001Good afternoon. My name is Kim Shepardson Watson. I am the chairperson of the board of education and I would like to call our special meeting to order. Today is September 12th and once again it is 5:45. Um the second agenda item is uh um actually looking for a nomination to fill our board of ed occupancy. >> Thank you. So you will nominate who? >> Mr. >> William. Okay. >> That guy over there. >> All right. All right. Do I have a second? I have Liz and I also have Matthew. Any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor of of Dr. William Han um filling the vacancy of the board of education, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. That motion has carried. We now have an we have now a full board of nine.
002Um, and our last agenda item is to have the oath of um, office to our new board member. And I'll have you guys. Um, so Dr. Han, welcome. Yay. All right. And there's Betsy. We're going to stand by the flag. You'll raise your right hand. And we all ensure that you follow the state of con state constitutions, the town charter and the rules of the board of education for the town of Gen your ability and serve town as a board member. Congratulations. You are now. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. All right. >> You're welcome. Enjoy. >> All right. Um, so you can actually, this will be your so you're now a board member. Um, I would like to call for the adjournment of the 545 meeting. >> So moved. >> Can I have
003a second? >> Second. >> I have a second by Dr. Han or Han, excuse me. I I will not I will be misplacing. Okay. All those in favor of the German, please say I. I. >> Oppose. Abstain. Motion is carried. Our meeting for the 545 is over. Yay. All right, Mark, are we ready to rock and roll? >> You are. >> All right. So, good evening. My name is Kim Shepardson Watson and I am the chairperson of the Graten Board of Education and I'm going to call to order the committee of the whole meeting um which is September 12th. Um and once again it's 6:00 the uh second order of business and also so this does not get me in trouble with Miss Joan is the approval of our meeting minutes of August 15th. Do
004I have a motion for accepting them? >> So move. I have a motion. Can I have a second, please? >> Second. >> I have Will William has seconded that. Do I have any discussion? >> All right. Hearing none. Hearing none. All those in favor of the approval of the committee of the whole meeting minutes of August 15th, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. That motion has carried. >> Kim, did I Oh, Liz, >> I'm sorry I'm not there. I apologize, but I abstain. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I just wanted to know. >> Miss Joan, did you get that? >> Yes, ma'am. I did. >> Thank you, my friend. All right. Um, our next um is the report of the opening of school. And so, Miss Austin, >> you know, I have to
005say that, um, at convocation, I, you know, talked to my faculty and staff to say, you know, our theme is we're coming back to community, just coming back. And, um, I have, you know, Phil and I have been through all the schools multiple times. And the thing I keep hearing from staff, from preschool teachers to high school teachers, is it just feels right. feels good. The kids seem to have come back kind of excited. We're excited. Um, you know, it just feels um, and I'm not even going to say normal or better than normal. It's back to community. And um, I noticed that when the buses rolled in that first day of school at Fitch, it was like 7:25 to 7:40. 7:45, but they were all there and then they they went right to the
006middle school and they were there on time. And it's been a smoother ride this year. It's not a perfect ride. We still have buses that, you know, we're hearing some overcrowding. Our buses are never loaded more than two, mostly two to a seat for the secondary. There might be a couple benches that have threes, but we're actually working with the bus company. Sam's been terrific and so is our transportation team. Just making sure that um you know we we've got the routes going the best way they can. They're not too long. There might be some tweaking that needs to happen once we get all the information from the bus company and our transportation meets with the bus company to iron out some of the details. So, thank you parents for being very patient and kids.
007Um but it does seem like a smoother ride. Um, one of the messages that I said to faculty and staff was, you know, we all need to be a champion for a kid. We need to watch out for kids who might need a champion. And um, I even mentioned the mentor program, which I'll I'm happy to say we met with Sharon Schik and we'll be revitalizing the mentor program. Um, and looking forward to that. We have a planning meeting coming up at the end of the month and we're going to post for a certified physician to help with this expansion um and working with Sharon and using our um community coordinators who were really hired for the sake of helping our volunteers and our mentors so that we have some school-based people right there to
008help us out. So, those are some things that I'm really excited about. I also talked about how Graten 2020 dream has come to full fruition as you all know and the promises of equity um excellence and efficiency will be leaning more into and continuing on this journey and I look forward to our retreat with the board so that we can actually put some action steps into that and and start planning. Um, and then I got very good news today that our nurturing global mindedness um, with world languages million-dollar grant has come through department of defense. I got the yes letter today. So, I'm very excited about that. I know we have a a process to follow where I need to go to um, you know, the town council. I I think the first step is
009that we need to vote vote on it. Um, and if you need it done sooner than later, maybe we can add a special meeting. um to to that, but we'll need to vote for full acceptance of the grant and then it will need to go to um the town council and the RTM for per charter. Um anything above $10,000 needs to go for approval. >> Right. So, we'll do that. We've done that before. We'll do that again. Um, as part of that grant, we were to um apply for JOTC or and the Naval National Defense Cadet Corps. We got that acceptance letter from the Secretary of Navy as well. So, we're going to start with an afterchool club. So, there has been a lot going on um this year. I think the um the most
010exciting thing last week was to get, you know, all of our preschool and kindergarteners in. It was a rainy day their first day and if you could have seen them lined up coming off the buses with their galashes and their, you know, their raincoats and their umbrellas and um just happy to be back and the teacher's happy to have them. So, it's been a good opening. Not perfect, but it's better than we've had in a long time. It feels good. So, >> any questions, Liz? Yeah, I it's more of a comment than a question. I wanted to uh thank Sam and his crew because my neighbors have been thrilled with what the bus schedule has been. The first day was a little rocky and then all of a sudden it just smoothed right out by
011day two. So, I just wanted to say thank you. uh because that's always has been an issue and I just and there are continues you know some some little wrinkles but thanks Sam and thank thank your crew for us please >> welcome >> anyone else for comments or questions have a question about the u the certified physician is this the time to ask um the certified position for >> Susan mentioned for the mentors. >> Sure. She mentioned it. >> What does that mean? Especially in terms of how much is that going to cost? >> So, we're looking at the RVser funds which really is part of this involvement of community and engaging parents and community. And we think the um by growing this program, it is going to be instrumental in helping with social emotional
012learning and all other things. >> We know that. I love you. But first of all, how how is the person going to be um hired and secondly you know what what is the implication for the budget? >> So the protocol is that we post the position. We'll probably bring it to finance and facility for the amount of money and we'll use the RFSER indicator. So we have several other positions that are siphoned positions in ARSER for things like anal coordinator. Um trying to think of the other things DEI coordinator but that one is really a full long year long >> and is there a job description so we'll know what >> we're working on that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Um I I I'm hoping that we'll just this will be
013regular conversations that as the information progresses with your staff um in terms of that um that we will continue to do that because we'll we'll obviously need to think about that position past the ARPA and so we're thinking really it's going to be a position that we generate. We do have a coordinator position still which is what Sharon shift is and she'll be working with this person but this is kind of a revitalization process. So we think it's going to take a couple years to get it going and then we can still continue with a a coordinator like we have but we really feel there's a need to get it up in Adam again and we need the help and support of a certified staff to to do that with us. I had one other
014thing to mention because I know the board is very interested in open houses. Tomorrow, Charles Barnum, Thames River, and Mystic River are all on between 4 or 5:30. I know you got the list. Northeast is postponing because they were also doing a picnic to go along with it. So, I don't know if the weather prevailed or they just wanted to postpone it um till later. But most of them are very casual open houses like an open house usually is and it's a meet and greet your teacher. It's um sometimes the PTO is sponsoring a picnic. It's people gathering and and learning more about the school. So just to know it's it's kind of an informal thing, but you're certainly welcome to join. >> Yeah, I think that you saw that I sent an email to
015kind of just encourage the Yeah. for us to kind of show our faces. So, absolutely. Any other questions along with that? All right. Hearing none, we're going to move on. Um, and but by the way, you kind of slid that in. Um, congratulations on the on our on that grant. That was um it's pretty impressive how many Jodia grants that we get. And so, um, I I say thank you to your team, to Sharon, um, Mil who is doing all that, and I'm looking forward to hearing more information about that grant. Um, but congrat congratulations. So, let's go into another DODIA, um, conversation, which is our, um, our, uh, STEM grant. >> Um, Kim, I I have a question for number three. >> Sure. >> Before you move on to four. >> Okay. I didn't
016see your hand. Sorry, your um hand um blended in with the curtain. >> Sorry. Um yes. Um I know Susan mentioned this and we received an email from her about bus number 10 and that they were reaching out to make sure students didn't get on the wrong bus. Um and that only what did you say 50 to 54 students are scheduled for each bus. So I think this is uh well that's capacity right >> but you have no secondary buses scheduled for more than 50 to 54. So can someone tell me why then is this one particular bus so overcrowded? Where does it pick up that maybe students could be getting on the wrong bus? >> You're on Sam. >> Okay I guess I'll answer that question. Tim and Ted have been a tag team
