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Board review: district accountability scorecard flags math, attendance while graduation rate rises
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Barker told the McDowell County Board that the district’s accountability scorecard shows gains in reading and a jump in the 4‑year graduation rate to 90%, but persistent math weakness and chronic absenteeism have left the county low in statewide rankings.
Dr. Barker, the district superintendent, presented the state accountability scorecard and told the board the district is "on intensive support from the state for, of course, math achievement, math progress, and on track to graduation." He explained the scorecard uses different indicators than summative assessments, including ELA, math, English‑learner progress when cell sizes permit, attendance, behavior, and on‑track‑to‑graduate measures. Dr. Barker noted language‑arts progress improved in places even where time was lost, but that math achievement declined.
The presentation included county comparisons and ranks. Dr. Barker reported a 4‑year graduation rate increase to 90 percent and said the county remains near the bottom on several indicators ("we are still 54 out of 55"). He and board members emphasized chronic absenteeism and weather‑related lost instructional time as drivers of weak math results. The superintendent said staff will focus on targeted supports to improve math progress and attendance before learning gains can scale across grade levels.
