State report cards for local schools were released earlier this week, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses for student performance in Clinton City Schools.
Preliminary numbers were released in September, but North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson unveiled the official 2016-17 school report cards Tuesday on the state’s new user-friendly website.
State report cards are provided for all North Carolina public schools, including charter and alternative schools. While many parents and caregivers will receive a printer version of the report card for their child’s school, the new website contains additional information and data.
Despite all schools in the Clinton City district earning a school performance grade of a C, administration says the district is working hard, looking at the future, to improve testing scores.
“We have targeted some key areas in which we know we need to improve,” Dr. Kelly Batts, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “For the entire district, we have adopted a district instructional framework, are strengthening our Professional Learning Communities, and are using a district walk-through tool that will help to ensure equity in our instruction across all classrooms.”
According to Batts, the report cards released by the state are just a snapshot of the student achievement and growth within a school district.
“A grade of C is average and is certainly not as high as we want our grade to be, but that grade does not provide the complete picture of all the wonderful things that students and teachers are doing in Clinton City Schools,” Batts explained. “We were recently recognized as an AP Honor Roll District for our high school’s success with advanced placement courses. We are a Google district and our student access to technology is nearly one to one. Our graduation rate is higher than the state average, and we have very robust arts and sports programs. We believe we can, and will, do better with regards to student achievement, but we also believe we are providing a high quality well-rounded education for students in Clinton City Schools.”
And that’s not all the city school district is doing to improve student achievement.
According to Batts, at the K-5 level, there has been an increase in the use of the data from iReady reading benchmark assessments and instructional materials. The district has purchased new math text books in grades K-6 and math professional development is being provided for the math teachers.
In middle school math, Batts said the school is piloting a new assessment and intervention program for intervention and enrichment time scheduled during the day. At the high school, a mandatory intervention and enrichment time has been built into the day and teachers are able to strategically work with students to tailor support for all students.
Additionally, the district is having instructional coaches work with select grade levels and subject areas where there is a need for greater improvement to performance levels.
“Our priority is on continuous improvement,” Batts assured. “Administration is working with teachers, students, families and communities to improve our instructional practices and student support services so that we can meet the needs of all students in Clinton City Schools.”
School performance data
Butler Avenue School had a performance composite percent grade level proficiency of 63.4 percent. For students testing in third grade, 71.6 percent were proficient in math and 37.5 percent were proficient in reading.
Butler exceeded growth and missed a B performance grading by one point.
Sunset Avenue School had a performance composite percent grade level proficiency of 57.4 percent. For students testing in fourth grade, 53.5 percent were proficient in math and 52.7 percent were proficient in reading. For students testing in fifth grade, 45.6 percent were proficient in math and 48.5 percent were proficient in reading.
Sampson Middle School had a performance composite percent grade level proficiency of 55.8 percent. For students testing in sixth grade, 41.9 percent were proficient in math and 49.8 percent were proficient in reading. For students testing in seventh grade, 54.2 percent were proficient in math and 58.7 percent were proficient in reading. For students testing in eighth grade, 50 percent were proficient in math and 52.9 percent were proficient in reading.
Sunset Avenue, Sampson Middle and Clinton High did not meet expected growth.
Clinton High School’s four-year cohort graduation rate dropped slightly, but is still above the state average at 87.4 percent. The school was recognized as being on the AP Honor Roll for excellence in Advance Placement course enrollment and the number of students taking and passing AP exams. Student proficiency on the ACT went up from 46.1 percent to 47.8 percent.