Olympia School District reports high graduation rate but flags falling ninth‑grade on‑track and lower self‑efficacy among students with IEPs

The Olympia School District board of directors heard a progress report Feb. 13 on Outcome 5 — “discover your passions, be curious and love learning” — that balanced a record high district graduation rate with declining ninth‑grade on‑track figures and notably lower self‑efficacy and positive‑feeling survey responses for students receiving special education services and several other student groups.

Superintendent Patrick Murphy said the district’s graduation rate is “the highest graduation rate in recent recorded history in the Olympia School District at 94.1 percent,” and said the board should still aim to increase that by at least 1 percentage point per year. But Executive Director of Secondary Schools James Whitehead and other staff pointed to mixed ninth‑grade on‑track numbers for recent freshman cohorts: the 2020–21 freshman cohort (class of 2024) was 73.7 percent on track, the following cohort rose to about 80 percent, and more recent cohorts fell back (one most recent freshmen cohort reported at 77.6 percent). Whitehead said the trend is “not the direction that we want to go” and staff are reviewing course offerings, AVID and science alignment, and interventions to address the decline.

The district also reported changes in Panorama survey results used to measure harder‑to‑quantify indicators such as students’ self‑efficacy and positive feelings about school. Billy Harris, who presented Panorama data, warned that Panorama changed some questions this fall and noted a roughly 10 percent nationwide drop in favorable self‑efficacy responses tied to that change. Harris and staff emphasized the persistent gap between the district average and students receiving special education services: "we can see a significant difference in that self efficacy," he said, adding that the district is focusing on Black/African American students, multilingual learners, students impacted by poverty, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students in its action plan.

Staff outlined a multi‑part action plan to move the indicators: expand AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) programming across grade levels, share service‑learning and credit‑recovery opportunities, refine grading practices, and increase culturally responsive education residencies and professional learning. Laura Conklin, director of inclusive schools and systems, was identified as leading AVID work; staff said AVID work this year includes elementary, middle and high school components and named schools currently participating or in planning: Olympia High School (longstanding AVID), Thurgood Marshall Middle School (year 2), Jefferson Middle (AVID Emerge for multilingual learners, year 1), and several year‑1 AVID launches at Roosevelt, Lincoln, Garfield, Hansen and Capital High School.

Principal Danny Clark described classroom practice at McLean Elementary tied to culturally responsive education residencies and unit planning, showing video of students who completed a public‑service‑announcement unit. Clark said teachers planned units that increased student choice and engagement; two third‑grade students who appeared in the presentation described selecting animals to research and choosing project formats. One student said, “A PSA asks you to do something to help a cause,” and another said finishing a big project felt “really relieving and fun.”

At the secondary level, Scott LaDuke, a CTE teacher at Capital High School, explained how career and technical education links autonomy, mastery and purpose to engage students. LaDuke highlighted industry advisory members who review student projects and noted a DigiPen scholarship for students who earn an A in his video‑game design class (he said the scholarship can be “nearly $20,000 a year … up to 4 years”). He described a continuous‑improvement approach in which students present to professionals five times per year and staff revise the class after each session.

Public commenters raised related concerns. Shannon, a Jefferson Middle School parent and special‑education advocate, told the board the Panorama survey “reveals that middle school students with IEPs have lower self efficacy and positive feelings compared to all OSD students” and urged the district to prioritize Series 2000 special‑education policy review (policy 2061), expand co‑teaching opportunities and invest in professional development so students with IEPs have access to electives and exploratory classes. Erica Larry, a parent, asked whether the district’s ninth‑grade on‑track targets have incorporated COVID‑era effects for cohorts that experienced remote and hybrid learning.

Board members and staff discussed AVID’s cost and rollout, noting that initial onboarding years are the most resource‑intensive and that the district is exploring how to sustain AVID after schools exit targeted improvement status. Staff said some school‑improvement funds and Title I resources are being used to support AVID in participating buildings and that AVID family‑engagement nights are one common practice to involve caregivers. James Whitehead said AVID is used as an elective at Olympia and Capital high schools and that the district is working to expand alignment from elementary through middle and high school to support the ninth‑grade transition.

During routine business preceding the presentation the board adopted the meeting agenda and approved minutes and the consent agenda by voice vote. The consent agenda passed and the board moved to the Outcome 5 presentation without modification.

Staff asked for board feedback on priorities and noted links to recent Outcome 2 materials (graduation‑rate and credit recovery options were discussed at the Jan. 23 meeting). Superintendent Murphy and staff signaled plans to report back with more detail on AVID pricing, grading‑practice work, credit‑recovery expansion and the district’s comprehensive assessment program review to better align metrics with the strategic outcomes.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to adopt the Feb. 13, 2025 meeting agenda — moved and seconded, voice vote recorded as unanimous; outcome: approved. - Approval of minutes from 01/23/2025 board meeting — moved and seconded, voice vote recorded as unanimous; outcome: approved. - Approval of minutes from winter retreat 01/25/2025 — moved and seconded, voice vote recorded as unanimous; outcome: approved. - Approval of minutes from 02/06/2025 work session (East Side school improvement plans) — moved and seconded, voice vote recorded as unanimous; outcome: approved. - Approval of consent agenda (includes personnel and retirements) — moved and seconded, voice vote recorded as unanimous; outcome: approved.

What it means

District leaders presented a mix of encouraging and cautionary indicators: a high overall graduation rate alongside weakening ninth‑grade on‑track data and measurable differences in self‑efficacy and positive feelings for students with IEPs and other subgroups. Staff proposed concrete next steps (AVID expansion, culturally responsive residencies, grading and credit‑recovery work and additional surveys or deeper disaggregation of Panorama data) and asked the board for feedback and continued monitoring. Public commenters asked the board to prioritize special‑education policy review and inclusive scheduling so students with IEPs are not excluded from electives. The board directed staff to continue analysis and report back with implementation details and cost estimates.

Reporting note: quotes and attributions in this article are taken verbatim from the board meeting transcript. The report summarizes staff presentations, public comments and board discussion presented at the Feb. 13, 2025 Olympia School District board of directors meeting.