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Administrator outlines new state report-card changes and flags math-legislation to watch
Summary
Maria, the district administrator, told the board the state's new school-report-card methodology uses two years of achievement data, partial credit for approaching performance and extra credit for advanced results, and adds participation and 3rd-grade reading metrics. She also summarized a proposed math-screening/tutoring bill moving in the legislature.
Maria updated the Merton Community School District board Nov. 17 on new state report-card calculations and a pending piece of legislation that could affect math screening and tutoring.
Explaining the state's revised formula, Maria said the department moved to a two-year achievement window and added partial credit for students who are "approaching" and extra credit for advanced performers. "Because of this point-system change, it touches many other areas of the report card," she told the board, and cautioned that the current report card is not directly comparable to past years.
Maria walked through priority areas on the report card, including achievement, growth (calculated externally), targeted-group outcomes and on-track-for-graduation metrics, and she noted participation rates and a statutorily required 3rd-grade reading report are now front-page items. She said Merton's district score was 93.4, Martin Primary 90.4 and Martin Intermediate 94.4, with all three schools receiving five-star designations under the new system.
On the policy front, Maria summarized a bill introduced by a state representative that would expand math screening and require tutoring for students who fall below a specified percentile (the proposal referenced a 51st-percentile threshold). She told the board that the Department of Public Instruction did not appear to support the measure and that the governor's office reportedly had reservations; Maria emphasized it was an update rather than a finalized policy.
Board members asked questions about demographic effects on growth scores and how small subgroup sizes can change which indicators are reported. Maria said the district will continue to analyze report-card outputs and provide further detail to the board.
What happens next: Administration will continue local analysis of report-card data, monitor state legislative developments on math-screening proposals and update the board as more information becomes available.
