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District career academy shows higher ISASP math scores for participants; board accepts career and academic plan
Summary
Principal Eric Hilburn presented the district career and academic plan and ISASP data suggesting higher math scale scores among Career Academy participants; the board acknowledged the plan and asked staff for additional outcome and participation data, particularly on online vs. in‑person concurrent enrollment.
Eric Hilburn, principal of CCD Career Academy, presented the district’s annual career and academic plan and shared district analyses comparing ISASP math scale scores for students who took Career Academy courses with those who did not.
Hilburn said 10th‑ and 11th‑grade students who took a Career Academy course this year scored higher on average (he cited examples such as an 11th‑grade average scale score of 577 for academy students versus 560 for non‑participants). He cautioned that the 9th‑grade sample was small (23 students) and 'statistically not significant.' He also noted the program serves a proportionate or slightly higher share of students with IEPs and English‑language learners, arguing the gains were not solely due to selecting higher‑performing students.
Board members pressed for more detail on parental engagement with Xello (the individualized career‑planning software), concentrator retention (Hilburn said about 60% remain in a chosen pathway), and whether academy participation translates into post‑secondary employment in pathway fields; staff said they have begun tracking outcomes but lack comprehensive long‑term placement data.
The board voted to acknowledge and accept the district career and academic plan and the advisory board associated with Career and Technical Education. Directors requested follow‑up data on concurrent‑enrollment success and the percentage of online versus on‑site classes for Western Iowa Tech agreements.
Hilburn also presented the district's concurrent‑enrollment contract with Western Iowa Tech for 2026–27; board members asked about transferability of credits and online course quality. The board approved the contract and requested that staff provide participation, modality, and success‑rate data in a follow‑up report.
