At a November board meeting administrators presented fall NWEA results and other assessment data and told the board that interpreting those numbers requires care: NWEA norms changed this fall and growth goals are set by NWEA, not the district. Shelley (presentation lead) warned small group sizes (column 'n') can make percentage changes look large and reminded board members to consider multiple classroom‑based measures, not just NWEA.

Shelley emphasized attendance as a leading factor affecting achievement and said the district reports both average daily attendance and chronic absenteeism (a student missing 10% or more of days in session). She said last year 32 percent of students were chronically absent and explained that, for example, 175 student days equals 17.5 missed days on average in the affected group. She and principals said chronic absence counts all absences (excused or unexcused).

Principals provided school‑level context: Jan (Libby Tozier) described how NWEA may differ from local measures (letter naming, number ID, SEL) for early grades and noted large variation in incoming kindergarten skills; Carrie Ricker’s principal reported reading growth improvements but ongoing math challenges and staff turnover from a school merger; Oak Hill Middle described WIN time RTI groupings and six‑week data rounds to adjust instruction; the high school described interventions (PBIS, reading interventionists, RC activities) and the challenge of sustaining student engagement across the year.

Administrators described steps to address concerns: literacy curriculum review, data‑driven grouping, coaching and PLGs, family engagement (math night, winter events) and earlier intervention windows (starting interventions by week three). The board asked principals to come back with so‑what and now‑what next steps; the superintendent assigned ‘homework’ ahead of the Dec. 10 budget discussion so the board can outline budget priorities that tie to academic goals.

What happens next: principals will continue data rounds and share targeted action plans; the board will discuss budget priorities at the Dec. 10 meeting with requested data points.