Framing the conversation Grade Level by Eight Framing the conversation

Increase student achievement Objective: Close the achievement gap

Achievement gap associated with poverty

3 Prong approach Early literacy Chronic absenteeism Summer literacy instruction

Early literacy Increase Kindergarten readiness Focus on Birth to Five Need community engagement and assistance

Preschool Students Meeting Benchmark on Fall IGDI's

Kindergarten Students Meeting Benchmark on Fall FAST

Total Words (in millions) Heard by Child by Age 4 Hart & Risley

Brain Research Child’s brain is 80% developed by age 3 Talking and listening to a child will advance the linguistic skills

Chronic absenteeism Analyze attendance data Change attendance behavior patterns early Develop supportive systems for students and families

Average daily attendance District ADA is 95.46% (95.46% of the students attend school on a typical day) Every building has ADA ranging from 91.73% to 97.28% There are 4.54% of students absent from school on any given day

4.54% of students absent from school That’s 635 students Lawton-Bronson’s enrollment is 644 Akron-Westfield’s enrollment is 580 Whiting’s enrollment is 215

Chronic Absence Definition - When a student misses 10% or more of the school days in a school year for any reason, excused or unexcused. In 2014-2015, there were approximately 1,800 SCCSD students who were chronically absent or 1 out of 8.

Effect of chronic absences on student achievement

Absences in Preschool and Kindergarten FAST Assessment Scores

Absences in Kindergarten and 1st Grade FAST Assessment Scores

Absences in 1st Grade and 2nd Grade FAST Assessment Scores

Absences in 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade FAST Assessment Scores

Absences in 3rd Grade and 4th Grade FAST Assessment Scores

Absences in 4th Grade and 5th Grade FAST Assessment Scores

Subgroups most affected by chronic absenteeism: Low income students Native American students Black students Hispanic students Special education students

Summer literacy instruction Response to Iowa Code 279.68 If a student is substantially deficient by the end of 3rd grade in reading, they will be required to attend an intense summer literacy program or be retained Goes into effect May 1, 2018 There are good cause exemptions

Substantially deficient Using FAST assessment (aReading component) for determination Three testing windows each year Need to be below the benchmark score in two consecutive testing windows

Current summer school program Offering summer school to 1st and 2nd grade students who are substantially deficient About half of the eligible students attend Unless there is a change in funding, we will discontinue summer school for 1st and 2nd graders to provide summer school to 3rd graders as required by law Recognize there are other summer school programs within the city

Iowa Department of education providing guidance Work with community partners to ensure that summer programs are coordinated and meet the DE requirements Participated in the 3rd grade Intensive Summer Reading Program Study conducted by the Iowa Reading Research Center