RISE Girl STEM Academy reports double-digit MAP gains and expands K–8 plans

Jennifer Hutchinson, presenting to the Fayette County Board of Education’s Equity Council Committee on May 6, reported that RISE Girl STEM Academy posted substantial student-growth gains this year and is planning a middle-school expansion at a new campus off Versailles Road.

Hutchinson, who introduced the March board presentation and spoke on behalf of Principal Cynthia Bruno, said winter MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) scores showed the percentage of scholars meeting or exceeding growth goals in reading rose from about 41.6% last winter to more than 63% this winter and that math growth rose from about 38.5% to about 53.2%.

Those gains translated to higher projected proficiency on state assessments: projected proficient/distinguished rates for third–fifth grades in reading increased from about 49.6% to about 65%, and in math from about 38% to about 54.5%, Hutchinson said. She highlighted that projected proficiency for Black students increased by about 26 points in reading and about 25 points in math from last winter to this winter, and that percent of Black students meeting growth goals rose from roughly 37.4% to about 57.9% in reading and from about 35.7% to 50% in math.

“Huge work has gone into targeted instruction under the leadership of Cynthia Bruno,” Hutchinson said, adding that staff coaching, consistent professional learning communities and authentic project-based learning were central to the changes. She told the council RISE enrolled about 220 students, that 61% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 43% identify as Black, 32% as White, fewer than 5% were identified gifted and talented, and about 12% receive EL services.

Hutchinson described program elements she credited for the gains: a Ron Clark Academy–style house system intended to create cross-grade connections; Friday STEM lessons delivered through a partnership with Girl Scouts that allow students to earn STEM badges from kindergarten through eighth grade; professional partnerships with Southside Tech Center, Bryan Station High School engineering programs and renewed connections with the University of Kentucky College of Education; and teacher coaching and midyear conferences.

She also summarized a third-grade project-based unit that involved students building an adaptive bicycle and bringing a recipient to campus, an example she said illustrated community impact from classroom work.

On expansion, Hutchinson said RISE is “digging in deep to our middle school planning” and expects to open a new building and expand elementary and middle grades at the Versailles Road campus. She said the district has been “extremely supportive” of staffing and programming as the school grows.

Council members asked about house assignment procedures, demographic comparisons, the Girl Scouts partnership and community mentoring connections; Hutchinson said houses are assigned by random selection spanning kindergarten through fifth grade, the school focused comparisons on its two largest groups because the school’s overall enrollment is small, and that the Girl Scouts curriculum is embedded in teacher-led instruction with the whole school participating on Fridays. She said the partnership is new and the program is developing tracking and badge distribution methods.

No formal board action was taken on the presentation; Hutchinson said she would take questions and share materials as requested.