Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
District presents detailed Black student achievement plan, reading and special‑education interventions and restorative justice expansion
Loading...
Summary
Staff reviewed graduation and diploma data, targeted interventions (reading specialists, MAP/DIBELS screening, MTSS), special‑education disproportionality work, restorative-practices pilot metrics, alternative-programming (LMA, night school, WALT) and community‑schools initiatives including literacy kits and summer supports.
District administrators used the March 31 meeting to give a comprehensive update on initiatives aimed at improving Black student outcomes and supporting students with disabilities.
Key points included: a rise in Black on-time graduation for the 2025 cohort (reported as 89% for Black students in the cited cohort), disparities in advanced-study diploma attainment (27 Black students earned advanced diplomas out of a 90-student Black cohort), and high rates of economic disadvantage among Black students (staff said about 83% in the Black student cohort were economically disadvantaged). Leaders described cohort review processes, MTSS interventions and new tools (for example, a college-and-career platform, SchoolLinks) to involve students and parents in course planning.
Special education leads explained work required by federal reporting metrics, efforts to reduce disproportionate identification of some disability categories (notably 'other health impairment' / ADHD-related identifications), and a planned year‑long psychologist study of neuropsychological assessment practices to reduce bias. Staff described progress‑tracking tools for individualized goals and recalled that some special‑education accommodations produce verified credits that do not always map directly to federal proficiency metrics.
Restorative-practices staff reviewed a multi-year pilot and partnership with Central Virginia Community Justice: hundreds of groundwork meetings, dozens of restorative conferences and community-building circles aimed at preventing exclusionary discipline. The restorative coordinator said satisfaction scores from participants averaged 8.75 on internal surveys; staff noted pilot capacity is currently grant‑funded and that sustaining and expanding the program will require additional funding.
Administrators previewed alternative-programming enrollment practices (LMA, night school, walk/credit-recovery) and community-partnership MOUs under the community‑schools model, including literacy hubs and summer learning supports. Board members asked for follow-up written reports on a set of implementation items and requested partner outcome metrics for MOUs; staff said current MOUs expire June 30 and pledged to use the renewal window to incorporate clear outcomes and accountability measures.
Staff closed by listing next steps: maintain fidelity to MTSS and tier‑1 instruction, track progress on reading and math interventions, finalize the special-education disproportionate-identification plan for state submission, expand restorative practices and formalize community partnerships with measurable outcomes.
