Swansea High officials report higher graduation and college‑career readiness after MTSS-driven supports

Swansea High School administrators told the Lexington School District 4 board that targeted, data‑driven supports have led to measurable gains in on‑time graduation and college‑and‑career readiness.

Dr. Seight, speaking at the board’s instructional report, described the school’s multi‑tiered support system (MTSS) — an early‑warning and intervention framework that tracks attendance, academic performance and behavior — and said the approach has allowed the school to intervene earlier and reduce last‑minute senior‑year recoveries. She said the school’s MTSS work and related lead actions produced a projected graduation rate of about 91.7% for the current cohort.

Seight also reported college‑and‑career readiness measures: 196 of 231 students in the graduating cohort (84.8%) currently meet the district’s college/career readiness indicators, a mix of dual‑enrollment/AP performance, industry credentials and work‑based learning. The presentation highlighted CTE and dual‑enrollment expansions, ASVAB preparation, robust work‑based learning partnerships with local employers and a student who will graduate with an associate degree from Midlands Technical College through dual enrollment.

Assistant principals Manisha Di and Michael Spencer joined the presentation to summarize classroom‑level strategies: consistent standards‑aligned instruction, frequent data reviews, and quarterly Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) meetings that empower students to track credits and recovery options. Seight said the MTSS team meets biweekly to review dashboards and craft individualized plans, citing examples of targeted interventions (after‑school tutoring, credit recovery, ‘‘tiger time’’ academic blocks and summer school) that staff use to keep students on track.

Board members asked for clarification about the state comparison; presenters said the district aims for at least 90% and noted the state four‑year graduation rate was approximately 86.25% last year. Board members congratulated staff for progress and highlighted continued attention to ninth‑ and tenth‑grade monitoring to sustain results.

Administrators framed the gains as the result of layered supports rather than a single program and emphasized ongoing efforts to expand pathways (CTE, teacher‑cadet pipelines, and industry signings) so that students leave high school ready for postsecondary study or employment.

The board did not take a formal vote on programmatic changes during the presentation; the instructional report was presented for information and discussion.