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Graduation rate rises to 86%; winter reading screen shows gains; superintendent rebuffs ICE‑raid rumors
Summary
The district reported a four‑year graduation rate of 86% for the Class of 2023–24 (above the state rate of 82%), winter Idaho Reading Indicator results showing reductions in the lowest tier for some grades, and Superintendent Fowdy addressed community rumors about ICE activity while reporting attendance in the low 90s.
Blaine County School District officials on Feb. 11 told trustees that the district’s four‑year graduation rate for the 2023–24 cohort was 86 percent, above the state average of 82 percent. Assistant Superintendent Johnson explained the federal/state cohort rules used to calculate the measure and said subgroup results—especially for English language learners—drove much of the year‑to‑year movement.
Johnson said the district saw an influx of students new to the country over the last two years who entered cohorts late (in 10th or 11th grade) without transferable credits; that timing, she said, lowers the cohort’s ability to graduate within the standard four‑year window and depresses the relevant subgroup rate. Johnson also noted that some students who pursue a GED remain in the cohort for federal reporting purposes and are not appealable as completers under current rules.
Trustees discussed whether the district should separately track locally defined completers (for example, students who take extra time to graduate) to get a fuller picture of long‑term outcomes; Johnson said federal reporting rules limit appeals and that district-created metrics could provide additional context without changing federal accountability numbers.
On early‑reading data, Johnson reported winter Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) results and said some grades saw meaningful declines in the percentage of students in tier 3 (the most severe intervention tier). She cautioned that the winter screener is a 40‑minute, norm‑referenced tool that is useful for group tracking but has limited psychometric precision at the individual‑student level. The district also uses the screener for early math and a Spanish‑language screener at Alturas Elementary; gains and month‑to‑month comparisons were discussed alongside planned PLC alignment.
Separately, Superintendent Fowdy addressed circulating rumors about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the community and told trustees that local law enforcement had found the rumors unfounded; he said the district does not collect or maintain immigration status information and that the district’s role is to keep students safe. Fowdy also reported that recent attendance had been affected by an influenza outbreak but remained in the low‑90s districtwide.
Trustees asked for more local metrics that would reflect long‑term outcomes beyond federal four‑year cohort reporting and for future reporting that connects PLC work to assessment outcomes where possible.