017on this. They've really been doing due diligence, monitoring the kids as they're getting off the bus and then monitoring when they get on. So, I know the ones we're putting on the bus are the right kids, you know, because we have a little more control than when we pick them up in the morning. But I'll just say that. >> Yes. So, we've uh we've actually uh asked for the tapes on that bus, bus 10, and uh we've found that uh the seats were populated with two kids per seat with the exception of one seat which only had one child in that seat. So, um that's what we've seen in the tapes that we've been able to get. So, if it's overpop populated, I don't know where that exactly is coming from. I know that um
018there was some concern from the bus driver that uh there were three or four kids that didn't ride the bus today and they would have to sit three to a seat um if they got on the bus. So the bus driver seems to think that it's unsafe for three kids to be in a seat. Uh the buses are uh expected to take up to three in a seat. So, I don't know exactly what the problem is, but >> but I think one of the things we always do, Rita, and this may help, is that our team will meet with the the bus company um leadership, we've done this in the past, and they'll go through those runs, and there may be some buses on the other side of town that aren't as full, and so
019they might be able to do some combining. So, I know that they haven't had a chance yet to tweak it. So, we're doing it on our end administratively, you know, looking to see which buses seem to be have more, you know, are more full and the ones that aren't full at all. So, they'll have to tweak some of that so that we get more of a balance, >> right? I know that our our staff in the uh in the transportation office said they have the radio on in the office. So, they overheard the bus driver reporting back to the garage that uh or to the uh dispatcher that the bus was overloaded and she was concerned about that. So, uh I believe that some of the kids are repeating that when they get home. But
020uh anything that we've seen and any of the numbers that STA has given us uh indicate that uh there are only two seat on that bus presently. We we're going to continue to monitor it and um keep looking at for the next couple weeks. Anyways, we're getting uh numbers from all bus drivers over the course of the next two weeks so that we can uh move uh students to different buses if that's needed in in uh special areas. I know that in um military housing area is one area where there's a large population. Uh some kids may be hopping on on different buses. that's possible, but it's still a large number of kids there. So, we're looking at that. And of course, Quanic Bridge as well. So, and uh Brford Manor, we always try and
021keep a close eye on. Ted, did you have something you wanted? >> Yeah. And today at the high school, we called down uh every single student that rides buses from those different areas to make sure they understood what bus number they should be getting on in the morning. Um and then in the afternoon, uh we were specifically at bus 10 to make sure that the bus drivers checking in those students. Uh so we just wanted to make sure that because those buses are over by Gold Start Highway um area. So there's buses going in both directions because kids are not supposed to be crossing that road. Well, some of our high school students, I think, may be crossing that road um simply to get on an earlier bus. Uh, so we want to make sure
022that the students know which bus they should be taking so that our lists are accurate to what bus they're actually on. >> Thank you. I knew you had this all, you know, you would handle it very well, but I just wanted the public to hear it, what what we were doing. And I do feel though that three to a seat in high school is way too much. I mean, they're big kids. So, elementary, you know, maybe, but even then, I feel that it's safer with two. glad I know that you're handling it and um thank you. >> Before I move on to number four, is there anyone? All right, I'm I'm moving on. Let's do the Dodia STEM grant. And I actually wrote about this in boardnotes introducing Ben Moon. Some of you may remember
023he's presented for us. He works very hard at CK as their STEM coordinator and recently he's taken on an additional responsibility with this DODIA grant as we close it out. It's a 2018. This is the fifth year. Carol Marcio had worked on it for the first four years, but she retired retired this year with her husband and so um Ben stepped up to the plate. He was just a really good person um to help us with this. He helps us with a lot of the curriculum writing K five and spearheads a lot of the STEM work anyway in the district. So, um we're glad to have him on board and he's going to report to you a little bit about how we're finalizing. I know it's really important to the board and to us that
024we have sustainability plan built into these milliondoll grants and you know and you know so that we can continue the work moving forward. He actually also oversaw our summer program with Christy Post. He had two weeks of STEM camp for our elementary kids. So, some slides. >> I sent the slides in board notes, too. Rita and Liz, can you hear Ben? And if you could just say something so he can hear. >> Can you hear me? Okay. >> Not really. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. We need those microphones. >> How about now? Is that better? >> Yes, it is. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Good. >> All right. Well, nice to see everybody and thank you for inviting me to be here tonight. See a lot of familiar faces. So, um, like Susan said, I'
025I've been working in Grton public schools for about 15 years. Um, mostly at Katherryn Colossi as their STEM steam coordinator and prior to that as a third and fourth grade teacher. Um, also a proud Groten uh public schools alumni. So, it's good good to be here. um wanted to share a little bit about what we've done um what's been accomplished with the STEM grant um so far and then like Susan said talk a little bit about um what we're thinking for for year five as we move to close out close out the grant. So just in the way of just a little bit of history kind of like where this started um awarded in 2018. So, we're entering the final year of the grant and really the grant kind of the overarching goal was to
026provide opportunities for Graten's military students um to achieve greater college and career readiness. That was the big the big picture of the grant and it was um three major initiatives uh to achieve that that goal. One was implementing NGSS um so a kind of a transformation of our science curriculum K through 12. The second was STEM extracurricular activities including summer programs specifically at the elementary level. And then the third was implementing uh the IBCP program at the high school um otherwise known as career related programming. Been working on getting those acronyms down. So, I think I got it. High school. Correct me if I'm wrong. Um, and expansion of Project Lead the Way at the high school. So, those are kind of the big the big three. Um, so that Yes. >> What's NGS? >>
027Good question. >> Next generation science standards. He knew you were going to ask that question. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> We do. We do. I don't think that came in the cage book for board members. We made our own list >> for sure. So that first major initiative um implementing NGSS really meant um a complete transformation of science instruction and that happened all across the country. And through the grant, we've been able to accomplish that shift from science not just being learning about facts, but really using science practices and engineering practices to explain scientific phenomena. That's what NGSS is all about in a nutshell. Um so we've partnered with organizations like CRE um and used them for professional learning at the elementary level, at the middle level, and at the high school level um to purchase
028curriculum units, to train teachers, and most recently to do some revisions of curriculum um that we've implemented over the last couple years. Um, there were teams of teachers that worked over the summer, uh, paid out of the grant that worked to adjust our elementary science curriculum in grades three through five based on teacher feedback. Um, so that we can really start to make this curriculum that we've purchased from CRE, make it our own. And that's one way we can keep that that curriculum sustainable is by >> using the state's um assessments like the interim assessment blocks >> test for NGSS in grades five, eight, and 11. And we find it's really important to use those assessment blocks from ESPback and NGSS throughout the school year so kids really, you know, fine-tune and it gives teachers
029information to help monitor and adjust their instruction. >> Yeah. >> To meet the needs of the kids. >> So my understanding that this would be your third set of metrics. I've done the English language arts metrics or math metrics. This third set. >> Yeah. by God's gone. >> We um it issued a survey to K through five teachers about science curriculum um end of last winter and one of one of the items that came up was um needing more assessment resources. So to Susan's point, a big focus of that summer work that teachers did was incorporating more opportunities for assessment in the science curriculum, including the NGSS interrums, those those IEBS, more acronyms. >> Um, big initiative number two was growing STEM extracurricular activities. Um, probably the biggest focus um with this with this initiative
030was the summer STEM programs. Um this summer I had the pleasure of being a part of that and served over 400 kids from all of Graten's elementary schools. Um we used engineering units from Boston Museum of Science um and included even some computer science and coding um this summer to really give all the kids in Grten whether no matter what elementary school they go to opportunities to to engage in STEM subjects. Um and then community partnerships. Another piece of the grant was um field trips and inschool programming to expose elementary kids to STEM subjects. And the grants been supporting that for a number of years at all of our elementary schools. >> Things like Project Lead the Way, NAS, I believe, >> Project O, >> Connecticut Science Center. >> Yeah. And then that third um
031initiative was implementing IBCP um which is international balora career related programming at the high school and then expansion of project lead the way. Um it's really kind of exciting. We've got if you look at a complete engineering pathway in Grten public schools um Katherryn Kolnowki as a steam magnet. Um we've been using engineering is elementary which is an elementary engineering curriculum for a number of years as part of our magnet theme K through five. And now with project lead the way gateway at Grten Middle School and the grant um providing opportunities for the expansion at Fitch to include three classes currently and possibly a fourth um is what I've been told. So, we really kind of got that, you know, a student could enter in kindergarten and really take engineering um or be exposed to
032engineering all the way through, which is pretty exciting. Um the grant has continued to train um fit staff in that IBCP program um and really kind of created the infrastructure um for those career pathways to be created. And so that brings us to where we are now as we as we, you know, look at year five and and sustainability and thinking about sustainability uh and using kind of this last bucket of money in the grant to um continue these initiatives and really looking at it three ways. Um building culture as a way to maintain um programs. um buying materials, pre- buying materials where we can make that happen and continuing to build teacher skills and professional learning. Feel like if we invest in those three areas, we can keep a lot of these initiatives going.
