Test scores highlight MAC board meeting
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At their regular meeting Monday, May 12, the Mount Ayr Community Schools board of directors learned the results from the latest round of the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) testing.
Elementary principal Chris Elwood reported students in grades 3-5 continued to show growth in their proficiency in English/language arts (ELA) and math.
For example, two years ago this year’s fifth grade scored only 37% proficiency in ELA. Last year they improved to 54%, and this year 68% tested as proficient, only one percentage point below the state average.
The story is the same in math. Two years ago 51% of this year’s fifth grade tested as proficient. Last year that number increased to 72%, and this year it increased to 76%, six percentage points above the state average.
Elwood also reported this year’s fifth graders tested 74% proficient in science, a full 14 percentage points above state averages.
Fourth graders also showed growth in both ELA and math, scoring 81% proficient in each subject, up from 57% and 65% in each subject, respectively. This year’s scores are well above state averages.
In their first year of ISASP testing, MAC third graders scored 77% proficient in ELA and 87% proficient in math, again well above state averages.
Middle/high school principal Josh Vanderflught reported similar ISASP results in his building.
Vanderflught shared math proficiency percentages by grade level:
6th – 87%
7th – 88’%
8th – 86%
9th – 82%
10th – 82%
11th – 80%
Overall, math proficiency improved in the secondary building improved four percentage points.
Proficiency in ELA was reported as:
6th – 83%
7th – 76%
8th – 86%
9th – 92%
10th – 82%
11th – 78%
Overall, 83% of students in grades 6-11 tested as proficient in ELA.
In science, eighth graders and 11th graders both scored as 69% proficient.
Personnel
The board approved the following resignations:
Katie McGahuey – 5/8; science instructor;
Brandie Ruggles – prom sponsor;
Amanda Waske – associate;
Bailey Anderson – middle school track.
Personnel hired at Monday’s meeting included:
Marge Welch – 5/8 science instructor;
Andrew Belzer – elementary custodian;
Luke Still – moving from associate to temporary custodian (to replace Zach Zollman on military assignment);
Chris Elwood – Junior Raider activity coordinator;
Kinda Larsen – middle school track.
Other business
In other business, the board:
• learned 83 families have expressed interest in participating in the summer meal program.
• renewed the contract for drivers’ education at $350 per student;
• approved a pair of agreements with Green Hills AEA pertaining to delivery of services to the district. As a result of recent legislation, state funds for many services previously funneled through AEAs will now go directly to districts who can then contract with the AEA or seek other vendors.
• approved an agreement with Estes Construction to provide management services for capital projects.
