Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Strategic Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District spotlights multilingual‑learner outcomes and other strategic goals; board questions realism of some targets
Summary
In a year‑three strategic plan update, staff highlighted low exit rates for multilingual learners (17% exited last year), goals for third‑grade reading and eighth‑grade math, and an 11th‑grade ACT target; board members said some goals appear ambitious and asked for growth‑focused metrics and implementation plans.
District leaders updated the board on the Park City School District’s five strategic goals on Oct. 1, with particular attention to multilingual learners (MLLs), third‑grade reading, eighth‑grade math and an 11th‑grade ACT target.
Multilingual learners: Staff reported that only 17% of MLLs exited the WIDA language program in the most recent year and described changes in the exit criteria implemented in 2023 that affect year‑to‑year comparisons. The district said it will shift its metric from percent proficient to percent of students meeting individualized annual growth goals, focusing on fourth and fifth grades where the “biggest bang for the buck” toward exit is expected. Staff described classroom supports such as an electronic shadowing tool, required ESL endorsements for teachers and principal monitoring of MLL students.
Board concerns: Board members urged more targeted root‑cause analysis, asked how the district could increase social integration outside the classroom to accelerate language acquisition, and recommended focusing on extracurricular engagement and family outreach programs.
Other strategic goals: The board got updates on third‑grade reading (district reporting counts students “at or above benchmark” while the state reports “above benchmark” only), an eighth‑grade math goal (district target 90% proficient measured by RISE; current proficiency cited at about 60%), an 11th‑grade ACT target (district goal: 75% meeting the college‑readiness benchmark in English and reading; the district reported 85% of students scored 18 or higher on the district‑administered Grade 11 test), and a 4‑year graduation rate target (100% goal; 97% reported for the 2023–24 cohort under the four‑year cohort method).
Why it matters: Board members said they support the focus on MLLs and early literacy but urged realistic, growth‑oriented interim targets and clearer implementation steps. District staff said they will continue to refine targets and align work plans with the strategic goals.
Next steps: Staff will provide mid‑year implementation updates, track progress toward individualized growth goals for MLLs and work with school leaders to identify targeted interventions and outreach activities.
