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Evansville commissioners praise Million Fathers March, request student data after AIS concerns
Summary
At the Aug. 22 commission meeting, members debriefed the Million Fathers March and asked staff for iRead score breakdowns and graduation-rate data for African American males as they discussed attendance, behavior and literacy challenges at AIS.
At an Aug. 22 Evansville City commission meeting, commissioners debriefed the Million Fathers March and flagged concerns about student supports at AIS, asking staff for additional data on standardized-test results and graduation rates.
Chair called for a debriefing of the Million Fathers March and commissioners reported events across several sites, including Lincoln, Glenwood and Lodge, with participants from the police department and local groups. "We had probably about 13 to 15 mentors there," one commissioner said of Lincoln, and others reported the mayor and chief of police attended at least one site. Commissioners said photos from the events were submitted to staff.
Why it matters: commissioners linked outreach to broader academic concerns at AIS and elsewhere. Committee members said they will focus recommendations on attendance, behavior and literacy and asked staff for disaggregated iRead test scores and longitudinal graduation-rate data for African American males (measured from ninth to 12th grade) to inform next steps. "So, I think those are the 3 areas," a committee member said of the planned focus.
During discussion, commissioners raised questions about grade retention policies. A commissioner asked whether parents can request that a student be held back; Melissa (staff) confirmed parents may request retention and advised requesting a meeting to discuss individual cases. Commissioners emphasized supports before retention and suggested tutoring, counseling and parental engagement. "We just believe that this really requires thinking outside the box," a committee member said, urging holistic family and community supports.
Members also discussed partnership options to expand youth opportunities, including entrepreneurship programs at Ivy Tech and local content creators who could advise students on digital careers. The committee scheduled a Sept. 12 meeting with Dr. Smith and district staff to finalize recommendations and review the EVSC proposals.
The meeting record shows no formal vote on policy changes; commissioners directed staff to compile the requested data for review at upcoming meetings.
