Superintendent reports gains on graduation and learning‑measure goals, flags enrollment pressures

Superintendent Dr. Younowski reviewed the district’s final strategic‑plan outcomes and recommended measures for the upcoming plan, highlighting both progress and lingering challenges.

She reported the district’s 4‑year graduation rate rose from a baseline (86.3%) to 90.7%, and the 7‑year rate moved from 85.7% to 92.6% with reduced gaps for BIPOC students. "We did make very good progress," Younowski told the board, while also cautioning the board that enrollment disruptions tied to Metro Surge mean students who leave without registering elsewhere will count against future grad‑rate calculations.

Younowski listed specific academic gains on FastBridge and CBM measures in several grade bands but acknowledged not all stretch targets were reached. She cited rollout of EduCLIMBER to improve progress monitoring and reiterated that some indicators (course offerings, postsecondary enrollment) require better longitudinal baselines.

Board members probed measurement methodology — for example, why course counts dropped year to year (from 276 to 161) and whether baseline measurements needed reworking. Directors asked for five‑ or six‑year trend lines and peer comparisons to make more meaningful judgments about progress.

The superintendent also connected recent operational pressures — ‘‘we had 900 kids who weren't in school for almost 2 months’’ — to some year‑to‑year volatility in outcomes, and said the district will continue to refine measures and disaggregate data in future reporting.

The board accepted the report and moved into subsequent agenda items including superintendent evaluation procedures and related closed sessions.