Dallas Center‑Grimes board reviews year‑end district goals, data tools, MTSS and facilities planning

The Dallas Center‑Grimes Community School District Board met in a special session to review the district’s 2024‑25 goals and year‑end progress, hear updates on student data systems and multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS), and receive status reports on the district strategic plan and facilities master plan.

Superintendent Dr. Bloom said the presentation was intended as a year‑end reflection on the district’s four long‑range goal areas — academics, academic support, climate and culture, and teacher efficacy — and to summarize specific annual targets set for 2024‑25. The board heard results and next steps for each area.

The board reviewed proficiency data presented as cohort comparisons on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress). The district reported gains in English language arts proficiency in several grade cohorts, with fewer and smaller gains in math. District staff told the board that, while proficiency remains the primary performance measure now, the district is preparing to consider a student growth model in future goal‑setting once data tools and human capital needs are in place.

Presenters discussed the district’s data tools and capacity. Staff named EVOS (a state‑sponsored data management tool) and Looker Studio as analytics platforms the district uses, and noted FAST assessments as a more frequent interim measure than ISASP. Presenters said the district has the technical tools but may lack dedicated human capital to generate regular, actionable reports for principals and grade teams. The presentation called out the value of a district staff…