Assistant Superintendent Dr. Gray and Department of Teaching and Learning staff presented academic targets and assessment changes to the board on July 15, emphasizing freshmen-on-track, college-and-career readiness and an expectation of a 10 percent increase in reading and math districtwide for 2025–26.
Dr. Gray said the department’s role is “teaching students how to read, write and basically do arithmetic” and that it supports principals with classroom visits, instructional feedback and removing barriers to teaching. He described two directors’ roles (elementary and secondary) and the district’s use of strategists and curriculum coordinators to support teachers.
The team reported curriculum and assessment changes. Because the state switched from SAT to the ACT for college entrance testing, staff said they currently lack a stable ACT baseline and are adopting the Star assessment for high schools in place of FastBridge. “FastBridge was not for high school,” the presentation said, and the Star assessment aligns more closely with high school needs.
Officials emphasized the freshmen-on-track metric as a lever for raising graduation rates; staff described targeted outreach — including one-on-one meetings for freshmen who fell behind after the first semester — and safety nets that principals will monitor. Dr. Gray said the district will continue tracking graduates using a college clearinghouse and school-level spreadsheets to measure whether students enroll at two-year or four-year colleges, enter the workforce, obtain CTE credentials or join the military.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) work was highlighted, including industry certifications (OSHA, food-safety, hunter safety) and partnerships to help students earn industry credentials. Department staff said they will look for a 10 percent improvement in district benchmark scores and a targeted increase in graduation and college- and career-readiness outcomes during 2025–26.
A presentation of 2024–25 academic results was promised for the fall.