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EDUCATION Ashland School District gets passing grade ODE report: Ashland students score well in college readiness Comment By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 28, 2015 at 7:13 PM Updated at 5:09 PM By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 28, 2015 at 7:13 PM Updated at 5:09 PM » Social News Students in the Ashland School District are on track to graduate at a high rate compared to the state average, are taught predominantly by “highly qualified” teachers and compare favorably in every subject measured, according to district report cards released Oct. 15. The statistics for the annual report cards, representing the 2014-15 school year, are gathered by the Oregon Department of Education and made public every fall. In previous years every school was given a comparison school rating on a five-tier scale, but the U.S. Department of Education gave the state of Oregon a one-year reprieve from the ratings system as it transitions from the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test to the college and career readiness assessments, known as Smarter Balanced. Smarter Balanced scores put schools on levels one through four, with levels three and four recognized as “meeting the standard for school and district accountability.” Students in grades three through five, six through eight and 11th graders were tested in English language arts, mathematics and science. In general, Ashland students performed well comparatively in all three subjects, were at their best in English language arts and produced their lowest test scores in science. Ashland School District's schools — Ashland High School, Ashland Middle School, Bellview Elementary, Walker Elementary, Helman Elementary and John Muir School — also lapped most of the rest of the state in college and career readiness, a category that measures “freshmen on track to graduate within four years.” According to ODE’s data, 93 percent of Ashland’s freshmen last school year were on track, compared to 79.9 percent statewide. “When we went through a restructuring of the high school some years ago we put in an advisory class,” Ashland’s Director of Student Services Samuel Bogdanove said, “which basically kids have through the four years. The whole notion there is the impact of personalization — really trying to reach kids as individuals and track them. So at the ninth grade in particular, we look at our kids' nine-week scores into the freshman year and usually you’ll have 75 percent of the kids with one or more F’s, which is not uncommon for kids walking into high school at nine weeks. "So the teachers really take those kids under their wings, they put a lot of effort into connecting with the kids and kind of bringing up to speed. That kind of spirit of personalization is really taken in through the advisory course. But if we’re missing 7 percent of the kids, that’s not acceptable. We feel good about the numbers, but … we’d love to see 100 percent of them on there.” The percentage of Ashland students who performed at level three or four in English language arts went up with each grouping measured, with 73 percent of third- through fourth-graders hitting that mark along with 79.1 percent of sixth- through eighth-graders and 84.1 percent of eleventh graders. That's half-again better than the only 51.1 percent of third- through fifth-graders who hit levels three or four statewide, and the numbers weren’t much better for sixth- through eighth-graders in Oregon (56.4). Seventy-seven percent of 11th graders statewide tested at levels three or four. In Smarter Balanced math testing, Ashland’s youngest students were the top performers, as 66.7 percent of third- through fifth-graders scored in levels three or four compared to 64.5 percent of sixth- through eighth-graders and 52.5 percent of 11th graders. Those numbers were low compared to English language arts scores, but not compared to the rest of the state, which saw a high of 44.8 percent at the lower grades and a low of 31.6 percent at 11th grade. Science proved to be by far the most difficult subject in Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills testing, and only fifth-, eighth- and 11th-graders were scored. District-wide, 19 percent of Ashland fifth-graders, 18 percent of eighth-graders and 11.2 percent of 11th-graders scored at level three, the highest of three levels on this test, signifying scores that exceeded state standards. Statewide the numbers were worse — 13.4 percent for fifth-graders, 9.5 percent for eight-graders and 7.8 percent for 11th-graders. (This paragraph has been changed to reflect the correct name of the science test and that the scores for the third level only.) The ODE’s report also revealed demographic trends as well as the qualifications of each district’s faculty. Last school year, Ashland had 2,775 students who spoke seven different languages in grades kindergarten through third, six languages in grades four through eight, and nine in high school. Depending on grade level, between 77 percent and 81 percent of Ashland students are white. The staff is 87 percent white in the high school, and between 97 and 98 percent white everywhere else. “I think that’s always something that we’re conscious of,” Bogdanove said. “The number-one piece that we’re looking for is the individual who’s best qualified, but we also want to have a teaching staff that’s representative of our student body, whenever possible, in terms of race and ethnicity. So it is something that we’re conscious of, it’s just a challenge to always make that happen.” Ninety percent of Ashland classes are taught by “highly qualified teachers.” Other notable figures included: • For at least the third consecutive school year Ashland’s per pupil spending went up and was listed at $11,200. The state’s per pupil spending also went up, to $10,833. • Sixty-one percent of Ashland School District’s funding comes from local taxes and fees. • One-hundred seventy-eight students in the district were suspended last school year. • Fifty-five percent of Ashland High graduates from the 2012-13 school year, the most recent year measured, enrolled in a community college or four-year school within 16 months of graduation, down from 71.2 percent the previous school year. • Eighty percent of Ashland High students participate in athletics or school activities. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 28, 2015 at 7:13 PM Updated at 5:09 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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