Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Garfield Heights board hears teaching-and-learning report showing reading gains and new pathways
Summary
Miss Bates presented spring assessment results showing kindergarten tier‑1 reading at 90% and notable gains in grades 1–3, outlined curriculum changes, new agriculture career pathways, an AI policy being developed for July 1 compliance, and next steps on math diagnostics and OST reporting.
Miss Bates, leader of Garfield Heights City Schools' Department of Teaching and Learning, told the board on May 18 that the district saw broad reading gains and added programs aimed at expanding college-and-career pathways.
"I'm proud to announce that 90 percent of our students are in tier 1 for reading in kindergarten this year," Bates said, citing aimsweb spring screener data. She reported first grade ending the year with about 68 percent in tier 1, second grade at 82 percent and third grade at 81 percent; third-grade OST (state test) scores are pending and will be presented at the next board meeting.
The presentation tied those gains to building reconfigurations and changes in instruction. Bates described use of Edmentum for grades 4–5 skill pathways, a district goal that each student master roughly eight major skills per semester (16 per year), and roughly 13,000 mastered skills recorded across certain grade-level ELA and math modules. On acceleration, she reported six middle-school students who took Algebra I at the high school all met the district cut score (one advanced, four accomplished, one proficient), and about 13 students are identified to continue the program next year.
Bates also reviewed new curriculum and programs adopted this year, including the University of Florida Literacy Initiative (UFLI) intervention and additions to morphology and word study for grades 3–8. She said the district launched an agriculture science program at the high school—11 students passed a related web exam—and will expand an agriculture pathway at the middle school linked to a new college-and-career readiness specialist position.
Bates told the board an AI policy is being prepared and must be adopted by July 1 to comply with state requirements; professional development for staff and students will accompany the policy. She also noted a state-driven math diagnostic and intervention plan will be implemented next year.
Board members asked for clarification on how the mastery numbers map to expected averages and for the timing of graduation and OST data. Bates said final graduation and OST information would be shared with the board when available.
The teaching-and-learning presentation included a brief student capstone video and multiple school-level updates from principals and teachers, who described classroom projects, booster fundraising efforts and an active band and performing-arts season. Bates closed by urging continued support for district instructional initiatives and student opportunities.
