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South Umpqua officials credit Freshman Success teams as on-track rates rise
Summary
District presenter described a multi-year Freshman Success program — house systems, equitable grading, weekly success-team meetings — that the district says coincided with a jump in on-track freshman rates to mid-90s and rising graduation rates.
District staff presented a multi-year Freshman Success initiative they say has improved early indicators of student success, including on-track freshman rates and graduation outcomes.
"We jumped to 94 percent," Presenter (speaker 4) said when describing on-track rates after program changes, and later reported a 96% on-track rate after second quarter this year and a recent graduation rate of 84.6% on the most recent report card. The presenter traced the work to changes beginning in 2019 — new success teams, professional development on equitable grading, a block schedule, weekly team meetings, and a house system intended to increase belonging.
Board members asked how the four-year cohort and transfers factor into graduation accounting; the presenter explained the state’s four-year cohort begins with a student’s freshman year and that mobility and transfers can affect outcomes. The presentation also noted targeted interventions, empathy interviews with incoming students, expanded staff training on equitable grading, and partnerships with nearby high schools that informed local practice.
