JCSD Sees Favorable Reports in 2016 Iowa School Report Card Findings
For Immediate Release: January 12, 2017
Timber Ridge teacher Scott Short guides a student through a math problem.
(Johnston, Iowa) – The Iowa School Report Card system, released today by the Iowa Department of Education, shows how each public school in the state is performing on certain educational measures. For the eight schools in the Johnston Community School District, the report card looks good.
According to the state department, schools receive a score for eight different educational measures: proficiency, closing achievement gap, college and career-ready growth, annual expected growth, college and career readiness, graduation rate, attendance, and staff retention. Then, based on the overall score, schools are assigned a rating: Exceptional, High-performing, Commendable, Acceptable, Needs Improvement, and Priority.
Statewide, scores were broken by type of school and then by rating.
- Elementary Schools statewide = Exceptional (2%), High-Performing (11%), Commendable (36%), Acceptable (32%), Needs Improvement (15%), Priority (5%)
- Middle Schools statewide = Exceptional (2%), High-Performing (6%), Commendable (27%), Acceptable (43%), Needs Improvement (13%), Priority (9%)
- High Schools statewide = Exceptional (1%), High-Performing (7%), Commendable (30%), Acceptable (45%), Needs Improvement (11%), Priority (6%)
In Johnston, all schools were rated as commendable or higher.
- Beaver Creek = Commendable
- Wallace = High Performing
- Horizon = High Performing
- Lawson = Commendable
- Timber Ridge = Commendable
- Summit = Exceptional
- JMS = High-Performing
- JHS = Commendable
Ratings for each of Iowa’s schools are now available online at http://reports.educateiowa.gov/schoolreportcard/.
“We believe this new information can add to conversations in our community about how we’re preparing students for their future,” said Bruce Amendt, JCSD Associate Superintendent. “Schools are much more than labels and ratings. No chart or graph can truly capture the success stories happening in each of our schools every day. We encourage parents to talk to their child’s teachers and building principal about the learning happening in their school.”
Amendt went on to encourage community members and parents to get on the Iowa School Report Card website and investigate the educational measures and rating systems to get a better understanding of the system that was rolled out in 2015. Patrons can also review the Iowa School Report Card Quick Guide for an overview of the program and what these rankings mean for students, families, and staff.
Questions regarding Johnston’s school’s ratings can be directed to Dr. Bruce Amendt, Associate Superintendent, 515-278-0470.
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