033Um so just specifically about that, um we will continue to revise our K1 and two um curriculums much like we did the three, four, and five over the summer. So that work will be ongoing throughout this year. We're going to look at pre-bying materials um for Project Lead the Way at the high school to the extent that we can to make sure that we we keep that program moving forward. Um continuing to send uh Pitch High School staff to IBCP programming workshops to continue to build that that infrastructure. stand them an opportunity that we have, you know, CO really kind of shut down after school programs um to the extent that we used to do them prior to co um so we have an opportunity to use some of this money um to recind of
034rebuild that um whether it's through professional learning in in STEM afterchool programs or the purchasing of materials um to support those afterchool programs. So, we're really looking forward, you know, over this this this last year um to make sure that all the good things that have happened um we're able to sustain those and and maintain those. >> And I would say also that having the next STEM grant, which Val is overseeing, and Val Nelson is a great mentor as Ben kind of came in for the final year, but um that one is a STEM careers grant K12. So looking at STEM careers across so that's only going to strengthen and that goes on for the next four years. So um that's also part of the sustainability plan when we go to create and ne the
035next doas we're looking back before we look forward to see what are the needs so we make sure that we're putting that into the next brand. So there's a lot of thought behind these as we develop them. So thank you D. Perfect. Do we have questions for Ben? So from a finance point of view, we're going to go from one track one to another grant to funding operations. >> I think it's a mix. >> It's a mix. >> I really do. And I we started to look at those numbers. Um you know, there's certain thinking off the top of my head, there's like a software platform that we paid for out of the grant um that after this year we won't need, right? So that's something we won't continue to fund. But there may be
036things that you know we might have to build you know get gather the evidence for and build the case if we want to keep them. >> I think a good example is the partnerships. We really are believers. We always have been even when I got here we all we had um every grade level had some kind of an assured experience and it tended to be more scientific you know science related whether it was life science or you know engineering kind of science. So, we've always been a partner with Project O. Through the grants, we've been able to expand that partnership, but we do have funds in the operating budget that secures the project O partnership. So, I think it's really um a combination. We have some areas in operations, but we've able to enhance it
037through the grants and continue it maybe through another grant and through operations. So, it's like a jigsaw puzzle. And one was I just thought of it so I apologize jumped in with two questions. Um it's all good. What's done? How do we know that the program actually does put a very bluntly? How do we is there a way that we measure the success? You know what for the program whether it's fun through grant or operational fund? But for the program uh the kids would be like this. we have to fix whatever that measurement whether that that baseline is because of the program we are however you want to qualify and quantify it >> what's what's the what's the other than it looks good and I'm sure it's meant well what's the result do we know
038yet do we have a metric for that >> so there's a lot of work that goes into a grant and an evaluation piece is instrumental in deciding what the evaluation piece is usually something that um is both um very numbers wise looking at data and also getting information from our constituents on how effective they feel it is. So from the soft to the hard data we're looking at that all the time. Um we actually have meetings quarterly with Department of Defense education activity folks. Um, we have an evaluator that's an outside person that we pay for through the grant that does the objective evaluation piece and takes in all the information. So, we set goals and standards, many of them in these and we monitor them continuously. So, we are able to see the positive
039effect. What's happened from most of these DODIA grants because we have to measure military students versus the whole population. Military students have had great success in our district and even before we were getting DODIA grants. They were very successful, but so are all of our students. We've seen measured success and growth from our students. COVID has come in. We know we kind of took a hit a little bit, but we're going to to gain and continue to gain. And I have to say that the love of science and the love of reading and writing are what I see too. The kids are it's generated this real enthusiasm and engagement um for the kids. But that's just soft data. But we look at both the soft and the hard data. We look at the numbers and
040we we measure it. We we look for the progress. And it's not only us measuring ourselves. We have this outside evaluator that has been hired to look at it. And then um we do reports every year annually, quarterly I think reports. I guess you'll find out all about that. So um we do have all that information if anybody ever wanted to see at the end of a grant what has gone into it. We just finished up the math grant. So we have a final report on that. >> I'm a product of holy crap. I went to school. That was the US's job overall was we got to crank out more scientists because we got people. So what's our expectation for this one that we're going to graduate more people going to engineering school sciences or
041people who are not going to go to the engineering engineering science just become more scientifically literate. We're going to improve our math scores or what what is our expectation? Well, I think really initially our expectation was how are we going to do this massive job of you know we had Connecticut core standards common core for ELA and math and we had the next generation science standards come in. How are we going to make sure that our students are scientifically literate as well all of them and yes careers were are important to see a multitude of different career pathways. So um you know it was that was the focus that was what was given to us in that particular grant. This next one we're getting is a world language. So that will be the focus. Um
042but it just you know it's not saying every student is going to be um a scientist but it says that you know it'll improve the engagement while they're going to school and learning about science too >> if they don't become a scientist. And certainly watching the data as as the kids move up to the middle school into the high school as to how many kids are following that engineering pathway would be a data point that yeah >> the effectiveness of all that >> and I think at the elementary level too and we've talked about this as a as a steam and STEMbased magnet school like one one of the the reasons to include this type of programming at at an early age is to a lot of kids start to make decisions about what they
043feel like they're good at like pretty early. Like there's research that's cited often like third grade, you know, is when kids start to make those initial impressions like I I could be this or I could be that. So, you know, providing these opportunities for kids really early gives some kids a chance to say, hey, actually, this might be my thing, right? I might be good at this. I think we I think we've all had experience of knowing people who who decided very early, usually in elementary school, I'm no good at the other side. My brother's is an artist. He didn't he found out in college he was actually much better at math than he thought and was told all through school. You're an artist go forget the math the science he was much better and
044had more interest than he thought. So I applaud that. Is it safe to say that one of the data points that we would have would be to look at and and I think Matthew you were alluding like our third metric, right, which is to look at our science scores and to see whether the the more intentional embedding um of the NGSS will I guess the other hand to that would be would we would have increased scores in the science. I'm often sent to the glue that when I went to college as an engineer, they made me take humanities courses to round me out. Humanities people didn't have to take any tech courses to round them out because, you know, math block, >> right? >> I think everybody ought to have some more of a basic
045education than they're getting, I think. >> Well, we're trying prek through 12 to give them a well-rounded education for sure. >> I'm going to recognize Wita. >> Thank you. >> Yes. I wanted to ask Ben if we're still using science kits in our elementary grades for our science classes. >> We have kits in science that support the science curriculum that we've that we've adopted. So, it's a different the materials are still useful and the materials are still able to support, but it's a different model than the the kitbased curriculum that we had in the past. So, we're no longer having to rotate them around to different >> schools and have them refilled constantly. >> No. Correct. >> So, how are the chemicals? I mean, how do you do that? Who Who's in charge of that?
