MONROE - Each school in the Monroe School District met or exceeded expectations in the new School Report Card that was released on Monday.
Dan Keyser, the Monroe School District's director of curriculum and instruction, said he was happy each school met or exceeded expectations.
"I'm very proud of what we have accomplished," Keyser said. "We have continued to strive for excellence and looked for ways to improve. We will continue to work diligently to get all of our schools to that 'significantly exceeds' category."
With some schools set to begin Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations this week, changes in statewide standards, state tests and how educators are evaluated, are coming to the forefront with the state Department of Public Instruction releasing the report cards. As part of a statewide accountability system through the U.S. Department of Education, and President Barack Obama's "Race to the Top" $4.3 billion education competition launched in 2010 to improve schools, more states are implementing accountability measures like School Report Cards to analyze testing results and to see if they are making the grade compared to other public school districts.
The district has implemented a school improvement plan that relies on several tools like Dibbles and Map testing at the elementary level and the Educational Planning and Assessment System to gauge middle and high school students' readiness for more advanced courses or college. Keyser supports the state's move to break away from the WKCE as the main benchmark for student achievement.
"Monroe has taken the bold step to use other benchmarks like Dibbles, Map and EPAS," Keyser said. "It levels the playing field and upgrades the rigor."
Monroe School Board President Bob Erb commended the district for using several rigorous tests to gauge student achievement.
"The WKCE is something we have to do," Erb said. "It's not something we rely on because it's not timely or rigorous enough."
Each public school receives an index accountability score between 0-100 on the report card. The score is based on 2011-12 student achievement tests like the WKCE, student growth measured each year and closing achievement gaps between specific student groups by comparing English language learners, ethnic groups, low income students and students with disabilities.
In 2012-13, students across the state are being measured by tougher nationally norm benchmarks based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress or National Report Card.
"We have to educate parents," Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said. "This is one data point."
Northside Elementary School received a 74.7, which is the highest score of any elementary school in the district. Parkside Elementary School received a 73.5 and Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy received a 70.1. Monroe High School received a 77.5 and the middle school received a 72.8. The scores are based off state testing data from 2011-12.
There were 34 percent of students at Abraham Lincoln that met or exceeded the reading WKCE standards compared to a 35.8 average for students from third to eighth grade and high school sophomores who took the state test. There were 53.8 percent that met or exceeded standards in math, and the state average is 48.1 percent. At Northside, 43.7 percent met or exceeded reading standards, and 69.5 percent met or exceeded math standards.
At Parkside, 34.5 percent of students met or exceeded reading standards and 58.1 met or exceeded math state standards. In the middle school, 41.1 percent met or exceeded reading standards and 57.9 met or exceeded math. There were 48.3 percent of high school students that met or exceeded the reading standards and 49 percent that met or exceeded in math.
In the spring of 2014-15, Hirsbrunner said state tests will be the smarter balanced test online.
Hirsbrunner said once the smarter balanced test is implemented and includes the common core standards, even fewer school districts will probably meet or exceed expectations.
"The common core standards are one to two grade levels more rigorous," Hirsbrunner said.
In other action, the board approved an amended $34.63 million total budget. The district is operating with about a $1 million deficit.
In the adjusted 2012-13 budget, the tax rate will increase 4.77 percent to $11.65 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. For 2011-12, the tax rate was $11.12.
That means the owner of a $100,00 home will pay $1,165 in taxes for school purposes next year, compared to $1,112 this year.
District leaders project a 2.72-percent decrease in expenditures and 3.75-percent decline in revenues compared to last year. Equalized valuation in the district has decreased 0.77 percent. The board also:
• Received a gifted and talented scholarship report from Terri Montgomery, the district's gifted and talented coordinator and reading specialist, and five students who received scholarships. The Swiss Colony Foundation gave $1,500 to the district last year for gifted and talented scholarships. There were 497 applications sent to students who scored at least a 95 percent or higher on one area of a state test or were in the gifted and talented program. Teachers also could nominate students for artistic, creative and leadership scholarships. The district gave 12 music, art, science and leadership scholarships that students used over the summer. Montgomery said there is about $680 left that the district can use to select more scholarship recipients this year.
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement to host a boys hockey co-op this winter.
• Honored Loni Schilt, a Monroe Middle School support staff employee in the special education department. Schilt was given the Monroe Lamp of learning Staff Excellence Award.
• Approved the hiring of Josh Boll as a Monroe Middle School science teacher.
• Honored board members Larry Eakins, Bob Erb, Brian Keith and Scott Schmidt with Wisconsin School Board Association certificates for the professional development and constant learning sessions they have completed.
