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Staff preview Urban Collaborative findings: district strong on belonging, flagged for data clarity on special education
Summary
District staff summarized a draft Urban Collaborative review that praises strong student belonging and teacher talent but recommends clearer systems and better labeling of data; staff flagged special-education identification and placement figures and recommended further analysis of disproportionate outcomes.
District staff presented highlights from a draft Urban Collaborative review, emphasizing both strengths and areas for further work. The consultantteam found "a deeply established culture" of belonging and a strong talent pool among teachers and leaders, but staff members said the draft report required clearer labeling and additional data checks before final publication.
On special education, staff noted the district's share of students identified with disabilities was roughly in the low teens and that, by one internal chart, "in our district, it's 93 percent" of students with disabilities spending 80% or more of the school day in general-education classrooms — substantially higher than a national figure cited in the presentation (about 67 percent). Staff advised caution in interpreting small group percentages because small n-values can swing percentages.
Staff also asked Urban Collaborative to provide clearer cross-district comparators; the presenter said the draft used data from 2023-24 report cards and some internal 2024-25 OSAS data but that axes and labels on some charts remain incomplete. The presenter said the district is not on any state watch list for disproportionate discipline or identification but recommended further local analysis to detect disproportionate patterns and to guide targeted interventions.
The board heard multiple operational recommendations from the draft: align practices across schools, clarify intake and onboarding for staff hired midyear, and develop consistent data definitions so the district can track progress. The presenter said the final report will be posted to the district website when completed and that staff will bring specific action steps tied to the board's priorities.
"We are just so super excited," a staff presenter said about moving from recommendations to implementation. The board asked staff to return with more precise charts and comparative context when the final report is available.
