Axton Elementary: reading steady, math strong; science dip tied to staffing shortages
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Summary
Axton Elementary presented three-year reading, math and science trends to the Henry County school board. Staff said math and reading remain above division averages, while a drop in science scores was linked to staffing losses and compressed instructional time; staffing restorations are expected to improve outcomes.
Axton Elementary leaders told the Henry County Public Schools board on March 5 that reading performance has stayed roughly steady over the past three years, math is a consistent strength, and science fell sharply after staffing losses concentrated instructional responsibilities.
In a presentation to the board, the school’s presenter said reading percentages hovered in the low-to-mid 70s, and math results were in the low- to mid-80s across the three-year window. The presenter emphasized that the recent decline in science — a fall to roughly the high 50s in the most recent year — stemmed from staffing capacity, not teacher commitment: “This decline was not about lack of effort. … It was a capacity issue,” the presenter said, arguing that one fewer fourth-grade and one fewer fifth-grade teacher had concentrated tested-subject responsibility on a small number of teachers.
School leaders told the board they have restored fourth-grade staffing this year and plan to add a third fifth-grade teacher next year. They said that restoring those positions will protect science instructional time and allow teachers more collaboration and planning, which they expect to translate into measurable recovery in science and history.
Attendance trends were also discussed: chronic absenteeism improved from 15.8% to about 10.7% in one year and then rose to about 13.6% in the current year. To address absences, Axton staff formed the NEST (Nurturing Education Support Team) committee focusing on belonging, attendance, family engagement and supportive interventions.
Board members thanked Axton staff for their efforts and commended the school’s data-driven approaches; Superintendent Dr. Blake Lewis and others recognized staff resilience amid staffing shortages. The presentation closed with school leaders noting the role of community partners in supporting students, including food-security initiatives and a new school-based health clinic pilot at Laurel Park Middle School.
The board did not take separate action on the presentation; the update informed later agenda conversations about staffing, safety and capital projects.