Thursday’s letter to the editor regarding test scores and graduation was misleading. It jumbled together state data, local data, state-mandated changes, and local responses to help kids succeed despite the whipsaw of repeated testing and graduation requirement changes. Everett Public Schools is committed to graduating students who are college, career and life ready, and proud of the work our staff did to support the class of 2018 reaching a graduation rate of 95.7 percent. Each graduate met standard on the state assessment, or one of the equally rigorous alternatives in order to graduate.
The data drawn from the OSPI Report Card is a point-in-time measure of accountability, and represents only those students who passed the state exams by grade 10. Students not meeting standard at grade 10 must then demonstrate competency through re-testing or rigorous alternatives.
Attending school regularly is critical to academic success. From kindergarteners to seniors, we’re focused on improving student attendance daily with supports and recognition. OSPI reports “regular attendance” as an accountability measure, calculating it as less than two absences of any kind in any 30 days. Unfortunately, children get sick and must miss school. When students are well enough to return to school, staff work hard to support them to make up missed work, which is our responsibility. The fact that students miss school when circumstances preclude them from attending does not mean they are by that single measure unprepared to graduate or for success after high school. They must make up missed work; they are not excused from the requirement to develop and demonstrate competencies.
Legislators decided this spring that state assessments continue to be one of the pathways for meeting graduation requirements, and that additional pathways are equally rigorous (such as Advanced Placement course and exam performance, enrollment in college coursework, enrollment in college transition courses, and performance on SAT or ACT tests). And through strong partnerships with Everett Community College and Washington State University, we’ll continue to work to ensure our students graduate with the skills and knowledge for success in the post-secondary education and careers they choose.
Dr. Gary Cohn, superintendent
Dr. Jeanne Willard, director, on-time graduation, college and career readiness
Dr. Catherine Matthews, director, assessment and research
Lance Balla, principal, Everett High School
Everett
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