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Principals warn low 3rd-grade reading rates risk future on-track declines
Summary
Chenowith and district leaders said 3rd-grade reading proficiency (24% at Chenowith) and chronic absenteeism are the largest gaps; staff recommended linking local interim assessments to state metrics for earlier intervention. Board asked for cohort tracking.
Principal Ajay Rundell told trustees that Chenowith Elementary's third-grade reading proficiency is low at 24% despite evidence of local growth on interim measures like i-Ready. He said kindergarten readiness and increasing numbers of students with IEPs contribute to the challenge and recommended tighter connections between local diagnostics and long-term state indicators.
Directors emphasized that attendance plays a central role: staff and principals warned that students missing instruction in early grades can compound deficits that surface later in on-track and graduation metrics. The board requested cohort tracking and further analysis of students attending 90%+ of days to better understand achievement gaps and to avoid setting targets that are disconnected from on-the-ground performance.