Dan Keyser, the Monroe School District's director of curriculum and instruction, said he was happy each school met or exceeded expectations.
"I'm very proud of what we have accomplished," Keyser said. "We have continued to strive for excellence and looked for ways to improve. We will continue to work diligently to get all of our schools to that 'significantly exceeds' category."
With some schools set to begin Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations this week, changes in statewide standards, state tests and how educators are evaluated, are coming to the forefront with the state Department of Public Instruction releasing the report cards. As part of a statewide accountability system through the U.S. Department of Education, and President Barack Obama's "Race to the Top" $4.3 billion education competition launched in 2010 to improve schools, more states are implementing accountability measures like School Report Cards to analyze testing results and to see if they are making the grade compared to other public school districts.
The district has implemented a school improvement plan that relies on several tools like Dibbles and Map testing at the elementary level and the Educational Planning and Assessment System to gauge middle and high school students' readiness for more advanced courses or college. Keyser supports the state's move to break away from the WKCE as the main benchmark for student achievement.
"Monroe has taken the bold step to use other benchmarks like Dibbles, Map and EPAS," Keyser said. "It levels the playing field and upgrades the rigor."
Monroe School Board President Bob Erb commended the district for using several rigorous tests to gauge student achievement.
"The WKCE is something we have to do," Erb said. "It's not something we rely on because it's not timely or rigorous enough."
Each public school receives an index accountability score between 0-100 on the report card. The score is based on 2011-12 student achievement tests like the WKCE, student growth measured each year and closing achievement gaps between specific student groups by comparing English language learners, ethnic groups, low income students and students with disabilities.
In 2012-13, students across the state are being measured by tougher nationally norm benchmarks based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress or National Report Card.
"We have to educate parents," Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said. "This is one data point."
Northside Elementary School received a 74.7, which is the highest score of any elementary school in the district. Parkside Elementary School received a 73.5 and Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy received a 70.1. Monroe High School received a 77.5 and the middle school received a 72.8. The scores are based off state testing data from 2011-12.
There were 34 percent of students at Abraham Lincoln that met or exceeded the reading WKCE standards compared to a 35.8 average for students from third to eighth grade and high school sophomores who took the state test. There were 53.8 percent that met or exceeded standards in math, and the state average is 48.1 percent. At Northside, 43.7 percent met or exceeded reading standards, and 69.5 percent met or exceeded math standards.
At Parkside, 34.5 percent of students met or exceeded reading standards and 58.1 met or exceeded math state standards. In the middle school, 41.1 percent met or exceeded reading standards and 57.9 met or exceeded math. There were 48.3 percent of high school students that met or exceeded the reading standards and 49 percent that met or exceeded in math.
In the spring of 2014-15, Hirsbrunner said state tests will be the smarter balanced test online.
Hirsbrunner said once the smarter balanced test is implemented and includes the common core standards, even fewer school districts will probably meet or exceed expectations.
"The common core standards are one to two grade levels more rigorous," Hirsbrunner said.
In other action, the board approved an amended $34.63 million total budget. The district is operating with about a $1 million deficit.
In the adjusted 2012-13 budget, the tax rate will increase 4.77 percent to $11.65 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. For 2011-12, the tax rate was $11.12.
That means the owner of a $100,00 home will pay $1,165 in taxes for school purposes next year, compared to $1,112 this year.
District leaders project a 2.72-percent decrease in expenditures and 3.75-percent decline in revenues compared to last year. Equalized valuation in the district has decreased 0.77 percent. The board also:
• Received a gifted and talented scholarship report from Terri Montgomery, the district's gifted and talented coordinator and reading specialist, and five students who received scholarships. The Swiss Colony Foundation gave $1,500 to the district last year for gifted and talented scholarships. There were 497 applications sent to students who scored at least a 95 percent or higher on one area of a state test or were in the gifted and talented program. Teachers also could nominate students for artistic, creative and leadership scholarships. The district gave 12 music, art, science and leadership scholarships that students used over the summer. Montgomery said there is about $680 left that the district can use to select more scholarship recipients this year.
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement to host a boys hockey co-op this winter.
• Honored Loni Schilt, a Monroe Middle School support staff employee in the special education department. Schilt was given the Monroe Lamp of learning Staff Excellence Award.
• Approved the hiring of Josh Boll as a Monroe Middle School science teacher.
• Honored board members Larry Eakins, Bob Erb, Brian Keith and Scott Schmidt with Wisconsin School Board Association certificates for the professional development and constant learning sessions they have completed.