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District presents YTAP and accountability results; several schools exceed state averages, Evanston High flagged on growth and equity
Summary
Assistant superintendents reported statewide assessment results and school accountability ratings showing most district schools meeting or exceeding expectations, strong NAEP and ACT comparisons, and specific growth and equity shortfalls at Evanston High School.
District staff presented the latest YTAP (Wyoming testing/assessment) and school accountability results to the board and highlighted areas of strength and concern. Assistant superintendents Rigby and Ingalls reviewed school-by-school ratings, statewide assessment comparisons (NAEP, ACT) and subgroup (equity) growth measures. Ingalls told trustees "all of the schools are meeting expectations" and noted that Emerson Middle School (EMS) was "exceeding expectations" overall; he cited EMS classroom performance where 69% of students tested at advanced or proficient levels on the district's referenced assessment, a figure presented as about 14 percentage points higher than the state average. By contrast, Ingalls said Evanston High School was a "partially meeting school" because achievement met targets while growth and equity were below target. Presenters explained the accountability formulas: the district's white-top normed assessments are recalibrated yearly and include growth measures that compare students to cohorts with similar prior-year scale scores. Ingalls noted the design of normed tests can keep state proficiency percentages near 45—55% by design and urged trustees to view NAEP and ACT scores alongside state assessments. The presenters pointed to Wyoming's strong NAEP and ACT standings: Wyoming ranks near the top nationally on NAEP and was described as number one among the seven states that require all students to take the ACT. Board members asked for definitions and clarifications (for example, "equity" refers to students in the bottom roughly 23% statewide cohort), and presenters flagged English-language-learner subgroup challenges and cohort-size limits for certain calculations. Trustees asked questions and staff responded that school leaders would bring building-level goals for the board to review the following month. No formal action was taken; the item was a presentation the board received for information.
