Board reviews OSAS proficiency charts, urges focus on STAR 360 growth and PLC-driven instruction

District assessment staff presented Oregon Student Assessment System (OSAS) results across grade levels and schools, showing areas of both concern and pockets of strong performance. The presenter explained the black reference line on charts represents state proficiency in each grade and reviewed school-by-school percentages, noting participation differences and small-sample volatility at some sites.

Trustees discussed test-history context: state assessments paused in 2020-21 for COVID, and while OSAS administration resumed, passing OSAS is not presently a graduation requirement. Staff emphasized that OSAS shows proficiency bands, which can mask year-to-year growth within a band. Several trustees urged greater reliance on the district's STAR 360 benchmark and PLC (professional learning community) data to measure student growth from fall to spring rather than interpreting OSAS proficiency categories alone.

Trustees also discussed factors that influence results, including staff turnover at certain schools, curriculum implementation (second year of new math curriculum), instructional-assistant allocation and class-size adjustments. Staff said IA allocations and Title/Bridging funds are allocated based on student need, and building principals evaluate IA effectiveness using achievement and behavior data.

What happens next: Staff offered to compile STAR 360 and local growth data for board review and to provide participation/opt-out rates by school alongside OSAS results to aid interpretation; trustees asked for cohort explanations and for further analysis tying curriculum, staff stability and enrollment patterns to assessment outcomes.