Coos Bay SD 9 board hears year‑end gains amid attendance shortfalls, online program growth and preschool expansion

The Coos Bay School District 9 Board met in a special session to review year‑end student achievement, attendance and behavior data and to hear plans for program expansion and targeted interventions.

Superintendent Dr. Roberts opened the meeting and turned presentations over to building leaders who reviewed KPIs and classroom interventions. "We predict it's going to be above 90%," said Dr. Crook when discussing a preliminary, pre‑final graduation projection for the district's alternative "Destinations" program. Dr. Crook also described online‑program goals — a 90% completion target for dual online tracks — and said the district plans to "scale up mentor‑led check‑ins" to improve completion and passing rates.

Why it matters: Board members pressed for clarity on whether gains reflected better instruction, added screen‑time practice, or other factors and sought a clearer, districtwide lexicon for multiple assessments. School leaders repeatedly said that targeted adult support and focused instructional changes produced the biggest improvements on classroom measures.

Key takeaways - Attendance and graduation: Several presenters said regular‑attender goals were missed at some schools. One site reported 54% of students maintained a 70%+ attendance threshold (below a 60% target for a different measure); district officials nevertheless emphasized modest improvements in chronic absenteeism. At the high‑school level the principal reported 171 graduates for the Class of 2026.

- Academic progress and assessments: Middle‑ and elementary‑school presentations showed second‑semester gains in pass rates and growth on formative tools. Junior‑high leadership reported pass rates rose from about 75% midyear to 87% at year end. Multiple principals said Dibels/EasyCBM and Amplify/Savis reports are valuable but use different scales; district leaders said they are working with vendors to clarify what "typical growth" means across tools.

- Intervention impact: Several schools highlighted targeted programs. Madison and one tier‑three pilot classroom (the "Tiger's Den") posted above‑average growth for many students and a sizable drop in disruptive incidents; district staff characterized these pilots as evidence that individualized instruction and adult support — not screen time alone — drive measurable gains.

- Behavior and supports: The district reported fewer severe discipline outcomes (suspensions down from 85 to 57 at one campus) while continuing to see high referral counts for disrespect, disruption and skipping. Administrators described a move to data‑driven tier‑two interventions, site leadership teams, and teacher professional development to address the concerns.

- Preschool expansion and extracurriculars: Director Lake reported Lighthouse School promotion data and spring benchmark results and confirmed the district has been awarded 36 additional Preschool Promise slots to add two classrooms next year. Several schools also noted strong extracurricular participation; one campus said roughly half of students participated in at least one OSAA activity.

Board exchanges and policy questions A board member asked for clarification of a high‑school practice that allows seniors with attendance shortfalls to make up time through community service and remain eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony. The principal explained the policy as a remedial path intended to balance consequences with family circumstances and said the district applies discretion for hardships. Another board member cautioned that the practice could be perceived as a way to "earn" ceremony participation after skipping and urged careful, consistent application.

Formal actions The board opened the meeting and Chair Addie called for a motion to approve the agenda; the board moved, seconded and approved the agenda without objection.

What comes next District leaders said they will continue refining assessment reporting (working with Amplify/Savis and future interim tools), expand mentor supports for online learners, implement more intentional tiered behavior interventions, and finalize preschool classroom staffing and playground timelines for summer construction.

At a glance (selected numbers reported) - Predicted Destinations graduation rate: above 90% (preliminary) - Marshfield online completion: ~89% (just under the 90% goal) - K–8 online completion: ~88% passing for K–8 online cohort - Senior graduates reported at Marshfield: 171 (Class of 2026) - Example discipline trend at one school: suspensions fell from 85 to 57; out‑of‑school days fell from 105 to 70.

A copy of the slide decks and the district's assessment clarifications were requested by board members for follow up.