[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6060003,"mediaKeyId","3293323-84ff723cdbabe63d8732fc2f33d841c5","parentId",3293323,"title","Board approves Savvas math program for high school after teacher pilot and implementation plan","audioSeconds",523,"startMs",2790000,"endMs",3313000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293323-84ff723cdbabe63d8732fc2f33d841c5&start=2790&end=3313","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293323-84ff723cdbabe63d8732fc2f33d841c5/thumbnail_2790000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060003/Nebraska/Board-approves-Savvas-math-program-for-high-school-after-teacher-pilot-and-implementation-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060003-3a5877e0ce38863f1a1bb2172190198c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770976495&Signature=BGO5~I3nIZLNn5oKEtl8o20kZWDOoknCCTkBux3G35XZWlC~sIyuZOo24znsYhbo4NkIzNGKOORobAGQIwbo6qX39qy5cdIb8aYn1rCGmWBLNEmHXHf3ue1lz6nHZKQtfdGO2JxlQ99Mi8GMNFo-qrBrPujFt3MdRLiwz9NA7Ol4u4zXnYwJtwwpE0fAOBQYC4EglcythRJH7d4oLHirAOslVQKowK7qTrek88YUrWLB6UYdsWyM7Vh78HhOdSZiwgRqG2DQWaQyDTu3M4E1Gol3do6Uoq08siSlePVEtJSWrMs2HFfYQuefNbgG5KHT1Ooi9XnJc~a84UGqTIXZOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ralston Public Schools, NE","date","2025-05-13T12:01:31Z","article","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education voted May 12 to adopt a Savvas high-school math curriculum for implementation next school year after high-school teachers piloted two programs and recommended Savvas for districtwide alignment.

Teachers and department leads described a two-stage pilot that tested McGraw Hill Reveal in fall and Savvas (noted in materials as Savas/Envision) in spring. Margaret Trapp, co-department head for math, and Jim Brockhouse, co-department head, told the board the pilots produced mixed student reactions but that teachers selected Savvas as the preferred program.

“We piloted McGraw Hill in the fall ... kids were not big fans of doing homework online versus, you know, something on paper pencil,” Jim Brockhouse said, describing initial student resistance to online homework. Teachers and leaders said the district will provide options for students who need paper assignments or who lack reliable home internet access and will narrow which digital components teachers must use.

District presenters said teacher feedback emphasized higher rigor in the chosen program and the opportunity for K–12 vertical alignment; one presenter noted that student and teacher feedback is linked in materials provided to the board. The adoption motion was called, seconded and approved by roll call: board members recorded aye votes (listed in the meeting roll as Miss Rodey; Miss Krauss; Miss Richards; Miss Kumar; Miss Miller; and the meeting president’s aye), and the clerk announced that the motion passed.

Next steps presented to the board include targeted backward-design curriculum planning, clarified expectations for which curriculum components must be used in classrooms, training for new teachers, and implementation supports in year one. District staff said they will provide extra, targeted implementation support during the first year of districtwide use and monitor homework completion and accessibility concerns.

Board discussion included direct questions about equity and access: a board member asked whether online homework posed access problems for students without reliable home internet, and district staff acknowledged the concern as “district-wide” and said some teachers will continue to offer paper options and alternative arrangements.

The vote completed the high-school adoption item; board materials referenced teacher- and student-survey data collected during the pilots and linked observations from instructional coaches. The board did not take any separate budget vote at the meeting for curriculum purchases; staff said implementation supports and training will be planned and communicated for the 2025–26 school year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","RPS Board of Education Meeting - Monday, May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Ralston Public Schools Board voted May 12 to approve a high-school math curriculum adoption after yearlong pilots of McGraw Hill Reveal and Savvas; teachers favored Savvas and the district described implementation supports and accommodations for students without home internet.","taxTitle","RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, School Districts, Nebraska","taxId",76452,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6060007,"Bloomfield staff tell Ralston school board reading gains continue but chronic absenteeism has risen",1581,1283000,2864000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3293323-84ff723cdbabe63d8732fc2f33d841c5&start=1283&end=2864","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3293323-84ff723cdbabe63d8732fc2f33d841c5/thumbnail_1283000.jpg","/articles/6060007/Nebraska/Bloomfield-staff-tell-Ralston-school-board-reading-gains-continue-but-chronic-absenteeism-has-risen","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060007-7af8dc95b994d46a518eb73254fc2f37/orig.mp4?Expires=1770976495&Signature=DKKZ3xWDKZonglb5LEvCj~fe-kkLk1rqYK0FunasV6pHLFUftYf94kU4rYVZdIAbIL0H6dgzbBUm4bFhQ3ltvOefMBAvj7WGWNzRQfH77xPQP6-HAu08mM2w7C8RjSMI440pQzwbWiXTx0Qc9CELZFEPUMrhpKR9P7UPWvbEjnC-g0FIH5uFjLpnXEH2dbxeaG2NSzqhR8mTCgfDBQqRPCoirVaYwl9yJOZI2ppG~RI7-MWNA8Q4HILGNtZHg9uBZfemfWPv~sRKTdCPIt-xa4WSVCXmC79~~X~ehal5-G2N90X1uhjE1BJ0g8wTgha-FS9CDS~rpn3QXf0keKyXoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bloomfield Elementary leaders told the Ralston Public Schools Board of Education on May 12 that the school’s reading proficiency shows modest gains after a year of targeted professional development, while chronic absenteeism has moved in the wrong direction and will be the school’s primary focus next year.