046Are you Ben? >> Um, well, um, it's building it's building based >> at this point. >> Yeah. Um, we're we're getting there as far as kind of getting a handle on what materials need to be replenished on a unitby-unit basis. Um, but in general, buildings take care of those those science needs out of their budgets, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. And, um, do you do you know at all about how many times a week our students have science in in school, our elementary? You know, it seemed like they were always switching off between social studies and science when I felt they needed both every day, but I don't know whether or not that it it's being taught every day anymore. Science, >> I would say in science and social studies, they've built these
047units of study that are done more holistically. So, it's better to concentrate on one at a time. So, usually within each quarter, they're getting a science and a social studies, but they're done as units of study with comprehensive assessments and projects that they've developed. So, it just makes more sense for the kids instead of being disjointed. We're even looking in our latest grant that takes reading and writing across the disciplines to also incorporate it in our reading and writing instruction as well. Well, I mean, social studies is perfect for that. So, as Liz >> Well, and there's scientific writing, you know, we've actually involved and scientifically Yeah. Yeah. Um, you know, in doing lab reporting and researching and that kind of thing. So, it's a different kind of writing, but it's certainly something that is
048a valuable skill. >> Well, the more science and social studies I feel need to be included for our elementary because I think it's been lacking for a long time. too much focus is just on math and reading when I think we could stimulate our children especially in both science and social studies as a former social studies teacher. >> Well, that's our goal is especially with these units they've developed. They've done some pretty exciting work. Next time we'll have someone to come and talk about the social studies. >> Yeah, that would be great. >> Thank you. I'm gonna recognize Kathy. Well, I've been wrestling well before tonight's presentation with the the difference between measuring outcomes in terms of scores and measuring outcomes in terms of, for lack of a scientific word, practical intended learning outcomes. And
049I'm very ignorant of what we're doing. I'm too new on the board to really know all of what we're doing. But it's my hope as we start the new grant that we'll have two types of metrics that we look at, maybe more than two. One being the scores that we have for standardized scores, which are important, but also to to have some goals with way points. You're not going to get everything at once, but there's some very clear way points at the end of one semester. This particular skill set should be demonstrable, as well as looking at the scores. It's just a personal hope. and I'm off base, just smile at me and go however you >> Well, I was hoping I had communicated that because that's exactly what Department of Defense Education Activity is
050really looking for is to have multiple measures, not just number of measures, but looking at all kinds of data um and gathering that to see if it's been effective. >> Well, thank you. >> From all kinds of viewpoints, not just a little more work to work on. No, but that thank you for stating that point again because that was really it's important to us. I am just wondering if I can go back to Dean's point, your original point is in terms of looking at finance um and that as we are rapidly approaching January um where we really take a look at the budget given the fact that this is year five is if we if the board because we are very soon after that are going to need to sort of um present our board
051to the other bodies and it's their right to know about this grant has ended and this is sort of what we are doing and this is what and this is the thesis of our budget and so to make sure that that is clear so people like me who don't understand numbers um I can have I can have a sense of of being able to talk to the budget about that so Ben has come in just at the right time we meet periodically with Ken Knight and Lori and Val I think has been part of that to really chart out numerically what it's going to take to kind of sustain this grant and moving forward. Are there pieces that we need to incorporate in operations or the other grants? So that's the exact work that you
052do in the fifth year. You kind of do it all through the five years, but this time we really are taking a serious look at how we sustain this moving forward. So, we will definitely share that with the board. >> Thank you. Any further questions about um um our work with Ben? >> Thank you. >> It's good to see you. >> Good to see you, too. >> Yay. Yay. Yay. It's been a long time. >> So, um let us move on to the um discussion about Lexia Rapid. I just really like that name. Feels like it's never I'm not gonna say what I was gonna come out of my mouth. Like a like a star, right? >> Lexia Rapid. >> Yeah. >> Or a brilliant character. Really badly written novel. They're writing. >> Someday I'll
053grow up. It just won't be today. >> I apologize. And it's new. It's a new computer. >> That's the problem. It's a new computer that's never shared anything on. >> Oh, I never set up. >> Do we need to give you permission? No. No. >> So, um, Jay and Liz and Rita, just to let you know, we've we have Tom and we also have Amy McKenna here. I don't know if you can see. Yeah, it was in our board notes. They were coming. >> Yeah. I just want to let you know they are here present and accounted for. >> Yeah, we could see. Yeah. >> What you said? Someone read your coordinates on my end. taking its time to load. >> Rita, can you see it on your end? >> Um, I don't see it,
054but I have it printed. >> Okay, >> it still says loading. >> Yep. >> It feels like that's my light. >> Loading. >> Can you send it to Phil and >> I'm just saying you two have apples. Yeah. >> What does it say? >> Did you stop screen sharing? >> New York. >> Now we have Phil on. >> That's right. That's right. I I have mine. No, >> it's let me try it. >> Tom, if you stop sharing, you can try it. >> Yeah. There you go. I don't know why that worked. >> Thank you. >> Back up. You always need a wingman, >> right? Exactly. >> All right. So, um, you know, this presentation really came out of our discussion with FMT data, which we've discussed previously, >> and FNP stands for >> canel.
055So if you remember we looked at fonds of snow data which is our elementary reading assessment. Um we wanted to look further up and the board shared their desire to look further up. So this is looking at six through 10 I believe is the highest grade level that we assessed using this that we're sharing tonight. Um so 6 through 10 reading data. Um so this this assessment is a very different format. So we are going to discuss the format of this assessment versus the smell assessment. It is broken down into four major components and Amy maybe you can speak better to these than I can. Um, but the four major components of this assessment are word recognition, vocabulary knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and reading comprehension. The first three kind of building all the way up to
056that reading comprehension, which is kind of the most complex skill that the students are taking modern assessment. Um, so we're looking at them individually, each component of this test that is assessed and we get a score reported on and then we're looking at kind of at the end that comprehension score overall. So the first is a word recognition test. That's the first um piece of this assessment that the students interact with. So I'm not going to read this, but basically this gives you a description of what the student is actually doing in this portion. So we can look at the data for uh six to eight first and Matthew. You'll notice there is a number included just for you with the number of students who took the assessment. I remember what you said at the
057last meeting about our panel. So that is added. Um so you can see this is the number of students who were at or above grade level um at three different times. So fall, winter and spring. This was given last school year. Um there are windows that the students are assessed in fall. So you can see um this is not a exact cohort. So this is just the number of students who took it um during the school year. Actually I shouldn't say that. I apologize. So the N it is a cohort because the N only includes students took all three assessments. So uh for this it's 257 students in grade six took all three. So you'll notice that we do have more than 257 students in grade six but many of them did not take all
058three assessments. So to keep this consistent we're just giving you who took all three assessments. >> Okay. Um so as you can see we do see overall a general trend of the scores increasing from the fall to winter to the spring which is overall very positive. Again it's just the first metric. Um next we have grades nine and 10. So again the same setup with uh fall and spring. This test was only administered two times at grades nine and 10. So a slight decrease from fall to spring. And that is not a typo. They are actually the exact same percentages for grades nine and grade seven. Um, but overall this test does get progressed harder to >> So it is a different test. They're not taking the same. It's not like a pre and a
059post. >> Correct. Correct. >> It's different times of year and different level of expectation. So it becomes more difficult across the year. >> So the second component of this test, remember it's four component test is the vocabulary knowledge test. Again, that's a description of what the students actually counting on that. Uh, so here we see much greater variation between the grades between the fall, winter, and spring assessments. And that is our cohorted. So your sixth graders from 66% of students in the fall scoring out of a grade level up to 77. Uh, we do have a slight decrease from 92% fall 7 to 87%. That's for administration. again from 88% in grade eight administration um with the laxi uh sorry lexi rap knowledge score 9 and 10 a similar setup so from 83 to 84%
060again with 275 in the core for grade nine and from 90 down to 89% proficiency in grade >> Amy how did you feel about the scores so far because I thought that was a really large percentage of kids who met or exceeded the goal in these areas. >> Yeah, that's the thing is like it's difficult when you're looking at the bar graph and you see that little dip, but when you think about the time that goes in and the fact that the test progressively gets harder because it's adaptive. So, every time a student begins doing well, the questions just shift into another question bracket and it gets harder as they go along. Then I look at data like that and I feel pretty good about it to be quite honest. Um >> I did too.
