Performance reports given to Callaway schools

South Callaway receives perfect score, Fulton improves

Callaway County school districts had mixed results in their 2017 Annual Performance Reports, released Monday by state education officials.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education evaluates each school district, in order to assess its performance and determine whether the district remains accredited. A district scoring below 70 percent loses its accreditation.

Five main categories (each with several subdivisions) go into the final scores: academic achievement, subgroup achievement, attendance, college and career readiness, and graduation rate.

The scores in each category are determined by three factors. First, DESE averages districts' scores from the past two years to measure progress. It then averages the past three years' scores to measure "status." Finally, the districts' predicted student achievement with the actual achievemen are compared, and points are assigned.

Some districts are still adjusting their curriculum to reflect changes in English language arts and algebra assessments. DESE made adjustments to its final APR score calculations so districts would not be unfairly impacted, according to the MSIP 5 Comprehensive Guide.

Below is a breakdown of Fulton-58 and South Callaway R-2's APRs. North Callaway R-1 and New Bloomfield R-3's results will be published in the Thursday edition.

South Callaway R-2

South Callaway's district score increased by 5.5 points to a receive a perfect score of 140.

This is the first time since the current district assessment program began, in 2013, that the district has scored 100 percent.

"We've had a lot of hard work and we're pretty excited," Superintendent Kevin Hillman said. "I know the teachers feel very, very proud, and they should. Our students have worked so hard, too; and that partnership with students and parents made this possible."

He added perfect scores are rare.

In the academic achievement category, scores returned to their 2015 levels after dropping slightly in 2016. Specifically, English language arts rose one point to 16 out of 16, and social studies rose three points to eight out of eight.

English scores also increased by two points in the English subgroup category.

Hillman said these improvements reflect the district's work on curricula and instructional strategies.

"In addition, the district has implemented high levels of intervention to ensure as many students as possible are working on grade level in reading and math," he said. "A lot of the scores come down to reading and math, their ability to compute information, and ability to read and write information."

Some of these changes were put into effect five years ago, when he first arrived in the district, Hillman said. As students have grown, they've taken these changes' positive results with them.

The college- and career-readiness category was another area of improvement. Better student performance in dual credit, advanced placement and similar classes resulted in a 2.5 point increase in the category.

Finally, South Callaway maintained its perfect scores in attendance and graduation rate.

Attendance rates aren't based on the overall attendance rate, but rather the percentage of students who attend school 90 percent of the time. Likewise, the graduation rate includes students who take more than four years to graduate high school. If a seventh-year senior graduates, he or she counts into the total.

Hillman said according to DESE, a revamped version of assessment process - MSIP 6 - is coming soon. While Hillman is unsure what its effects will be on the district's scores, he believes the positive trend will continue.

"We have a solid base," he said.

Fulton 58

This year, Fulton schools saw an increase of 2.1 percent compared to 2016, scoring 124.5 out of a possible 140 points.

Its APR score is still 3.1 percent lower than it was in 2015.

"We've improved from a year ago, and I think that we're in pretty good shape generally," Superintendent Jacque Cowherd said. "We're always trying to push the achievement a little higher, but we're positive about where we're at."

In the academic achievement category - based on standardized test results - English language arts scores dropped by three points, while social studies scores saw a three-point increase.

Cowherd said the drop in English is likely related to the high staff turnover the district is experiencing. He said the board of education has been discussing faculty pay in hopes of addressing this issue.

The subgroup category measures academic performance among minorities, those who speak English as a second language, students with disabilities and low-income students who participate in the free lunch program. Scores in this category remained relatively steady, aside from a two-point drop in the English language arts category and a slight improvement in the social sciences category.

"I was glad to see we're up in the low 80s," Cowherd said.

College and career readiness saw a small drop, from 29 points (out of 30) in 2016 to 27.5. This decrease reflects lower scores in standardized tests such as the ACT, SAT and ASVAB.

In attendance, Fulton held steady at 7.5 out of 10. Cowherd said this category is a source of frustration for the district.

"We tried a lot of different things and incentives to work through that, but it seems to be a struggle for us," he said.

Last year, Cowherd said incentive programs for high school students seemed to be less effective than they once were.

"We're pursuing some outside interventions," he said Tuesday. "Maybe there's some kind of programming we could do over the next couple years."

He added the details haven't been finalized.

Finally, Fulton maintained its perfect score in the graduation rate category.

Cowherd said in the coming days, the district and its principals will take a close look at every category and every classroom.

"We're trying to work for every individual child and move each child in their category (not just at aggregate scores)," he said.