Independence earns 4.5 stars on state report card

by Laura Bednar

Independence Local Schools earned a 4.5-star rating on the state report card this year, which the Ohio Department of Workforce and Education defines as “exceeds state standards.” The rating marks a slight dip from five stars last year.

The rating is broken down into categories of achievement (performance on state tests), progress (growth from year to year), gap closing (reducing learning gaps between subgroups), graduation, early literacy (grades K-3) and college, career, workforce and military readiness.

The district earned three stars for progress and early literacy, a drop from a 4-star rating and 5-star rating last year, respectively. Three stars indicate the district “met student growth expectations.” The college, career, workforce and military readiness category received four stars and achievement, gap closing and graduation were each given five stars.

The district’s performance index remained high at 92.4%. It measures the test results of every student. Graduation rate was also high at 98.6%.

Gap closing, rising from 79.5% to 82.2%, measures how well schools meet performance standards in English language arts, math and graduation rates. It also factors in chronic absenteeism, supporting English learners and identifying gifted students.

Natalie Matthews, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction and assessments, said for the first time, the district met all three gifted indicators: value added, performance index and identification and services. Value added is the difference between the expected grade from a student’s baseline assessment score and the grade they achieved at the end of the course, according to Cambridge University.

Matthews said the district is responding to the drop in progress and early literacy by strengthening support teams across buildings. That includes principals, intervention specialists and school psychologists. “We’re putting structures in place that haven’t been in place,” said Matthews.

The district is also regularly reviewing student data, expanding and monitoring interventions for students that need extra help and aligning math curriculum between grade levels.

“We’re prioritizing the math,” she said, mentioning aligning math in grades 6 through algebra and geometry at the high school level. Other areas that need attention include English language arts, fifth-grade science, high school biology and American government, all of which fell short in progress.

In early literacy, Matthews noted the area to watch is improving K-3 literacy, which was only at 33.3%, and measures whether students in grades K-3 who were not on track are now on track and reading at grade level.

“We noted that component dynamics changed, including how the improving literacy and promotion to fourth grade elements are counted,” Matthews said.

The primary school received a 5-star rating for progress individually. Each school in the district also received an overall score; Independence High School and middle school both earned 4.5 stars overall, and the primary school earned 5 stars.

Superintendent Kelli Cogan said the district will receive value added data in October that breaks down where students may be struggling and helps teachers see where they can make adjustments to their instruction.