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Douglas County officials set multi-year targets for math and reading, emphasize platform implementation
Summary
District staff presented five-year targets for algebra and elementary ELA proficiency and said gains are tied to fidelity of tools such as I-Ready and ThinkCirca; board members pressed for clearer data and stronger school-level accountability.
Doctor Davis told the Douglas County Board of Education the district has set interim and five‑year targets for state‑level assessments and classroom diagnostics, and she urged continued monitoring of individualized learning paths.
"For ninth grade we're aiming to increase our algebra end of course from 33% in 2025 to 54% in 2030," Doctor Davis said, adding that this year the goal is to reach 41% from 33%. She also said the district's third‑grade ELA five‑year target is to move from 29% proficiency in 2025 to 51% in 2030.
The presentation explained how I‑Ready individualized learning paths and Beacon/Common Assessments inform progress. On algebra, Davis noted a 28% increase on a recent common assessment and described Beacon as having a moving proficiency target: "in the fall our students are hurdles... expected to jump a 3 foot hurdle... and in the spring they're expected to jump a 10 foot hurdle," she said, arguing that scaled‑score shifts can make raw percentages look like regression even when proficiency is rising.
Board members sought clarity on whether the use of platforms such as ThinkCirca (ThinkCircle) and I‑Ready was mandated and which schools implemented them. Miss Rooker asked for a granular look at which schools adopted the resources and how gains correlate with implementation. Doctor North and Doctor Davis said the district tracks weekly usage, that schools implementing with fidelity saw larger gains, and that some schools that started earlier showed higher growth than those that began later.
District staff described steps to strengthen implementation: academic diagnostic walkthroughs, higher expectations for principals and assistant principals, targeted retraining for APs, and weekly monitoring of student trackers. Doctor North said principals now carry clear tracking documents "to identify those students who are not meeting the mark and are needing additional remediation." He and other leaders said the district has shifted accountability to building leadership and expanded support teams to include master teachers and assistant principals serving on inter‑school committees.
Board members pressed about the percent of students regularly accessing ILPs; Doctor Davis said usage varies by school and by week, citing examples where weekly access ranged from about 60% to 85%.
The board did not take formal action on the goals; staff said they will continue monitoring ahead of GMAS and provide further data at subsequent meetings.
