Midyear LCAP shows gains in graduation but declines in ELA, math and EL progress; board debates measures and early intervention

District staff presented a combined midyear Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and California Dashboard report at the Feb. 18 board meeting that showed mixed results: a district‑wide graduation rate increase but drops in several academic indicators and English‑learner metrics.

"Graduation rate overall was 86.8%," said Reno Penders, the staff presenter for the LCAP highlights. He told trustees that the district’s graduation rate rose from 81.7% the prior year and that Phoenix High School saw a notable increase. Penders also reported that districtwide enrollment in AP classes and CTE pathway completion climbed year over year.

At the same time, Penders said the district fell from 12.7 points above standard to 4.6 points above standard in English language arts, and that math proficiency declined further into the negative range. He reported declines in science proficiency (36% to 30%), English‑learner progress (from 46.8% to 38.7%), and reclassification rates for English learners (from 13.6% to 9.8%).

Trustees and staff discussed measurement limits of the dashboard and the need for interim, common assessments. One trustee said the dashboard can feel like “an autopsy” because it reports past results rather than providing live indicators that allow intervention. Another trustee urged the district to develop aligned common assessments and a guaranteed curriculum so teachers can track progress earlier and intervene before state tests.

Public commenters and board members also linked the data to staffing and morale concerns raised earlier in the meeting, including teacher pay and classroom supports. Staff described work with Placer County Office of Education on interim assessments and acknowledged variability in high‑school math sequences and the testing window as drivers of year‑to‑year swings.

The board did not take action on the LCAP presentation but directed staff to continue work on interim assessments, PLC (professional learning community) supports and cohort tracking that compares the same group of students over time. Staff said the full LCAP document with spending details and metrics is in the board packet and that county assistance will be sought where subgroups are identified for differentiated assistance.