Open Classroom and Salt Lake Center for Science Education present student-growth and inclusion data to board

Two Salt Lake City School District‑authorized charter schools presented annual reports at the May 6 board meeting, describing academic outcomes, enrollment trends, inclusion work and community partnerships.

Open Classroom (charter, preschool–8)

Principal summarized gains in growth and achievement and said Open Classroom is not in school‑improvement status. Key points: - The school reported improved median growth percentiles (MGPs) across middle‑school grades, with several teachers producing MGPs above 54 in math, language arts and science; third‑grade reading was reported at 59.5% on level. - Open Classroom said students with disabilities made a 12.18 percentage‑point increase on achievement points and multi‑race students rose by 9.08 percentage points. - Enrollment continues rising; the principal said fall enrollment is projected around 307 and the school aims to reach its chartered capacity of roughly 400 students ahead of its 2026–27 re‑charter. - The school described a strong parent‑cooperative model and local partnerships (community garden, arts grants) and noted attendance and tardies as ongoing priorities.

The school’s principal answered board questions about students with disabilities, saying roughly 20% of Open Classroom’s students hold individualized education programs and that supports are provided primarily through push‑in services and pull‑outs rather than self‑contained classrooms.

Salt Lake Center for Science Education (SlickC, high school)

SlickC’s principal described a science‑focused, project‑based high‑school model that emphasizes experiential learning, inclusion and partnerships with the University of Utah and local organizations. Highlights included: - SlickC’s graduation rate in recent reporting was high (presented as approximately in the high 90s percent in the presentation); school leaders said the campus is a top‑performing district school. - The school emphasized an inclusive, non‑tracked model where students take physics first followed by chemistry and biology, and teachers co‑teach with push‑in supports for students with disabilities. - Students participate in field labs, outdoor experiential learning and community‑partner projects (e.g., lab visits, HawkWatch bird‑banding statistics projects, and partnerships that have produced tangible student work such as cosmic‑ray detectors).

Board reaction and next steps

Board members thanked both charters for the reports and asked that the district’s finance committee review how charter finances relate to the district budget (the board directed the finance subcommittee to review charter audits and financials in a future meeting). District staff indicated they would prepare a memo documenting the annual reviews and compliance determinations for consent at a future meeting.

Why it matters: The presentations gave the board an updated view of two district‑authorized charters’ academic performance, inclusion approaches and enrollment plans as the district prepares for re‑charter reviews and fiscal planning.