Bay City ISD staff report mixed early-grade assessment results, falling pre-K enrollment and work to limit suspensions
Loading...
Summary
District staff told the board that kindergarten readiness and first-grade reading showed some gains but math results are affected by a statewide assessment redesign; the district is seeing a drop in incoming pre-K students and is tracking attendance and out-of-school-suspension reductions.
District staff presented data on early-grade assessments, enrollment trends and student safety during the Bay City ISD board meeting.
Staff said kindergarten reading readiness improved slightly compared with the prior year, while math results are difficult to compare because the assessment vendor is redesigning the screener and the vendor’s reporting currently shows incomplete data points. The district reported that some math subdomains—measurement and geometry—were not yet reporting full results for the current year. Administrators said they may consider changing the district’s in-class screener next year because the current platform (Amplify, as discussed in the meeting) has produced unreliable or limited data.
Enrollment and attendance: administrators told the board that district average daily attendance had risen to about 93.5% at a reported point, with the current average reported near 95.7% at the time of the meeting; the district said it expects attendance to dip at predictable seasonal points and is preparing targeted mitigation strategies. Enrollment declines were highlighted: administrators said incoming four-year-old (pre-K) numbers are substantially lower this year and that the district closed a pre-K classroom because there were not enough eligible four-year-olds in the community. Staff said outreach (church visits, door‑to‑door efforts and parent contact) has not found enough younger children to replace the decline. The administration referenced census-based birth-rate trends consistent with a smaller kindergarten cohort.
Discipline and suspensions: administrators reported tracking a decline in some discipline measures (in-school suspension instances had gone down), but noted 924 out-of-school suspension days occurred last year across the district; staff said they are working with principals to reduce out-of-school suspensions that may be unnecessary and make targeted decisions to return students to class when appropriate. The district reported about 42 physically aggressive incidents in the school year’s first months; staff said sites have made immediate changes in response and will continue monitoring incidents.
Assessment-screener next steps: staff said they will review alternative screeners and that any change would require a commissioner-approved process (staff described the selection as governed by a commissioner role). The board was informed that changes could be considered for the following school year so the district can obtain more reliable and actionable data.
What the board asked for: board members asked for more information about how the district tracks students who leave (withdrawals) and whether the district follows up with families to learn reasons for leaving. Staff replied campuses contact families at withdrawal and that the district’s greatest enrollment decline driver this year was fewer incoming four-year-olds.
Context: the presentation combined state-aligned assessment reporting issues, local enrollment patterns and an administrative strategy to reduce disproportionate out-of-school suspensions while maintaining safety.
