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Merrill Elementary outlines improvement plan focused on literacy, math and chronic absenteeism
Summary
Merrill Elementary principal Regina McAllister presented a school improvement plan that sets targets in literacy and math and highlights social‑emotional work and attendance interventions; the school described demographics, program changes and a plan to reduce chronic absenteeism.
Regina McAllister, principal at Merrill Elementary School, presented the school’s Continuous Improvement Plan to the Board of Education on July 15, describing goals in literacy, math and social‑emotional behavior and outlining strategies to increase student growth.
McAllister said Merrill served about 270 students in 2024–25 with 85.6 percent qualifying as economically disadvantaged. The school reported that its student population was 53 percent Black/African American, 29 percent Hispanic/Latino, about 13.7 percent white and more than 11 percent multiracial; English learners represented roughly 11 percent and students with disabilities about 18.5 percent.
Key SIP goals included raising the share of students reading at or above grade level (IRLA) from 30.5 percent to 45 percent for identified groups and increasing the percentage of students meeting math growth targets using Imagine Math and other benchmarks. McAllister and district staff cited literacy and math “learning walks,” classroom implementation rubrics, tiered instruction and “enrichment for all” as strategies. The school also described an adoption of a Ron Clark Academy house system to foster student belonging and school culture.
Attendance and chronic absenteeism were central concerns. The school’s daily attendance averaged 86.9 percent in 2024–25 against a district goal of 95 percent; McAllister reported a chronic absenteeism rate (below 90 percent attendance) of 52.6 percent and said the school used home visits, a shared family advocate and wraparound services to address barriers such as transportation and clean clothing. McAllister said targeted interventions and coordination with central office supports helped improve some attendance measures.
Board members asked about class sizes, staffing and timelines for the next SIP; McAllister said staffing adjustments were planned for 2025–26 and that the SIP for 2025–26 would be finalized in late July or early August. Board members praised family engagement work and asked staff to return with progress on absenteeism and academic goals.
