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Harrisonburg schools report gains in early literacy, math and graduation measures
Summary
HCPS officials presented data showing large gains in pre-K literacy, higher spring benchmark pass rates in math and subject pass-rate improvements at Harrisonburg High School; special-education graduation and dropout metrics also improved, staff said.
At the August meeting, HCPS staff presented a package of student-performance metrics that the division described as a series of "wins" from the previous school year. Doctor Blosser led a data presentation showing substantial upward movement in early literacy: in a vowels-assessment band measure the share of pre-K students in the "strong" band rose from roughly 22% to 75% year over year, which staff attributed to new literacy training and implementation.
The presentation also highlighted gains in math benchmarks and at Harrisonburg High School, where unadjusted pass rates rose in math (from 60% to 79% in one cited example) and biology (from 60% to 80%). Blosser cautioned that the figures shown were raw pass rates and that the state's growth-based accountability measures will be adjusted later in the fall. The report said on-time graduation for students with disabilities improved (77.14%), dropout rates decreased and proficiency gaps narrowed in several grades. Superintendent Richards underscored that HCPS was intentionally reporting raw data to reflect every student who attends, even those who would not be counted under state adjustments.
