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District reports high chronic absenteeism and weak third‑grade test scores; staff outline fixes
Summary
Superintendent and staff reported chronic absenteeism levels of 45% (preliminary last year) and about 37.5% year‑to‑date; state OSAS results showed mixed gains and losses across grades but third‑grade proficiency was described as "catastrophic," prompting plans for targeted interventions, curriculum adjustments and staffing changes.
District staff told the board that chronic absenteeism and third‑grade test scores are top priorities.
Superintendent Holloway said chronic absenteeism — defined as missing 10% or more of the school year — was preliminarily 45% last year; he reported a September rate of 38.52% and a year‑to‑date rate of 37.53% as of the most recent Monday report. Holloway said the district will continue interventions to reduce absenteeism and noted the issue's broad impact on instruction.
Howell (speaker 2) presented the Oregon School Assessment System (OSAS) results and repeatedly flagged third‑grade outcomes as the most worrying. "Our third grade results for this last year are frankly catastrophic," Howell said, and he attributed the low scores to several factors: that cohort began kindergarten online during the pandemic, there was a testing impropriety in one third‑grade class that affected testing continuity, and the district is in the early phase of a multi‑year curriculum adoption in mathematics. Howell said the district has a new third‑grade hire with a math endorsement and expects targeted instruction and curriculum adjustments to yield better results.
On compliance, Holloway reviewed Division 22 standards (Oregon Administrative Rules) and said the district is in compliance in 53 of 59 areas and out of compliance in six, which will be addressed through the November community report and the state submission due Nov. 15. The areas listed as out of compliance included career education, comprehensive school counseling, TAG services, assessment of essential skills, certificates of attendance policy, and PE data reporting.
What happens next: staff will work on targeted third‑grade interventions, investigate the impact of chronic absenteeism on test results, complete required Division 22 reports and return with corrective plans.