061>> Yeah. So >> yeah, go ahead. >> I'm gonna recognize Matthew and then I'll >> So uh the numbers on the surface look fine. I guess my question, please don't duck under the desks. Is it is it possible to do multiple regression analysis on this data to see how this corresponds to student performance overall? I don't we we don't need to know the names of the students, but where are the struggling students? Is is that all really correlated? And what does that teach? What does that information does that give us give you as educators or us as the board insight as to how we can help those who are not performing great work? We can certainly do it. Um, I am worried that this is too much of a snapshot to be able to mirror
062it to something else, but we can certainly look I would love to see this mirrored um to our smarter balance scores originally and see if there's analysis there correlation, but we can we can try that next time. >> Well, I'm I'm not asking for it. I'm asking if you think it's worth doing as >> Oh, um I don't know if it's necessarily, you know, one thing we can talk about is this assessment unfortunately is going away after the school year. Um so this is an assessment we can really use into the future. That being said, I do think it's valid to start looking at whether all of these assessments do give us kind of a an accurate idea what the outcomes are for our students on other metrics. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Is that
063what your question is? >> Yes. And I would say that on a school data team and also the district data team, those are the kind of analysis that we're looking at. We're trying to look at multiple assessments and see how our kids are doing. >> You recognize William and then Andrea. >> Um so to just to piggyback on what Matthew was saying is the data on on who's actually participating the demographics, you know, our diversity, equity, inclusion. We always said that it's not just saying about it, it's actually about acting on it. >> And so that's what we really need. But more importantly, you know, 213 students for grade 10, what are the demographics? What are the data on those that didn't take it? >> You know, are we missing out? >> Didn't finish it
064>> or didn't finish it. I mean, the other thing too is you're again, this is cohorted, so it might be a student that took one or the other. Um, we do have relatively high transency, so that could have been an issue there as well. Our grade 10 now, grade 11 is actually a smaller grade, too. If there's 250, I mean, it's there's still a decent amount of kids that can take it, but there's 250 right now that are in that grade. So, >> although that number looks small, it's a smaller grade than the other. >> I think the other difficult thing the high school has, I don't know if that's different than the middle school, that spring administration fell in the same time frame as their finals administration. And with some students being up for
065COVID, I think it was kind of a you're choosing one or the other. the student, you know, do a makeup final or are they doing a makeup Lexi and I think at that point, I get it, they were choosing kind of the final thing. >> The test window was in the month of May and then prepping them for finals takes place during the month of May for the final exam in June. So it did become an issue especially for students that were out uh for COVID. It became a prioritization issue because for many students this was their first final exam ever for the sophomore especially or their first exam in a very long time. So we did have to sort of be cognizant of the fact that if they had been out perhaps the priority
066wasn't the the test but to prepare them for the eight exams that they were heading into in >> to your point about kind of digging a little bit deeper looking at demographic breakdowns we absolutely like to do that. I think my only struggle with this data set is because there are four subtests you're you're getting into just a lot of data points to look at right away. I think if we're looking kind of holistically at what the overall scores were, absolutely it makes sense to start breaking it down. I just didn't want to draw 30 graphs in one presentation >> or even just look at the reading comprehension which is probably their understanding of what they've read. >> Absolutely. Andrea, you kind of touched on the questions that I I was going to ask and
067that is I really wanted to know how many students 200 257 or 75 I'm sorry out of how many you know and then after that why would and kind of answer that in a way why didn't the others take the test and now that you said maybe why my question is how do you put a a student in a in a place where and I don't mean doing. Yeah. >> How does show, you know, put in a student in a place where the student has to choose between I'm going to take a final or make up whatever that was and make up this. I mean, >> yeah. At the end of the month of May that we didn't put them in a choice. There wasn't a choice. Um we we closed the testing window and
068the students were preparing for their their finals. We didn't we didn't say, "Well, you can prepare for your final or you can take Alexia or rapid." >> No, no, I didn't mean that. Sorry. How did how does a how how did we get into a place where while you weren't telling them to do it that it was in a place where that kind of thing was was making an effect on whether they took it or not. >> Oh, I see your point. I think that when we were looking at like the testing windows, you know, like they're established in certain sections, we try to keep our Lexia rapid testing window far away from uh like any other types of testing that are going on. So, we have the the mid-Marchch test. We certainly could move
069the testing window back a little bit, but May is a month when um you do you don't have an April break. Um, and we would like to see a consistent one to where there are no long breaks because I also thought it would affect our test sample if we had some students in the sophomore and freshman class testing before April break and then some students testing after April break because then I think we have a validity issue. So, it really is a really tough call Dr. Acriman for sure with the timing and I'm really open to your feedback. So I appreciate you >> and on top of it because kids were coming and going and having, you know, five to seven days out if they had CO >> and they they took the SAT, you
070know, whether it be the PSAT or the SAT, they took that late late March. So to to have them take that and then, you know, right after that start taking one follow-up question then. So in the beginning there were everybody started out and but then only 275 ended. Is that what I'm hearing? >> I think that was the total number that completed the test. >> Twice both test. >> So everybody in the class took the Yes. You tested all all core in English nine and English 10. All core all students that took English. And just for perspective that I'm looking at our, you know, our grade 10 now. Not that they're the same numbers that we had grade nine, the the population is 273. So >> Oh, >> for it to be at 275 is
071pretty >> amazing. >> That's not the the impression that I got when when you said that. I thought there was like a whole bunch that didn't do it, but that's not what you're >> Well, that would be good to know how many >> Yep. Dean, >> I don't expect that there's an answer to this, but it's something that I wonder about we've experienced all of us when we went through school, which is this. Some assessments, tests, quitties. There's a stake. If you're conscientious, there's a stake. Boy, I better do well on this. Kids walk into almost anything and they don't really care. You know, it's butterfly. Uh, but I expect most students are thinking I need a good grade on this. Something like this doesn't really affect them personally. This is just something that they're
072being gi. But they they must realize there's no stake. They don't have a stake in the result. So this would apply to all all places, all times. Do we have any information on how students perform? realize that there's a stake when they think there's no they have no stake in the outcome. You know, for some things you'll study, other things you won't. Are they tested cold? Are they It's got to make a difference. If you think about because we're talking about it's apples and oranges, but we assess people like we give them finals, they have a stake in that and we assess them with something like this sort of an interim have no stake in it. So, do we know whether people do better where they think they have a stake in it? And does
073it make no difference? I guess this would be for people who studied >> child psychology. >> I would say anecdotally there's not a massive difference. And the reason I say that is because the most high stakes assessment I think we give is or SATs, right? I mean, I think those have kind of a long-term value to students. I think our proficiency rates on SATs roughly mirror the other assessments that we see. If if your hypothesis is correct that only you know students will outperform on students where they have it doesn't say they have the best state we would see kind of ways to think right so because they mirror I think that largely speaking our students are putting in a good >> take the but I thought de that we were doing this was this
074was a macro test for the benefit of the administration and the teaching profession So we could see how we could up our game. >> That's true. I guess my question, my followup would be which what's more useful if you were to say it compares students across the years across the grade using their final grades various topics or these assessments where they don't think they have anything to say. What's the real measure of what's going on with kids? I would say the greater value, sorry, I would say the greater value is actually at the micro level. Um, I think it's useful for us to to sit and be able to analyze kind of our overall performance, but I think for those individual students, be able to meet them where they are. I think that's where the
075data is really valuable to for the, you know, for the Fitch team and the GMS team to be able to intervene with students who truly need it. Be able to get a really detailed view of this is where this student's at. These are the skills they're struggling with and here is a professional. Here's how I'm going to help them. To me, that's much more valuable than any of this macro data. So am I understanding you to say that while you're presenting the aggregate data that when you get the test scores you find that Tanisha or Tom or whomever is doing well or poorly that this data is shared with the individual teachers >> and then intervention happens. So you have formative, you know, and summitative assessments. And we break both of those things down to
076inform our instruction, but also to help support our kids with interventions that they might need, >> but to spend the time to discuss it with the kid. Once you have that conversation with the kid about that test, they're going to buy into that test a lot more as well, >> um, because you've actually spent the time to look at it with them and determine if there are intervention plans that need to be made and so forth. That's good. Thank you. Um, so I think this our third database and tactic knowledge task and again overall we we see really high kind of levels of students who are at or above grade level average. Um, overall with this one really solid growth throughout the year and eighth grade standard steady year even though the test is getting
077harder. So overall very solid six and nine and 10 again the data is very similar. um overall just really solid proficiency rates. Um so as I discussed kind of those first three components maybe I'll speak to this too really build together um to kind of if you can think about it almost placing a student as to what kind of reading comprehension passage they're going to get. Right? So those first two components together kind of approximate where they think the student should be so they can get that reading test because remember again this is an adaptive test. So every student on there is not getting the same reading passage. It's trying to give them a reading passage where they think the level of the student is, which may not always be perfect, right? It's not always
