no. This was before you. Oh, we talked about the data dashboard. >> Was was it the idea of another data dashboard? We had a personal this is what happened. We talked about the data dashboard. Ian was all set with it, but Adrian, you added something and then Jay said, "Oh, Jay is the one that wanted the data dashboard and he wasn't at the meeting or he was there but he left." So, we we scratched it off, but we wanted to give you guys another chance to talk about the data dashboard and JA again. So, I'm just taking it off if that's okay. >> What I might suggest is >> I'll just say what I think we were talking about was to have board access to more real time data

173that maybe isn't shared publicly. um things like Dibbles testing like in closer to real time and there's a couple of other um assessment testing that we do for math and I can't remember them off the top of my head ready >> so those are tests that really we use to monitor student progress and they inform instruction so teachers use them individually >> is a district we're talking about just a districtwide thing for the board to have more real time because we just spent two hours going over great data and it was just a reformulation of data that we went over last fall you know put through a different lens um so I didn't want to mention that that all that data we've we've kind of gone through the causes to it it's just reformulated stuff

174that was the intent so the board can see more like in less time in a year what's going on in the district I think that and what we do with But I think that was the that was the original intent. >> Okay. And then you like the interim assessments like the focus assessments or the >> Yeah, I think I think just and certainly not um by classroom or even necessarily by building but maybe by district access. >> Now that's also something that I think you presented like you do the dibbles three times a year and and I I thought it hasn't been consistent. >> Okay. So maybe if we did it more consistently because what I've envisioned too is those presentations that we've done for the board, they also get published. So the goals on

175the national question, right? >> Yeah. an IRA. >> Yeah, an IRA just like the the districtwide assessment data that we can see more time for board members saying that we have to do it but I think >> I think there is a concern >> there is a concern from the staff of >> yeah that that too much real time data like discouraging to the staff. >> Would it be if it comes up? >> That's the question. >> It's not it's not data that I would share with people. I mean, the parents get their own data for their child. We can't share that. But um maybe when we do a new template, Mike, Jenny, maybe we could put that like three times a year on the template like three or four times a year. Make sure

176that it goes on the board agenda for CO. Okay. in October or whatever month November and I do those in January and May I don't know if that would work it is echoliable like I said we have a dashboard is that equiable >> well this dashboard is for the public would it be able It's up to you. >> It's good to have the data and the discussion. So with the dashboard that's great to add those spots you said the school year >> to discuss it, right? Contextualize this. >> Okay. >> So if you put on the dashboard, it can't be probably can't be private than this. >> Yeah, I would assume that. I mean, so some things could be >> I almost see like it could rock hand in hand. So like we could do

177the presentations if we get them situated in the right places and then they could be then published to unashoriented and in our case right now of course we have absentee but another Okay. Um, well, I wasn't here for that meeting. Maybe we can go back and look at his video when he came, but I didn't. Okay. >> Y So, we're still question. Well, now I have a better understanding of what you're looking for. >> To be clear, this wasn't this wasn't my idea. I'm just trying to re reiterate >> my memory of it and and I've spoken to the J sense to try to remember what it was about in the first place. So, I think that's what it was. >> Okay. So, we get a clarification from Nick. look at the video when he

178was in 2025. >> You might even have some new ideas. >> Anybody else have anything? Um, what about the view of T3 interventions for EMA? that you >> Yeah. Um my most important thing for my pens that I would like to talk about. >> Okay. Is that your attention? >> And I Yeah, it was the I think it was the first referral I made and um I think it's really important to talk about. I know that um that we've changed tier one trying to modify tier one um but I think to tier two and tier three um go especially for the younger students. >> One other thing and it's still not on here but the world language. This is like the third time. >> What about language? the referral from the curriculum committee um to

179discuss world language offerings. >> The referral is right written into the um the minutes of that meeting December. >> Yeah. So the curriculum committee unanimously recommendation to you remember exactly what that was. I think it was just a review or something before. >> Yeah, it was probably >> I think it was November. Yeah, it was November. December was the committee switching >> and next to R 20243 >> discussion more. Okay. And when Matt comes back when he comes in June and asking about the student exit circle that okay and any other referral you have to send it to me. >> Sounds good. Anything else? Dr. After a turn motion to it is 9:00 and we're Thank you.