The presentation outlined two formal goals: improve reading scores on the NSCAS summative assessment to at-or-above the state proficiency average, and reduce chronic absenteeism by 10 percentage points to raise average daily attendance to 97%.

Bloomfield’s principal (presenting) said the school’s spring snapshot showed 33% of students “on track” and 14% at “college and career ready,” combining to about 47% proficiency on the NSCAS summative in the most recent report. The principal said, “Our reading goal is to improve reading as measured by NSCAS summative, to at or above state proficiency average.” The principal also noted that, for a cohort that previously scored 63% proficient in fourth grade, proficiency dropped to 56% this year, but added that “70 percent of our kids who returned actually improved their score.”

School leaders said special education services make up roughly 30% of Bloomfield’s enrollment — “almost double the standard at the state,” the presentation reported — and that the building added five special-education teachers this year. Bloomfield partnered with a consultant identified in the presentation as Special Ed Strategies to train teachers in co-planning, Universal Design for Learning and MTSS. The school reported pre/post survey shifts among teachers: the share who felt prepared to increase access for special-education students rose from 54% to 95%; confidence using data for decisions rose from 35% to 90%; collaborative planning readiness rose from 35% to 95%; and knowledge of MTSS rose from 54% to 85% (figures presented by Bloomfield staff).

Attendance was framed as an escalating concern. Bloomfield’s attendance lead, identified in the presentation as Miss Reeves, said, “The data on the next slide does show a direction that we do not want to go. We are sliding backwards.” The presentation and Q&A named several possible contributors: the growing special-education population, shifts in family cultural expectations about school attendance, language barriers, and families scheduling vacations or appointments on instructional days. Staff estimated that shifts in state testing policy — fewer students taking the alternative NSCAS assessment and more taking the general test — reduced reported proficiency by about two percentage points for some groups; the estimate was presented by school staff as a factor in the overall score changes.

Bloomfield described a package of attendance interventions it is rolling out: tiered risk monitoring (low risk / high risk / chronic) with weekly email alerts to classroom teachers; scripted 5-day phone-call interventions; “hot ticket” incentive weeks that temporarily boost on-time arrival; monthly leadership assemblies that celebrate attendance gains; 25-day check-ins with all families; distribution of a school calendar that highlights “learning days” and recommends scheduling vacations and nonurgent appointments on open dates; and planned equity-focused professional development with Dwayne Chisholm to help staff better engage diverse families. Staff said the school has begun using a language line and dedicated Spanish-speaking staff to improve communication with families.

Board members asked about the makeup of the students taking alternative assessments and whether the board should advocate at the state level; school staff described the state’s approval checklist used to move a student to the alternative assessment and emphasized the local team-based review required before deciding assessment type. Board members praised the school’s special-education work and asked how the board could support the school’s engagement work.

The presentation closed with Bloomfield staff saying the school will continue the SPED strategies work and shift a larger share of next year’s improvement effort toward behavior supports and classroom strategies to help students meet the demands of the adopted reading curriculum.

Bloomfield provided the board with slide materials and teacher-survey data cited in the presentation; no formal board action (motions or votes) was taken on the Bloomfield report during the meeting.","Bloomfield Elementary told the Ralston Public Schools board on May 12 that reading proficiency and staff capacity improved after targeted special-education professional development, but the school is seeing a rise in chronic absenteeism and is launching tiered, proactive attendance interventions.","actionData","errors"]

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Board approves Savvas math program for high school after teacher pilot and implementation plan

Bloomfield staff tell Ralston school board reading gains continue but chronic absenteeism has risen