In October, Clay County Schools released their results for increasing academic achievement for Clay Elementary, H.E. White Elementary, Clay County Middle School, Big Otter Elementary, Lizemore Elementary, and Clay County High School. Based on the results from last year, improving reading results has become a focus for this year. Changes that will hopefully positively impact reading include the following:
- Securing a supplemental grant to employ reading interventionists in each of the four elementary schools, so students may receive individualized support;
- Establishing consistent windows of time for STAR Reading testing;
- Extending the reading block to 60 minutes rather than 30, so students receive a full program each of the four evenings;
- Providing teachers with time to plan reading instruction; and
- Ensuring teachers receive training in the Emergent Reader (K-1) and Developing Reader (2-5) components.
The following graphs show the 2017-18 academic growth by percentages.
Grant 1: Clay Elementary, H.E. White Elementary, and Clay County Middle School
| Goal #1: To increase academic achievement in reading among regular participants on an annual basis. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 1.1. At least 65% of all participants in Grades K-6 will increase their reading scores by 2.0 Normal Curve Equivalents (NCEs) or more from pre-test (fall) to post-test (spring) on the STAR Reading Assessment each school year | *22% |
| 1.2. Regularly participating students in grades K-6 will read, on average, at least 65 Accelerated Reader (AR) books each school year. | 45% of regularly participating students met this objective. |
| 1.3. At least 50% of students who participate in the program at least 30 days will maintain or increase their reading grades from fall to spring each school year. | 94% |
| 1.4. At least 45% of regular participants will increase their reading proficiency by the end of each school year from the previous year, as measured by the state assessment. | *33% |
| Goal #2: To increase academic achievement in math among regular participants on an annual basis. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 2.1. At least 50% of regular participants will increase their math scores from pre-test (fall) to post-test (spring) each school year, as measured by Hands-on Standards and Do the Math assessments (CES) and Blueprint/Smarter Solving (HEW). | 72% |
| 2.2. At least 50% of regularly participating students will maintain or increase their math grades from fall to spring. | 77%
|
| 2.3. At least 30% of regular participants will increase their proficiency in math by the end of the school year from the previous school year, as measured by the state assessment. | **22% |
| Goal #3: To increase school engagement among regular participants. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 3.1. At least 75% of regular participants will demonstrate improvement in school engagement through homework completion, class participation, and attendance, as indicated by teacher surveys. | Homework Completion = 96%
Class Participation = 33% Attendance = 12% |
| Goal#4: To empower families of participating students to increase their engagement in their children’s education and development. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 4.1. At least 50% of surveyed parents/families will self-report working on homework with their children at least on a monthly basis each school year. | 89% |
| 4.2. At least 50% of surveyed parents will self-report feeling confident in their ability to support their child’s education at home each school year. | 93% |
| 4.3. At least 50% of participants in each skill-building family engagement workshop will increase their knowledge in the topic presented from pre- to post-test. | 83% |
According to federal guidelines, regularly participating students are those who attend the program at least 30 days.
*The STAR Reading program was new to schools last year, and there was inconsistency in its administration. This year windows of time at the beginning, middle, and end of the afterschool program have been established to ensure consistent administration. Additionally, program adjustments have been made to increase literacy time from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, and staff have received additional training in providing reading instruction. Reading interventionists have also been employed in the afterschool program through a supplemental grant to provide one-on-one support for students.
**The majority of regular participants were students in Grades K-3, and only students in Grades 4-5 had test results available from the previous year, as State testing takes place in Grades 3-5.There were few regularly participating students for whom testing data was available for the previous year (2016-2017).
Grant 2: Big Otter Elementary, Lizemore Elementary, and Clay County High School
| Goal #1: To increase academic achievement in reading among regular participants on an annual basis. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 1.1. By May 2018 at least 50% of students who participate in the program for at least 30 days will maintain or increase their reading grades from fall to spring. | 95% |
| 1.2. By May 2018 at least 45% of regular participants will be proficient in reading, as measured by the WVGSA. | 46% |
| 1.3. By May 2018 at least 65% of participants in grades K-5 will increase their reading scores by 2.0 Normal Curve Equivalents (NCEs) or more from pre- to post-test on the STAR Reading Assessment by the end of the school year. | *27% |
| 1.4. By May 2018 regularly participating students in Grades K-5 will read, on average, at least 65 Accelerated Reader books during the school year. | 36% of regularly participating students met this objective.
|
| 1.5. By May 2018 at least 45% of regular participants in Grades 9-12 will be proficient in reading as measured by the WVGSA. | Not Applicable – Regular participants were not in tested grade level. |
| Goal #2: To increase academic achievement in math among regular participants on an annual basis. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 2.1. By May 2018 at least 50% of students who attend the program for at least 30 days will increase their math grades from the fall to the spring semester. | 63% |
| 2.2. By October 2018 at least 30% of regular participants will be performing at grade level (proficient) in math, as measured by the WVGSA. | 46% |
| 2.3. By May 2018 at least 50% of participants in grades K-5 will increase their math scores by a minimum of 5% by the end of the school year, as measured by the assessments with our math curricula, Scholastic’s Hands-On Standards (for kindergarten students) or Do the Math (for students in 1-5)/Reasoning Mind (Lizemore). | 85% |
| 2.4. By May 2018 at least 45% of regular participants in grades 9-12 will be proficient in math, as measured by the WVGSA. | Not Applicable – Regular participants were not in tested grade level. |
| Goal #3: Families of participating students will be empowered to increase their engagement in their children’s education and development. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 3.1. By May 2018, at least 50% of surveyed parents/families will self-report working on homework with their child(ren) at least on a monthly basis. | 91% |
| 3.2. By May 2018 at least 50% of surveyed parents/families will self-report feeling confident in their ability to support their child’s education at home. | 95% |
| 3.3. By May 2018 at least 50% of participants in each skill-building family engagement workshop will increase their knowledge in the topic presented from pre-to post-test. | 93% |
| Goal #4: Through character education, youth development, and enrichment activities, regular participants will increase school engagement. | |
| Objective | 2017-2018 Result |
| 4.1. At least 75% of regular participants will demonstrate improvement in homework completion and class participation by the end of the year, as measured by teacher surveys. | Homework Completion = 91%
Class Participation = 100% |
| 4.2. At least 75% of regular participants will demonstrate an improvement in behavior by the end of the year, as measured by teacher surveys and school disciplinary records. | 91% |
| 4.3. Teachers and staff will report an increase in attendance for parent-teacher conferences and family events, as measured by teacher surveys. | Teacher survey results have not been received from WVDE.
|
| 4.4. At least 50% of respondents to the annual parent/caregiver survey will self-report an increase in school involvement. | 74% |
According to federal guidelines, regularly participating students are those who attend the program at least 30 days.
*The STAR Reading program was new to schools last year, and there was inconsistency in its administration. This year windows of time at the beginning, middle, and end of the afterschool program have been established to ensure consistent administration. Additionally, program adjustments have been made to increase literacy time from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, and staff have received additional training in providing reading instruction. Reading interventionists have also been employed through a supplemental grant in the afterschool program to provide one-on-one support for students.