078going to perfectly place it, but it's going to try to give them an assessment that or a passage that matches them so they can assess them at that level. >> It's not your grandfather's reading test. It's not your own reading test. It's really a new way of developing so that we know what the what prior data is giving us um so that we better adjust the type of um assessment piece that they think we'll be able to perform on. >> Yeah. And again just to give you the range sorry you don't have to go back but the range I mean you're talking 200 words versus 1300 words. There's a very large range not only in length but complexity to what a student might get. So when A's talking about the variability in those scores overall,
079that's why a student may get a very different passage the second time they take this assessment just based on how they've done the first those first groups. Um so we do see lower overall proficiency rates in reading comprehension. That's not surprising just given the inherent nature of the test. Instead of having to focus on one specific skill task, they're focusing on, you know, really reading altogether. They're not only having to um comprehend, they're having to do that vocabulary work, they're having to look at that syntactic knowledge all together. So, it's a much more complex task. Therefore, we would expect to see lower lower overall proficiency. >> Sure. And I and depending on how well you're scoring, the test will get harder and harder. And by the time you get to the reading comprehension section, you're
080really in that last phase of the test. However, if you begin to get tired and you start guessing, you'll confuse the test and the test will get longer. So, students get anywhere between two and three passages on this section of the test. And this is where we find when we're in the room proctoring and when we look at our scores, probably fatigue has come in to play, stamina has has come into play. Um and and students will say, you know, I I've never read about this type of scientific topic before. Of course, I'm not remembering it for the live reading, but they'll say, well, I never read about that topic before. And then when we think about how we instruct in reading, what do we do? What are some of those great scaffolding things we
081do? We have students to prior knowledge and so many other things that help them be powerful readers. But when you're taking a test like this cold, uh some of those things, those strategies that you've been taught in K through 12 really are not strategies that now you can draw into. The test just wants to know how can you do on this one question in the moment. And if you get tired and start clicking, it will get longer. So you can imagine being 12, 13, 14, and 15 taking this test on a warm May day. um you have to consider the students in the room. So even though well you know we're we're in the 60s that's all right when we look at it we say well the other three sections were easier the other three
082sections were multiple choice and quicker and easier and in the beginning we asked Lexia we could take our reading compilers often can we pilot the reading comprehension section first see no our test doesn't look like that because I was curious I was very curious because sometimes what I see isn't necessar necessarily consistent with what we're showing here because I see in the rooms a lot of growth and a lot of curiosity and a lot of great reading strategy at play. So just for your consideration >> so then why are we doing this? Can I actually uh one of the things that uh we've actually built within the vision of the graduate which Amy did a great job helping us uh put together when she was leading the NS team was resiliency and having one of
083the things we're doing in order to to support that is making sure that we're giving students feedback and so sharing these results with the students and knowing okay you know this is where you are and this is where you need to be um and talking about those test taking strategies and being able to get through you know that tough part of the test and so on and so forth. Uh but also like okay, how are you going to build your reading comprehension? So it's it you know these again as as as I was saying is this is kind of the overall scores but really that work with the individual student on how they're they're doing. Okay, does this student need intervention? Does this student need extra work within their class? Uh is a student doing
084great and needs to be challenged? Uh all those things are these data points help us uh gather those on our individual students. Can I ask I know I didn't recognize apologize but can I ask a followup if we and I understand what you said Ted but the crux of my question is if we know those students are tired and if we're putting them in a place where they're not conscious then what's the value of the even if we get results they're not accurate so why why are we using this >> particular one >> I don't I don't know if I would say that they're not accurate. I would say that I think I think that fatigue does come into play, but then when we look at it holistically and think about every learner in the
085room, sometimes I always wonder how will we catch how will we catch and really know who can who can read at level. And I do think that rapid it's it's a universal screener and it's one of those things that helps us identify um and it's not the only data point but it's a data point that contributes to us being able to identify students for the SRVI process and and I do think that that is one of the reasons why we have been using this universal screener. I think we're going into our third year currently. I also just to add on that um I think it it's those numbers are very similar to our performance on the on the PSAT. If you look at the the total percentage that reach benchmark I'd say it's pretty darn
086close >> and you think about those long that's a long test they're going to lose that you know they lose the resiliency while they're taking that test. I think that's another I mean so it is comparable I would argue and then the second thing the resource they provide resources at that level wherever the student is they got a certain score and this >> this what you do this is yeah but as I look at the u the data the hard data it's um it's surprising the the difference in the levels and it seems to me that the real uh issue is that um the interference of being tired That's what I see from what I'm hearing and what I'm looking at >> that and it's a much more complex section of the test >> that
087that you know the first section sentence one word so on and so forth. This this is a hu I mean again you know to have a student read a >> a 1000word paragraph and then have to answer questions about it. That's that's much more complex >> and that's my point just watching. Thank you. I appreciate >> and moving forward they will need that. I mean, Matt made the point about the SATs, but then, you know, additionally, when they, you know, go into our high levels in in their AP courses, they're sitting for two and three hour and some in some cases three and a quarter hour tests and there are multiple reading comprehension sections for different content areas. So um certainly I think building reading stamina is a big deal um that you know we
088we constantly try to work on for reading for enjoyment but sometimes it has to be when you're reading for challenge as well and across genre. I think that's another thing as well. >> So Amy I I've appreciated your comment on the order you're having given some thought to maybe inverting me and giving it the same thought was in my mind. I'm not quite sure I understand why it's not possible, but I trust your judgment. You know more than I do. >> So, oh, sorry. So, well, so when Amy brought this up, I actually read the technical manual for the assessment. The reason is is because the first three components build and are the placement mechanism for the reading comprehension test. So, because they need that to be able to place the students, that's why it
089has to go first. I know that sounds >> can we give them a break after we do the first 340 minutes? >> We do test over two sessions. They take the first, you know, they test for 30 minutes >> and they get on with their day, go to another class, and then the next time they go back to their ELA or their English class and they then they test. We do test in two sessions, which is what Lexia recommends. Um >> the my concern when I saw this at home I went holy potato pancakes we have between 41% and 21% depending on the class below grade level in each of these five grade cohorts 41% to 21%. And I'm just wondering why is this happening? Who is it happening to? Is this a one is
090this one of the unintended equity issues that we are very sensitive to or that that's why I asked the question about regression analysis because I'm worried I'm worried that we are unintentionally um somehow not being optimal in serving the kids and this is not a reproach. This is a struggle for you. No, absolutely. I think that, you know, as this team has talked about, this is just one data point that helps them really identify students who are struggling and it just becomes a piece of that SRBI and intervention positive for them. So, I sorry, I just wanted to say, you know, I don't ever look at one data point and say that 40% of our kids aren't reading a grade level, for example. Now, it it is an alarming metric and it would make me
091pause and think, who are those 40% of children? We need to look at individually at every single one of those kids and see where they're at. But I know this team is looking at curriculum based assessments and other metrics to go to determine, you know, is that truly where the student is? And there there are students who are struggling and absolutely need support. But that's why they have an intervention process model to be able to support. >> You have to look at multiple data like you had suggested early on. >> It h you can't just take one piece of data and say that this child can or can't do something based on that one piece of data. Where where I was going with this is we are making a great effort and I mean that
092not in volume but in quality to challenge the kids with higher level courses and if we're having this type of reading can if this reading comprehension metric is accurate how are those kids who are in that thing going to survive and thrive in these challenging courses we're having. It's a rhetorical question. It's just one I ask myself. >> Well, that again I I I don't see it as a rhetorical question. I see it as that that's when you need core plus more. You know, that's the students are in that core class and they're getting in the intervention or whatever else they need in order to because you need that catch-up time. And right now we've got, you know, it's not just in reading, it's it's across the board with COVID. We've got a lot of
093kids that need catchup. And so, you know, how are we providing that to the students? How are we identifying them and how are we providing that? So, you know, when we talk about a student that we say, okay, we got this data point, we've seen other data points that says the kids struggling. Okay, you know, do they need to get into that intervention? Do we need to do something with their teacher? What do we need to do in order to help that kid catch up? Because that's really what it comes down to. >> I I totally agree with you. I just don't know what we do to set way points if if we want to go from I'm looking at the sixth graders. If you want to go from 64% to 80% or 64 to
09485 or 75 that's the weeds you guys have to focus on that but what are the way points how do we do there what does this data let us structure beyond the words intervention I mean how do we measure our success of the intervention over time I look forward to working >> yeah I I think sorry I was just going to say I think it'd be an interesting future conversation we're going to start looking at not just achievement growth of our individual students and I think that's really the conversation we're looking for is how much of our students growing right so it's not just >> yeah absolutely so it's not just about our achievement are you at grade level are you not only are we moving kids kind of throughout that spectrum so I know
095we're prepared you know preparing to come to you at a future board meeting and talk about our smart and balance results a big part of that will be the growth in reading uh PLA I'd be happy to have that conversation >> looking at the cohorts you know looking at that grade six performed at that last year. How are they doing this year? >> You know, is there any instead of just saying, "Oh, they're at 64%." Well, were they at 60% last year and now, you know, so really doing the cohort now, it's it's exciting that we can kind of get back to it because I missed it for a few years here as being that person. So if if pretending that the grade 10 was grade 12 just for for not even or whatever the
