Waynesville R‑VI presents beginning‑of‑year STAR results; third grade flagged for extra support
Summary
District leaders reported mixed STAR reading and math results across grades, credited K–2 gains partly to LETRS training and phonics programs, and said the district will draft a comprehensive literacy plan and increase coaching to address third‑grade declines.
Waynesville R‑VI school district administrators on Monday presented beginning‑of‑year STAR reading and math data, saying early grades showed gains while third grade will receive focused intervention.
Mr. Henson, who led the presentation with Mrs. Long, said kindergarten and first grade scored above prior years in some measures and that second grade showed an increase in percentile rank. He said those gains are partly attributable to district implementation of the Science of Reading training (LETRS), phonics resources including Heggerty, and a districtwide tiered literacy block that emphasizes phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and writing.
Administrators reported a drop in third‑grade reading and percentile rank compared with prior years and identified that grade as a district focus. ‘‘We are developing plans. Principals will be in these classrooms more, coaching support, whether it be a building level coach or a district level coach,’’ Henson said.
For math, Henson said early‑grade scale scores were generally steady and percentile ranks showed modest increases in several grades. He highlighted cohorts that began the year stronger (notably an eighth‑grade cohort that outperformed prior starts) and said the district is using STAR data to design tier‑2 and tier‑3 supports and to inform building‑level coaching.
The presentation noted that Renaissance (STAR) renormed tests recently, so administrators displayed only two years of comparative data to avoid skewed trends. Henson and Mrs. Long said the district has launched a vertical review of reading and writing curriculum, plans to form teacher teams to pilot new resources this school year, and has a goal to write a comprehensive literacy plan using a state rubric and stakeholder input.
A board member asked whether seniors could be assessed for a Lexile before graduation; Henson said that specific senior testing is not in the current assessment plan but could be considered for next year.
