North Mason School board gets midyear update

District students are making progress towards year-end academic goals, but most have a long way to go, according to midyear presentations given at the North Mason School Board Feb. 26.

The district’s academic goals for 2023-2024 are to have 100% of third-graders reading on grade level, 100% of seventh-graders meeting state standard on ELA (English Language Arts) and math SBA (Smarter Balanced Assessment), 100% of ninth-graders on track (0% failures in core classes), 100% graduation rate (85% on time) and 100% of graduates complete CTE (Career and Technical Education) Pathway.

Director of Inclusive Education Kyle Ehlis said they were “lofty goals,” as he began the academic updates.

Ehlis said one “encouraging” element was how many kids came in ready for kindergarten, based on a state assessment.

“Typically we’re right around 30% over the last several years. This year, across the district, we’re above 50%,” Ehlis said.

At Belfair Elementary, K-1 students have 45% growth in early reading and grades 2-5 have 63% growth in aReading. K-1 students have 70% growth in early math and grades 2-5 have 65% growth in aMath.

At Sand Hill Elementary, statistics for K-1 early reading show “high risk” students had 25% growth in the fall and 32% growth in the winter, “some risk” students had 34% growth in both fall and winter and “low risk” students had 41% growth in the fall and 34% growth in the winter.

Sand Hill K-1 early math statistics show for fall and winter 20% flat growth, 27% modest growth, 30% typical growth and 23% aggressive growth.

Sand Hill 2-5 aReading statistics show “high risk” students had 35% growth in the fall and 36% in the winter, “some risk” students had 22% growth in the fall and 23% in the winter, “low risk” students had 24% growth in the fall and 25% in the winter and “college pathway” students had 19% growth in the fall and 17% in the winter.

Sand Hill 2-5 aMath statistics show for fall and winter 19% flat growth, 23% modest growth, 36% typical growth and 22% aggressive growth.

Hawkins Middle School saw 51% of its sixth-graders perform above benchmarks according to the company HMS Fastbridge math data in the fall and 47% above the benchmarks in the winter, 44% of seventh-graders perform above the benchmarks in the fall and winter and 45% of eighth-graders perform above the benchmarks in the fall and 39% in winter.

HMS Fastbridge ELA/Reading data shows sixth-graders with 50% growth above benchmarks for fall and 45% for winter, seventh-graders with 36% growth above benchmarks for fall and 32% for winter and eighth-graders with 41% above benchmarks for fall and 46% for winter.

North Mason High School presented failure rates. Class “F” percentages for seniors were 17% in September and October, 7% in November, 15% in December and 16% in January.

Junior rates were 26% in September, 25% in October, 19% in November, 21% in December and 25% in January.

Sophomore rates were 28% in September, 26% in October, 20% in November, 24% in December and 22% in January.

Freshmen rates were 24% for September, 21% for October, 14% for November, 23% for December and 24% for January.

James Taylor High School presented the percentage of students on track to earn six credits this year, which is almost 50%. Homelink students are slightly above 50% on track.