Scores on the MSIP5 Annual Performance Report have been released and show little change for Moniteau County R-I Schools. This is the second year for use of this newly created process for identification of school district accreditation.
Superintendent Dwight Sanders reported positive results for the California schools. "We scored just under 90 percent both this year and last," he said.
Districts that scored at least a 70 percent are classified by DESE as fully accredited. There are areas of concern, though.
"While we did exceptionally well in three of the five categories," Sanders said, "including Academic Achievement (93 percent), Attendance (100 percent), and Graduation Rate (100 percent), we now need to focus more of our time and energy on the areas of Subgroup Achievement and College and Career Readiness,"
According to Sanders, DESE has identified the category of Subgroup Achievement to ensure that districts place an appropriate emphasis on high academic achievement of all students.
"This category identifies students in subgroups including free/reduced price lunch, racial/ethnic background, English language learners, and students with disabilities," he said. "Members of these subgroups and others can experience at-risk circumstances that often negatively impact academic success.
"As a district, we pay a lot of attention and provide a multitude of resources to reduce, and, ideally eliminate achievement gaps with our identified subgroups of students. Even with vast resources and interventions, these subgroup achievement gaps are one of the most difficult challenges that school districts face. We strive to ensure academic success for all students regardless of financial circumstance, learning difficulties, or other obstacles to learning."
Another category rated by the MSIP5 report is College and Career Ready. Included in this category is student performance on a variety of assessments including ACT, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), COMPASS (a pre ACT exam), Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), Technical Skills Attainment (TSA) and others.
"In the College and Career Ready category of MSIP5, school districts that assess their students frequently tend to score higher, "Sanders commented. "However, a district has to weigh the benefits versus the costs of requiring its students to participate in a large number of assessments. A district could relinquish a great deal of valuable instructional time to assess students. If we are going to assess our students, we want there to be a clear benefit to our students."
One of those beneficial categories is the ACT, taken in preparation for college admissions which many students participate in each year. "We are pleased with our students' performance on the ACT exam," Sanders said. "With an average composite ACT score of 21.4 this year, our district has not seen a higher average any year in the last 10 years."
Sanders added that post-secondary education, training, military enlistment and work that graduates were able to secure within six months of graduation are also measured in the College and Career Ready category. "We recognize the importance of providing a wide variety of offerings to our students," Sanders said, "and are confident that our graduates leave California High School with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in college, the military, or the world of work.
"MSIP5 serves as one measure to evaluate the success of a school district but certainly there are many measures that must be considered," he said. "While MSIP5 examines several areas in its evaluation process, many programs including co-curricular and extra-curricular programs, fine arts, and practical arts including agriculture, business, vocal music, instrumental music, and art programs are significantly overlooked in this evaluation process. We are extremely proud of the quality and successes of these programs here at California Schools along with the high academic achievement of our students."
story created on Monday 9/8/2014 at 2:15:09 pm by David Wilson
story modified on Monday 9/8/2014 at 2:26:56 pm by Paula Earls