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Carson High principal reports academic gains, MTSS expansion and Silver Campus plan for Pioneer site
Summary
Carson High principal Dan Carstens told the board that AP participation and scores have rebounded to pre-COVID levels, Jumpstart and CTE offerings continue to expand, the district saw a large TFI fidelity increase and staff proposed renaming Pioneer—s campus and creating a JAG-based pathway for freshmen.
Carson High School Principal Dan Carstens presented the school—s annual report to the board, highlighting increases in AP participation and performance, steady CTE enrollment and a large expansion in the school—s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) fidelity.
Carstens told trustees AP exam participation and scores have returned to pre-COVID levels and noted the school—s AP scores compare favorably with state and national averages. He reported a program GPA of 3.51 for Jumpstart students and said the school now offers 15 career and technical education (CTE) pathways. CTE completers last year had a graduation rate above 95 percent, he said.
Carstens described instructional and schedule changes intended to boost instructional time and targeted supports next year: a transition to a 4-by-4 schedule that preserves teacher prep time while creating a dedicated intervention block for freshmen and sophomores and an ACT-prep block for juniors.
The principal also reported a measured improvement in MTSS implementation: where he said Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) scores showed a roughly 29 percent implementation in an earlier assessment, a district evaluation now shows about 70 percent implementation after recent efforts, which Carstens credited to focused staff training and new intervention staffing.
Carstens described a rebranding and restructuring for the former Pioneer campus. The campus will be renamed the Carson High Silver Campus, he said, and administrators intend to preserve a small-school atmosphere with about 50 students per grade level. The Silver Campus will include a two-year, JAG-based (Jobs for America—s Graduates) pathway for freshmen and sophomores with career exploration, internships and targeted supports, while AP, Jumpstart and CTE programs will remain anchored at the main Carson High campus.
Other operational items noted: school staff observed improved classroom climate after phone restrictions (Yondr pouches) were used, the library continues to be a high-traffic student support hub, and the school is working to refine lunch-line logistics to reduce missed instructional time. Carstens asked board members to visit the campus after staff complete implementation of the new intervention model.
Why it matters: The updates show the district—s high-school flagship balancing advanced-college options (AP and Jumpstart) with growth in CTE and expanded supports for struggling students. Trustees praised the school—s approach and asked for follow-up details about the Pioneer/Silver Campus recruitment and student supports.
No board action was taken.
