Board reviews program evaluations for Early Education Center and SAGE gifted program; district outlines next steps

District staff presented the results of two program evaluations — one for the Early Education Center (EEC) and one for the SAGE gifted program — during a board workshop, outlining strengths, opportunities and next steps for both programs.

The Early Education Center evaluation reported that roughly 48.7% of the district’s students were observed as "kindergarten ready," matching the district average of 48.8%. Full‑day preschool students performed higher than the district average on the district’s kindergarten observation tool; students with no prior preschool experience showed much lower readiness (about 23%). Presenters emphasized that access to preschool correlated with stronger kindergarten readiness rates and highlighted the importance of funding sources such as MOQPK (a state-funded Pre‑K initiative) and ADA-based funding for full‑day classes.

Katie Lawson, who led the early education segment, described the EEC’s four pillars — student–family connection, guaranteed and viable curriculum, belonging, and reflective practice — and said the team narrowed early‑learning standards to 14 guaranteed standards for reporting to families. Lawson also reviewed the program’s funding mix, explaining that some classroom funding is reimbursable in arrears (early childhood special education and Title funds) and that MOQPK funding is legislatively dependent year to year.

The presentation included outcome measures for early childhood special education. Lawson said the district is at or above state expectations on state‑required early childhood outcome reporting for students who were dismissed from an IEP or who transitioned to kindergarten. The district is also expanding use of a Pre‑K Observation Form (PKOF) aligned to the kindergarten observation, so preschool teachers’ benchmarks can be reported to families before students enter kindergarten.

On the SAGE gifted program, presenter Kate (last name not specified in the public transcript) said the program serves roughly 1,500 students districtwide, including about 950 students at the Northland Innovation Center and about 500 students served in high‑school settings by gifted resource specialists. Kate said the program is widely recognized within Missouri, and staff highlighted that gifted enrollment demographics do not yet match district demographics: students of color, English‑language learners and students receiving free or reduced‑price lunch are underrepresented.

The SAGE presentation described recent changes in identification practices intended to improve equity, including districtwide adoption of the Naglieri nonverbal cognitive assessment (replacing the prior CogAT pilot) and increased local psych‑testing capacity so school psychologists test students in their home schools rather than centralizing testing. Staff said the Naglieri is normed to reduce bias across demographics and that increased testing at the school level can increase identification opportunities.

Both presentations used focus groups and surveys (parents, staff and students where applicable) alongside achievement and screener data. The presenters summarized three strengths and three opportunities from each evaluation and described how the evaluation findings will drive school improvement planning, committee work and stakeholder task‑force activity. The district outlined a five‑year rotation to evaluate 10 programs (two per year); the next evaluations planned include Alternative Education (Doctor Porter joining that work) and AVID, anticipated to begin in July.

Board members asked questions about capacity, access, funding and measurement. Staff said early childhood special education is served without a wait list (by law children are served upon turning 3) and that the district plans to add one full‑day preschool room next year. Staff also reported that about 15% of incoming kindergarten students required academic intervention, a figure the district uses to target supports. On gifted identification, staff said the district is increasing screening and testing and continuing work to align SAGE demographics more closely with the district.

Presenters and board members described several next steps: use the evaluation data to update school improvement plans and leadership work, coordinate with CTTN on transitions and family engagement, expand testing and screening access for gifted identification, and continue the five‑year program evaluation schedule.