Taylor County board adopts five-year strategic plan, sets 2% near-term proficiency target

The Taylor County School Board on July 21 approved a five-year district strategic plan that sets five overarching goals—student achievement, family engagement, staff development, retention, and resource management—and a near-term target to raise student achievement by 2% in 2026–27.

"Our goal 1 is a focus on student achievement," Jill Rudd, director of curriculum and instruction, told the board during a workshop-style presentation. Rudd said 49% of students in grades 3–10 scored at or above grade-level in English language arts, compared with a Florida average of 61%, and recommended targeted interventions, expanded early learning access, and stronger progress monitoring to close the gap. "We need to grow more than 2% each year to clear the 61% state average and then push into the top tier territory," she said.

Rudd reviewed subject-by-subject plans: a Carnegie Learning partnership and an Algebra 1 A/B sequence for math, expanded early literacy and UFLI in K–2, a PACE-supported push for science instruction, and a civics focus to lift middle-school civics toward an 80% target. She also proposed operational steps—portal training, virtual School Advisory Council access, biannual accountability reports, and annual safety walk-throughs—to support districtwide implementation.

Board members asked for clarification about how school improvement plans will align with district targets and whether the progress-monitoring tools match state tests. Rudd acknowledged that some district curriculum monitoring tools do not precisely mirror the state tests and said the district will continue to refine tools and update the plan in December and again after state score releases.

The board voted to adopt the strategic plan after a short procedural question about annual presentations tied to the plan’s targets. The district will report progress to the board twice a year and board members were asked to select goals to oversee and help monitor.