Mike Robertson, a district academic staff member, told the Big Walnut Local Schools Board of Education on Oct. 20 that the district picked up a star in the state report card’s gap‑closing component and posted a modest increase in its performance index percentage, but that early‑literacy measures dipped.

The report matters because state report‑card components inform district priorities, curriculum choices and which interventions the administration pursues to improve outcomes for students across subgroups.

Robertson described the district’s recent curriculum adoptions and supports he said are aimed at improving reading comprehension, math progress and post‑high‑school readiness. He said the district adopted CKLA for K–5 English language arts, expanded early literacy resources such as Fundations, added a K–2 math benchmark (Acadience) and implemented a K–3 remediation program. He said those steps—plus targeted professional development and vendor coaching—are intended to strengthen comprehension and growth measures.

“We continue to see gains in our report card. We picked up a star in gap closing,” Robertson said, and added that the district’s overall performance index rose by 0.6 percentage points. He also told the board the new College, Career, Workforce and Military Readiness component (CCWMR) is a first‑year measure for which the district currently has two stars and a cohort attainment rate of 60.4 percent; reaching the next star would require about a 3 percentage‑point increase to roughly 63 percent.

Robertson reviewed what counts for the CCWMR measure: remediation‑free ACT or SAT scores, earning an honors diploma, combinations of AP/IB credits, industry‑recognized credentials (12 points), earning 12 college credits, enlistment in the military, acceptance to or completion of apprenticeships or pre‑apprenticeships, proficiency on multiple technical exams, earning the Ohio Means Jobs Readiness Seal or completing 250 hours of work‑based learning. He noted that some elements require follow‑up documentation after students graduate, so reported results lag current efforts by roughly two years.

On early literacy, Robertson told the board the district’s score fell 1.2 percent. He said early‑literacy measures combine third‑grade reading test proficiency, promotion/retention exemptions and a benchmark metric that tracks students flagged as “off track” in fall K–3 benchmarks and then retested the following fall. Robertson said the district has reduced the number of students below grade level but needs sustained implementation to reverse year‑to‑year dips.

The presentation included examples of local practice designed to raise performance. Those measures included vendor‑supported coaching in classrooms, a December 1 professional‑development day for staff, expanded K–5 CKLA implementation to bolster vocabulary and comprehension instruction, and a reading remediation program (named in the presentation as a phonics/decoding resource). Robertson also said the district added science and social studies materials at several grade levels and extended math remediation supports.

Robertson emphasized career pathways as a practical lever for improving CCWMR outcomes. He said the district plans to apply this year to add a marketing pathway, and is exploring interactive media/software development and structural construction pathways that align with existing electives. He noted career pathways bundle courses, industry‑recognized credentials, work‑based learning and web‑exams that can generate points for the CCWMR metric. Robertson said the district already partners with the Delaware Area Career Center (DAC) for agricultural and engineering pathways and is working to expand locally run options.

Board members asked about measures to track students who transfer into district schools and how those students are accounted for in the early‑literacy metric. Robertson said state rules require assessing incoming students and, if prior benchmark data are absent, the district administers the benchmark so that all enrolled students are included in the measure.

Robertson and board members discussed practical barriers to expanding apprenticeships and pre‑apprenticeships; he said only about 20 districts across the state meaningfully participate in those programs and that they are resource‑intensive to establish. He suggested the district investigate using the National Student Clearinghouse to better track college persistence and remediation‑free college indicators for graduates.

Ending note: Robertson told the board that data trends guide the district’s next steps—adopted materials in reading and math, more rigorous K–2 math benchmarks, expansion of career pathways and continued professional development—and that the district will monitor whether the interventions move the metrics over time.