Lyon County trustees review district performance plan, weigh tests and career credentials

At a Feb. 19 workshop, the Lyon County School District Board of Trustees reviewed a draft 2025–26 District Performance Plan and discussed proposed goals for student growth, assessment choices and career-readiness programs.

The discussion centered on measuring and improving student growth rather than only proficiency snapshots. Superintendent Emma Logan said trustees would see historical and diagnostic data and framed the workshop as the start of goal-setting, noting "there is data that says that we need growth," and that the district was preparing goals to bring back for formal approval in March and April.

Trustees and staff debated which assessments to use for progress monitoring. District staff proposed using i-Ready as the primary progress-monitoring tool for math and reading because it provides classroom-aligned diagnostics, individualized learning paths and multiple administrations per year; staff said MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) has been used historically but would be phased out at the district level if the state does not require it. Rachel Stewart, director of special services, said i-Ready and MAP are given three times annually and that i-Ready ‘‘helps the teachers to know…where [students] are and where they’re going’’ and supplies strand-level guidance for small-group instruction.

Staff and several public commenters described long-term declines in state and district proficiency rates. Public commenter Jim Davis summarized Nevada Report Card figures he provided to the board, saying district proficiency rates in several grades and subjects trailed the statewide averages in 2023–24. Other speakers urged specific, measurable goals, more frequent progress reporting and focus on attendance as an early lever to raise achievement.

High school readiness measures and career credentials drew extended attention. Presenters reviewed how Nevada requires juniors to take the ACT (the district noted the state uses the ACT as its college-career readiness measure) and explained how WorkKeys (the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate) could be implemented at all high schools to give students nationally recognized workplace certificates (bronze, silver, gold, platinum). Board members and staff said WorkKeys could be piloted or phased in as a baseline year for 2025–26; staff warned implementation and tests involve added costs and scheduling considerations.

Trustees discussed goals staff proposed to submit in the state template: raising the percent of K–8 students who meet or exceed their personal typical growth in math and reading (staff proposed a district goal in the mid-50s percent range, with a stretch target discussed), increasing participation in work-based learning by 10% year over year, implementing WorkKeys at all high schools (baseline year), increasing the share of college-bound juniors meeting ACT benchmarks by 5%, and reducing chronic absenteeism (staff proposed a 10% decrease from the current baseline). Staff said some of the proposed measures (for example, the WorkKeys baseline and some ACT analyses) would rely on data available only after the current school year ends.

Trustees stressed the importance of giving teachers actionable, timely data and of supporting schools with resources and targeted interventions so goals are attainable rather than punitive. Staff said they will return with firm language and measurable annual objectives; the board will vote on the finalized district performance plan and objectives at a future meeting.

At the start of the meeting the board approved the agenda: Trustee Farr moved to approve the agenda; Trustee Bull seconded; the motion passed unanimously.

The workshop was discussion-only on the draft performance plan; no final policy or budget decisions were made during the session. Staff said they would bring a firmer draft of annual objectives and associated improvement strategies to the next regular meeting for formal consideration.