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Parent says no girls were placed into advanced math at Glacier Creek; asks district for transparency
Summary
A parent told the board that for the 2024–25 year no girls from West Middleton were placed in advanced math at Glacier Creek while eight boys were placed, and asked the district to publish admission/placement criteria and set a follow‑up meeting.
Elizabeth Chase Olsen, a West Middleton parent, told the Milton Cross Plains Area School District board on Aug. 25 that none of the girls from West Middleton were placed in advanced math at Glacier Creek Middle School for 2024–25, while eight boys were placed, and urged the district to address potential bias in placement.
"For 24‑25, not a single girl from West Middleton was placed into advanced math at Glacier Creek. That 0 is not just a number," Olsen told the board during the citizens' comment portion. Olsen said she met school leaders per Superintendent Dana Minogue's guidance, filed an open‑records request and received a spreadsheet that she described as not math‑specific and not labeled — it grouped orchestra, math and student council — which she said was "confusing and not helpful." She urged the board to set specific follow‑up steps.
Olsen requested that the district name the responsible school and district staff; publish a clear document and website information explaining all advanced‑learning opportunities and qualification procedures; explain how placements are reviewed for fairness; and set the date and agenda for the follow‑up meeting Superintendent Minogue promised. She emphasized the need for a timeline: "Follow through. Set the date and agenda for the follow‑up meeting Dr. Minogue promised and a clear timeline for document and website updates."
Board members did not make any formal motion or take immediate action on her request during the meeting. The citizens' comment period does not permit board discussion beyond brief acknowledgement; the transcript records Olsen's remarks and the board's recognition but no formal directive or vote.
Why it matters: Placement in advanced classes affects students’ learning trajectories and future course access. A reported gender imbalance that a parent characterizes as possible bias prompted requests for transparent criteria, named points of contact and documented follow‑up steps from district staff.
The transcript records Olsen's requests and her filing of an open‑records request; it does not include a district response, specific staff names responsible for placement, or a board commitment to an action timeline beyond Olsen’s call for a follow‑up meeting.