096true number happens to be for grade 12. If we have 15 20 25 whatever the percentage is of graduates graduating seniors who are still not reading on grade level what does that mean for them going forward? What does that mean for us getting ready forward? Sorry, I don't expect an answer, but that's that's the work. >> That's the work. >> That's absolutely work. >> I'm going to recognize Dean and Ben. >> All right. I do know that I have two questions. Um so the reading comprehension task is not the same for all >> no assess passages run between 200 to 30 words in length but the data is aggregated as as with people taking the exact under the exact assessment it is it in other words so is it so say for example 67% %
097at or above grade level within this bar. Some kids have had 200 word passage, some 1300 word passage. So kind of apples and oranges or apples, different kinds of apples. >> Um not necessarily. I mean, think about it like this. If the goal is to be reading at a ninth grade level, right? You're going to have some readers who are reading at a 12th grade level. Um they've taken that 1300 word assessment or 1300 word reading learning test. they still count for us as being reading at or above grade level, right? So does a kid who's reading right at grade level at ninth grade. Um the students who are below also could have a really similar spread. You could have a student reading at an eighth grade level who doesn't count for us or a
098student reading at a second grade level who doesn't count for us. Um so it's really you know to your point it is different but it's really just looking at one kind of standards. Are they meeting? Second question I have is our sample sizes are our sample sizes. Everybody's sample sizes. There's the population or as close as we can get to the population. And if you're looking at, for example, yeartoyear comparison, you know, our sixth grade becomes seventh grade becomes eighth grade. You don't expect to see the same kids. We're already saying here that the n equals a certain number and these are the kids who've taken all three or 12 depending on your depending on your how many tests you have or how many assessments you have in that regular year. So say grade seven
099becomes grade eight, you're not going to get the same 285 kids in grade eight. You're not going to get the same kids taking all three. So it becomes difficult. You're not going to get precisely the same comparison. You when grade seven becomes grade eight, you can assess them again. You can't say how did they do before the how they do it the year before unless your sample size your population size is sufficiently large where you can ignore the internal variations. Do we know it's a question of statistics? Do we know that the these numbers are large enough so we can ignore the fact that it's there would be variations in the individuals? Now what's a sufficiently large number to ignore that a million? Yes, that's a small it's too small, right? So so when we
100say so when grade seven become grade eight and we say okay what did grade eight do this year? What did they do last year? It's >> would be accurate to compare the numbers then >> but the value being in comparing the numbers of the individual kid that did do it in grade seven grade eight grade you know and that's where the value of all of this really yeah I agree with we identify Tom he did this that he did that he's doing better he's doing worse >> but on the whole from our point of view how are we doing how are the grades doing as they move through it's not accurate to say that seven when it becomes eight will show similar better numbers show if you really don't know because sample small >> correct
101>> that's how the state is measuring >> well well with the state we do match so when we look at the sback data together all the next month I'd say um we can look at matched goal so we can look at who was with us last year and those same students how are they going to be this year um that will lower the sample size again to your point but at least then we're looking you're at the same group of students might 250 300 students. So that in that regards the same. >> Thank you William. >> So speaking of the state, what is other state and national benchmarks for each grade? Um so generally with this state of Connecticut right now we're looking at smarter balance math and ELA and then we are also looking
102at the MGSS test that have been at the science test that is the state district. >> So with Lexia I don't know if they give you um like a benchmark or an average nationally they don't do it in every school. you really opt in to do this kind of an assessment and it's really just a checkpoint. It's kind of a universal screener that we give kids to see if there are outliers and with that data we're able to see who we need to give support to. Um maybe even enrichment to, you know, it shows us kind of both ways. >> But it's not the only assessment certainly that we do. No, but if you're looking kind of like a normal looking >> actually probably the end of this. >> Oh, sorry. This one. >> Did
103that answer the question? >> Did I hear someone say that um that be I think Amy you said that we're not using the Lexia rapid. >> Lexia is retiring the rapid test >> at the end of this academic year. So, we've been researching Yeah. >> along with other um coordinators, building administrators for those buildings. >> We'd like something like this because it's 230 minutes, so it doesn't take a lot of time from the kids. Um, and it gives us information that we need to help to support them. So, we're looking for something that's private. >> Do you know why they retired it? >> Cost a lot of money to reorm the test. uh they do not want to go through that comprehensive study. It's not worth it for them financially at this. Any other questions
104you guys? Thank you so much. >> It's so nice to see you guys again around a table. >> Um but thank you so much. Um, and boy, I thought that the questions were really, really great and insightful and um, >> they're great. Thank you. >> It's good to be back in person again to just have a conversation about these things. >> You know, thank you. >> All right, our next thing on the agenda is um, >> the alliance tracker feedback. And I know I have probably said this way too many times um either through board notes, probably mostly through board notes, but we did have our, you know, with being an alliance district, even though they wanted to graduate us, um they do give us a lot of support and we meet with our state
105representatives from the Connecticut state um state department of education really quarterly. um they're looking forward to coming back and doing some tours of our schools with us. Um but they really are able to give us tremendous feedback and on the tracker it really came from our discussion towards the end of the year. It was the end of the year monitoring um looking at you know the data that we had at the time and um I just wanted to kind of highlight some of the things in regards to what we use. The lost links is for our English language learners. We have a lot of them. I'm saying that we probably will become a bilingual district in Spanish that we have um several of our schools earmarked and I think we've had growing numbers of our
106Spanish speaking population. Um, and so when they come in, they we measure them with this lost links literacy assessment and we see where they're at. And it's basically a one through five rubric. One being kind of a novice, brand new to the country, not having a lot of language acquisition, five being kind of ready to be in the whole fold and kind of be off on their own. And um we found that the data went in 2021 from 53.6% um to 69.2% um level of literacy. So we did see some measured growth with our English language learners. We were happy to see that. We've actually seen it in other areas as well with ESPback testing. Um we saw some tremendous growth prior to our COVID. So I think some of the interventions that we have
107for our native speakers has really been um well done and we continue to give teachers core teachers um professional learning in the area of English language learners so that they can have a greater impact when the kids are in their classroom and not just rely on the tutors or the EL teachers. But it's a combination of those things. attendance. I think I've I've suggested that attendance during COVID was not not good that you know that we had a lot of chronic absenteeism. So if a child had COVID, let's say they're in a family that had COVID, they had to quarantine at the time last year. It could be up to 14 days. So they could also then get COVID and that would be an additional day, you know, 10 to 14 I think at one
108point. So you could have a family that all went through COVID and the child had to be quarantined because his family had it and then they might have gotten it days later and then they were quarantined because they were ill. So we had much more chronic absenteeism because 18 days out of 180 would have would say that you're chronically absent. And so, um, there were also students, um, when we were kneedeep in COVID and we had some kids hybrid and some kids remote, um, that we really lost track of. We tried to to use our social workers and our whole teams to go out and and find these kids. Um, we had a lot that were homeschooled and left from schooling. So, it was really a tricky time. We did get more kids back last
109year. We found that the absenteeism was really the chronicness of the absenteeism was more related to COVID related. Um we actually I think you looked at the data >> and I think you said that um you found the differential in that. >> Yeah. I don't remember off the top of my head but a large percentage of our students who were chronic absent last year was due to mostly excused absences but >> they had doctor's notes. >> Yeah. The state does not differentiate with chronic absentee between being unexcused or excused. Truency looks at the difference, but chronic absentee has been stopped. >> So that's definitely something. It's, you know, we're we're back to community attendance matters for both our staff and our kids. And now with the monitor, test, and go, we want everybody to check
110their symptoms. We have test kits coming in and already at the school so that they test if they have are symptomatic, have a fever. We say stay home if under those conditions. And we've got a doctor here so he can tell me if I've got this right. And then um but things like allergies, we were keeping kids home for allergies because we were so fearful. Um now we're saying if it's an allergy and you're not feverish and you don't have anything else other symptoms, then come to school. So, um, you know, we're really hopeful that we will make a difference and we're going to really look back at the policy that we created with the board with attendance. It has tiered levels of intervention should we see families that um, may be facing some chronic
111absenteeism. Um, and really look at strategies to make sure that our kids are coming to school and our teachers. It's really important that everybody is, you know, in the seat. So hopefully this will make a difference. um we saw gains across the board in um ESPback in 21 um to 22 and um but we haven't seen the total recovery back to the 2019 and so that's where we're we're headed hopefully because that's what I want to see happen. So um but they were they marveled. I think I've said this story a couple times. I love to hear myself say it, but when the alliance um folks came in, they said, "This is some of the best data we've seen, you know, and they've been coming to all the alliance districts and all the schools um
112looking at the plans." Um but it's still not good enough because we really want them to continue to make those improvements and not only be back to where we were, but even improve beyond that. Um, and then looking at um, PSAT, Matt's not here to get the credit, but he does a wonderful job doing pre and post PSATs in ninth and tth grade, and it really is a helpful predictor for how they'll do an SAT. So, um, and and looking at that information, we actually have a course on Apex that helps with SAT, and I believe your teachers, Ted, do some work around SAT questioning. I think we actually implemented it in some of our math assessments >> that in math and English uh grade as well as the regular SAT courses that we have.
