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Chickasha Middle School outlines attendance, testing and intervention goals; pilots new math benchmarking
Summary
CMS principal presented targets to reduce chronic absenteeism, raise state test passage rates and expand targeted interventions; school is piloting Alpha Plus for math benchmarking and using GEAR UP resources for college and career readiness.
Chickasha Middle School Principal (name given in the transcript as Miss Clark) briefed the Board of Education on a package of academic and engagement goals for the 2024‑25 school year, focused on reducing chronic absenteeism, improving ELA and math proficiency and expanding data-driven interventions.
On attendance the principal said CMS aims for a 4 percentage‑point reduction in chronic absenteeism for 2024‑25, noting the district removes "in phase" students (those enrolling after the first 20 days) from some published rates. She said daily chronic absence rates had fluctuated between 37 and 39 percent since January and that some recent data-processing choices produced a nine‑point drop when in‑phase students are excluded. To address attendance, CMS is increasing family contact, conducting home visits, and instructing students to chart and monitor their own attendance.
Academic goals presented included a target combined proficient/advanced (passage) rate in ELA of at least 55 percent for both seventh and eighth grades, and a 10 percentage‑point growth target in math (from a cited 35 percent in seventh grade and 19 percent in eighth grade). The principal said STAR benchmark data are used three times annually and that 60 percent of students who took STAR from winter to spring "showed growth" even where standard scores declined because of changes in the test's standard-setting and pacing. The school will continue data protocols, common formative assessments (CFAs), and individualized goal-setting; CMS reported 66.4 percent of students showed math growth from fall to winter on STAR math.
CMS said it has restructured third‑hour "Chick Fest" time to provide data‑targeted tiered supports (intervention, extension, enrichment), expanded tier‑3 math and reading interventions with specific staff, and emphasized student reflection after CFAs. The school also noted social and enrichment activities (weight room, awards assemblies, weather‑safety programming) and a push to increase parent engagement through monthly events.
On curriculum tools, CMS is piloting Alpha Plus for math because district leaders said it aligns closely with Oklahoma state standards and provides three benchmark administrations and CFA support. Administrators said they are not relying on a single assessment tool and are evaluating data convergence between STAR, Alpha Plus and other sources; multiple board members said they remain unconvinced STAR alone supplies the granular data teachers need.
CMS described participation in the GEAR UP grant with the University of Oklahoma K20 Center, serving graduating cohorts of 2029 and 2030 with campus visits, tutoring (live online SSA tutoring), mentoring and family leadership activities; the principal said purchased audiovisual equipment will support an audio‑visual club feeding into high‑school offerings.
Board members asked about correlation between STAR and state assessments; CMS administrators acknowledged differences and said they had additional STAR vendor training and were pursuing complementary tools. No formal action was taken; the presentation was provided as a staff report.
