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Mercer County Board highlights large year-to-year gains on I‑Ready diagnostics and expands dual‑credit and leadership programs
Summary
At its June 8 meeting the Mercer County Board heard a presentation showing strong on-grade-level growth on I‑Ready diagnostics across K–8 schools, discussed third-grade screening requirements under the Third Grade Success Act, and noted rapid expansion of dual‑credit and CTE participation.
Mercer County Board of Education members on June 8 heard district leaders present end‑of‑year I‑Ready diagnostic results showing substantial school‑level gains and discussed implications for state screening and curriculum alignment.
Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Mitchell presented three snapshots (beginning, middle and end of year) from the I‑Ready formative and K–8 diagnostic, saying the tool provides teachers with actionable, computer‑adaptive data and that it is on the state‑approved list for required third‑grade screeners under the Third Grade Success Act. She said many school‑level percentages reflect large gains; for example, Princeton Primary was shown rising from about 9% on‑grade to roughly 63% by year end, and other schools displayed similar jumps. “We have tremendous growth here,” Mrs. Mitchell said, praising teachers and principals for using data notebooks and learning‑pathway interventions.
Board members and staff clarified how the I‑Ready figures are presented. Mrs. Mitchell and Dr. Atkins explained the district’s reports are whole‑school snapshots (all grades combined) and that a three‑year comparison will be produced to help distinguish cohort growth from year‑to‑year changes in standards. The board discussed how I‑Ready correlates with the state GSA; staff said I‑Ready research shows high alignment with GSA items and that they expect improvements in state scores to follow curriculum work, including a recently adopted Ready Math program.
The board also heard updates on career and technical education and dual‑credit expansion. Dr. Mitchell reported a large increase in students taking dual‑credit courses via CTE pathways, with district examples including Bluefield High (rising from 30 to 188 dual‑credit enrollments) and MCTech (rising from 62 to 312). The district’s “Grow Your Own” program likewise grew, from five students completing associate degrees in 2024 to 29 this year across healthcare, engineering and cybersecurity pathways.
Officials also described student supports tied to these programs: five students earned the seal of biliteracy this year (three qualifying for the global seal), and staff highlighted the district’s ‘Reach Out’ mental‑health referral system, which operates 24/7 and was credited with getting at least one student to hospital care within about an hour. Staff estimated that reach‑out service costs run near $20,000–$22,000 annually and described procedures for follow up.
Why it matters: District leaders said the combined strategy — diagnostics, aligned curriculum and expanded CTE/dual‑credit options — aims to improve preparedness for state tests, reduce remediation needs, and increase post‑graduation opportunities. Board members asked for continued breakdowns by grade and by cohort and requested the planned three‑year trend reports to better track retention‑related consequences of the Third Grade Success Act.
What’s next: Staff said they will produce more detailed grade‑level and cohort comparisons and will return with a three‑year alignment analysis; the board noted next year’s third‑grade cohort will be the first subject to retention provisions under the state law.
