Board hears student-learning update highlighting JAG program at Booneville and iLearn/iRead testing windows

The Warrick County School Corporation Board of Trustees heard May 13 from Jason Fisher, Director of Learning, about a year-old Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program at Booneville High School and the district’s state assessments and summer literacy plans.

Fisher described JAG — a partnership with Workforce1 — as an intensive program designed to help students facing life challenges earn a diploma and move into postsecondary education or employment; Booneville’s program includes work-based learning, apprenticeships, resume and interview skills, guest speakers, site visits and ongoing mentoring after graduation.

“This teacher continues to check-in on them, to see how they're doing in their post secondary studies or how they're doing with their employment,” Fisher said of the JAG instructor’s postgraduation mentorship.

Fisher said Booneville currently has about 15 students in JAG and the district hopes to expand the cohort next year. He cautioned that state funding for JAG had not been definitively confirmed; district officials said they were coordinating with state legislators and partners to secure ongoing support.

On testing, Fisher said the iLearn window for grades 3–8 recently closed and state score reporting was delayed by an English-language-arts field test that slowed individual student reports. The district began iRead 2 and 3 testing the same day as the board meeting; second graders are now required to take iRead and about 60% of the district’s second graders had passed the assessment prior to the summer retest window, Fisher said.

For students who do not pass iRead 3, the district plans iRead 3 summer school at Chandler Elementary from late May into early June; about 45 students had signed up and three educators were assigned, Fisher said. iRead 2 summer intervention is also planned for at-risk second graders at Oakdale Elementary with 10 students enrolled and eight educators assigned.

Board members asked for clarification on whether JAG funding was secure and on technical details of testing and exemptions. Fisher said the district had not yet received a final state funding update for JAG and explained that students who pass iRead are finished with the test requirement; students who fail iRead 3 may be eligible for a “good cause” exemption for promotion but will continue to be assessed until they pass or enter grade 7.

No board action was required; the presentation was informational and staff will return with updates as test results and funding decisions develop.