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Wausau board hears AGR schools update as district shifts K–1 screening to Forefront
Summary
District leaders told the board the Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) schools showed gains after adopting new screeners and interventions, reporting notable increases in Act 20 exit rates and describing plans to expand common assessments and classroom-management training.
District staff updated the Wausau School District board on student outcomes and instructional priorities for the Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) schools, reporting improvements in early-grade screening results and outlining next steps on assessments and teacher supports. "We—re up to 29 to 40% of students that are exiting now," said the district—s elementary literacy coordinator, describing PSP exit-rate gains since Act 20 implementation. The presentation named Franklin, G.D. Jones and Thomas Jefferson as the district—s AGR schools and described a districtwide two-day data retreat that set building-level continuous improvement goals.
Staff emphasized a shift in kindergarten and first-grade math screening to the Forefront interview-based tool and said district benchmark rates across buildings remain about "62 to 64% at benchmark or above." A district presenter said Forefront—s 1-on-1 approach gives a more valid picture of young learners than the previously used iReady diagnostic at kindergarten, though it demands more training and staff time. "One of the huge reasons we went away from iReady at kindergarten ... is just the validity of the results," the presenter said.
Principals from AGR schools described school-level priorities: Jen Davidson, principal at G.E. Jones, said the school will press attendance and family engagement; Phil Beck, associate principal at J.D. Jones, described piloted reflective teacher teams and plans to embed district coordinators to provide coaching; Matt Schilling, associate principal at Thomas Jefferson Elementary, said the school will emphasize behavioral expectations and strategies for students to handle productive struggle.
A board member raised a classroom-management concern after hearing about an incident where a tenured staffer stepped in to redirect a disruptive student. "Teachers are afraid, rightfully so," the member said, pressing whether teachers receive training and district support to manage disruptive behavior. Staff said pupil services teams, bridge coordinators and planned professional development will model strategies and provide supports, and that classroom management is a core focus in schools— continuous improvement plans.
District staff framed the presentation as informational; the board took no formal action. Staff said next steps include developing common classroom-level assessments, continuing professional development on universal practices, and monitoring how the switch to Forefront translates into fall scores.