113>> So, so even the structure of the questioning to help kids um sometimes that can be a factor and we don't want that to be you know an obstacle in their way. And then um as I said growth areas around the absenteeism discipline Ted can attest to this. We had we saw more discipline in the beginning of last year. We had I think up to eight expulsions pretty much in the first half of the year but by March there were none. So till the end of the year. So um we kind of out of the gate saw kids really um you know really struggling with getting back to school. you know, they had all had all these freedoms, I think. Um, and and yet they had been away from peers. So, it's almost like they
114had to readjust to being in school and learning what that was all about all over again because many had been out for two whole years. So, whether it was our preschoolers or our high schoolers, we found that there were some challenging behaviors. So, um, we're looking to improve that. Um, and then the four-year graduation rate. Um, our target for 2122 was 89.7 and we came in at an 88.2. So, we're not quite there yet, but we're getting closer to that. And I'd love to see the day where all of our kids graduate from high school, you know, and they but what they do is they track from 9th to 12th grade those kids who are still with us as we are a Navy population and a transient population as Tom suggested that just last year
115we had 374 leave and 375 come back. >> It was almost perfect balance. So, but that's a net difference of nearly, you know, 800 kids that you coming and going. So, that's a lot in a community that has basically 4,500 students. So, just we keep those things in mind. Um, we are bringing you comprehensive slideshow and data. I'm talking to the principles tomorrow. We're talking about district data team and um school data teams and the so what now what about our data. So what are our action steps with the data? Um so I think you remember back in the day where we had data to compare and we would give kind of a comprehensive overview of our district data and how it compares to others. But then we would bring back our elementary principles and
116our secondary principles to actually talk about their action steps. So they would come to you and talk to you about what they're going to do about it. So that's what we're looking forward to doing. And I my goal is like because I'm following that chart you gave me that you and Mike Beneer developed on what happens in at the end of September for the regular meeting and that would be to start showcasing that data. So any questions? You have two questions. Yes ma'am. Uh the first one has to do with the graduation rate. Um Ted, how many how many people would have graduate? What would the a perfect score? What would a 100% graduation have meant in numbers? >> Uh 100% graduation last year in numbers. Uh I'd have to get that number for you.
117>> 450. >> Oh no no no. This is our you know we got a thousand students. So classes if they were evenly distributed would be about >> 250. Okay. So 90% would mean 25 didn't graduate >> roughly roughly. >> So >> but remember it's a four-year cohort so it's they can move to other districts or come you know come in from us as well. So >> well how however we calculate that 11% I'm going to guess that some of them stay on and can finish in the fifth year. >> Absolutely. I'm going to guess that some of them have cognitive limitations that they may never graduate and they may get other services. So what is what is the margin of those uh how what would be an optimal rate given all the variables that could
118we could we conceivably get to the point of 94 95% of Can I do a little segue here? >> Sure. So, we have a night school program for kids who um are 17 or older. Some students will opt out of regular day school and want to do the night school program and have a job. Um and I think additionally um I'm trying to remember was it a dozen students who graduated from night school last year? They walk with our students, >> but they don't count according to the state numbers. They count for us. They get a Fitch certificate, you know. um and they've met all of the Fitch's requirements, but because they dropped out of the day school and went to this alternate night program, it doesn't count for the state. >> So, as as
119far as out counting our beans, let the state count the beans the way they want. For our counting our beans, we have 88.2% plus 12 other students that would make another four 4% or so. I think that uh well the first thing is uh I'd like to share with the board that this year when I met with all the seniors at the beginning of the school year my first statement to them was that all of you sitting in here my goal is that you walk across the stage at the end of the year that you know I and I tell them straight out that you know that is the goal that's what you need to stick to and let's let's make sure we're working towards that. So yes my goal is 100%. Um I have
120never achieved that and I don't think any principal ever has. Uh but the at the same time uh I what I want to see in in terms of those numbers is improvement. I certainly would like to see it a four-year graduation rate consistently over 90% for Fitch High School um and a five to sixyear graduation cohort rate uh in the 94 95 96% range. Uh that would be the goal. Absolutely 100%. If if you ever decide that we want to communicate this to the general public and I think this would be personally I think that'd be great struggle over the language to make it comprehensible but I would use the figure of those who who took the night school as well. We're counting our beans our way and they count >> well they do count
121those kids do count each and every one and we really incorporated them into the graduation. They used to have a separate graduation, but I I really like the way we're doing it now because they get to walk with their peers and while they might have taken a different route, >> they got the same, >> right? >> They got to the same place. >> I I would also just add, you know, Matthew, to your point, thinking more about outcomes because an adult school graduation is successful outcome. Transition Academy for those students who are special education, get services to 22, they do not count as successful graduates for us for the states. right now they look like they're the way the state counts that that's a retained student a 12th grader who did not graduate. Um so
122that also kind of negatively impacts us >> which is every district. >> Yeah. That's why no districts really get to 100% just because of that. But >> they do go through graduation and then they continue on here till they're 22. And they're wonderful members of our community. I mean we love having them here. It makes this feel like a school. They're you know they just do a great job. I'm very proud of the progress that made >> Rita. >> Oh yes. Um I had a question about underneath the um it's regarding how we count suspension. There was a question about how our district calculates suspension rates. What what was the question? So I think it was looking at the accuracy of the data. Tom Tom knew he actually brought some of this to our attention.
123>> So originally when we had first um at the beginning of the year the the data we had sent from the individual buildings and there was miscommunication with the buildings where some of the schools were reporting it correctly where it's you know even if you're suspended for three days that's a that's one suspension, right? If it's a three-day suspension it's still one suspension. the other school, one of the other schools was reporting it as, well, if you're suspended for three days, that's three suspensions, right? Do you know what I'm saying? Counting them almost individually. So, at first, our data looked very skewed. Um, we did correct that data, but there was the initial confusion with them about, you know, why is your data coming in inaccurately in the first place? We just had to explain
124that so they understood. We were on top of it. It was just a miscommunication. That's why it's so important that we really talk to all the schools about how to put in this data because if you put it in incorrectly, you usually, you know, have poor results, you know. >> Thank you. >> Good question. >> Any other questions about this? I I guess this is another another topic about how do we present to our town bodies about our alliance and our good work in getting ourselves out of it and what does that mean in terms of fin a financial picture for us. >> But we're not out of it because I testified and we got our our legislators to help us out. So we've got another five years, >> right? But that's not we're not
125going to stop doing the really good work. That's really always the goal is to see improvements for our kids. But I, as I said to the colleagues at the State Department, we appreciate their support. We're invited to more free professional learning and um you know that having them to help look at the data with us is another outside organization helping us to really see how we're doing that. We're not just doing it internally. We have this external component too as everybody does with the state department. You know, all districts have this, but we get a little extra special attention. So, if we're I'm not hearing anything more about questions around the alliance, I will um entertain uh suggestions for future topics. Our next meeting I I got you, Rita. Our next meeting is going to
126Our next Wow. Let me try this sentence one more time because the first five didn't work. Um is our next committee of the whole. The next committee of the whole is going to be more on the finance and facilities. Um but Rita um my question is Susan had written to us in board notes about why we were not able to secure or be on with learn for the 2022 MSAC grant. It was very disappointing. >> I know. Could you um for could you go into a little more detail about that with us next time? >> I certainly could I could bring back um you know I had a conversation I followed up with the legal department at the state department because you know me but I'll talk about it next time >> and so >>
127on our agenda so she's going to talk about it next time. >> Great. So my question is also about you mentioned fledgling magnet schools. Um I wasn't sure why you use that term in your board notes about our magnet schools and also now that there is no longer um a moratorum on magnet schools in the state of Connecticut. Could we ever open up our schools for as magnet? >> You just about read my mind. I found that out too as I talked to the state department. So fledgling meaning this, you know, this is really our second year of doing the magnet. So we have a lot more areas to learn and grow. So, so Rita, maybe you're suggesting for us to have a a conversation about all things sort of magnet school. Um, specifically around
128why we didn't make the um magnet grant um and also what does that mean for our district if we um were to jump into a pool of the no more moratorum on um is it in >> in in >> intra district not in inter some of our students go to New London. >> So how about if we um and I see that Rita as a different topic. >> Yes. >> Um as your wish for us to have a conversation about all the different magnet programs and how they're doing. Correct. Um that that's I I didn't mention that program. I mentioned that >> that's actually on your referral tracking list. >> Yes, it is. Yeah, that's a different question. >> Right. I I'm trying to impress you, Vita, to show that I actually am following through
129and looking at that stuff. Um don't don't ruin my moment. Um, so but I guess we were going to want to know about our magnet programs and how are they doing to see if we're even wanting to go into the inter >> whether or not we have room. I don't know whether or not >> even we have room. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So Susan and I will come up with an um some some ways of doing that agenda. We probably are not going to throw that in next next week. Um, but it might be something that we could begin to bring that up in our larger meeting um, so that the community can become aware of some of that stuff. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Gosh, I wish I knew
130how to speak. >> I was so excited, Susan, to hear to read what you said about mentoring. And my instinct is that behind the 150 or 200 words that you wrote are probably another 600 words worth of thought and implementation. And I would love to hear you share with us uh about mentoring. >> So Matthew to that point because I I feel that this board has started to begin to own this mentoring not own but really take interest in it that maybe each agenda I each meeting we just have an agenda item where we're updated but maybe we need to wait until after you have your staff meeting about that. >> We have a planning meeting at the end of this month. So once that planning meeting happens, I think that we should then have
131a regular update and have an agenda um item um right up until it's continues because I it's sad that it has gone away. So >> sounds like plan. >> All right. Any other >> Oh, here she goes. >> Motion to adjurnn. Can I have a second? read of Oakman. I'll second that. >> I'm glad you know your voice. >> All um all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Abstain. That motion is carried. Good night, everyone. [Music]