Lincoln County reports GSA gains; district outlines interventions and K–2 growth plan

Joanie Shortridge, a staff member, presented results from the spring GSA tests and described instructional steps the district will take this year to build on gains. The presentation and board discussion took place Tuesday during the Lincoln County Board of Education regular meeting in Hamlin.

Shortridge said the district saw a 5% increase in fifth‑ and eighth‑grade science, reaching 25% proficiency; a 2% increase in math to 31% proficiency; and a 5% increase in summative English/language arts to 36% proficiency. She also told the board the K–2 band showed large year‑end gains, reporting “a 48% growth in math” and “We increased 50% proficiency, in reading.”

The nut graf: district leaders said the gains reflect expanded reading interventions, scheduled intervention time in K–8, and an emphasis on data coaching and walkthroughs; they described specific changes intended to raise math performance and sustain reading gains.

Shortridge and other central‑office staff described the interventions: corrective reading is now provided to all special‑education K–8 students; schools were asked to schedule a consistent intervention block; principals and coaches will run data dives and walk‑throughs using the eWalk system so schools “are all talking the same language.” The district distributed K–8 curriculum folders that include benchmarks, bell‑ringers and formative checks, and will continue professional development including Mathematical Habits of Mind and Ashlock training.

High school changes include purchase of i‑Excel for Lincoln County High School to provide benchmark data and renewed partnership with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to coordinate high‑school math and language arts instruction. District staff said they also purchased Newsela for nonfiction reading and are embedding content areas into ELA and math instruction to increase nonfiction and writing exposure.

Staff described schedule and delivery details when board members asked. Shortridge said most elementary ELA blocks run about 40 minutes, middle schools about 51 minutes and high schools about 58 minutes, and that many schools provide intervention “on top of that,” so targeted students receive a “double dose.” She said special‑education students showed “extreme gains” and that in some schools about 15% of students with IEPs are now reading on grade level.

District leaders said they reorganized coaching so central‑office directors and coaches are each assigned to a school, and principals will produce school accountability plans. The district will offer stipends for after‑school data‑dive sessions so teachers have paid time to analyze assessment data and plan interventions.

Board members asked how interventions are scheduled and whether groups are by skill rather than grade; Shortridge said reading intervention groups are organized by skill and not strictly by grade, and the district is encouraging that approach within classroom math where time allows. She said reading and math interventions vary by school but principals were asked to include a walk‑to‑intervention in schedules.

The presentation closed with administrators emphasizing continued monitoring through walkthroughs, coaching and PLCs and the district’s goal to keep improving rather than “take your foot off the gas.”