Improvement plans and progress checks highlight board workshop

The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees held its March Workshop on the 17th. A recap of the agenda is below.

1.      Roll Call. Bob Thayer was absent.

2.      Verification of compliance with open meetings requirements.

3.      In opening comments, Superintendent Dr. Keeley Boyer let school board members know about a Wednesday afternoon press conference being held with the Education Foundation of Odessa to announce a new, exciting project.

4.      There was no public comment.

5.      Trustees discussed revisions to board policy CW (Local) Naming Facilities. This recommended change references a recently created Regulation (CW) that addresses facility naming requests for parts of a facility (e.g. an auditorium, playground, practice field) and it allows for a facility to be named for a business or organization that has made significant contributions toward the construction or renovation of a facility.

 

6.      Report/Discussion Items

A.      Trustees received an update on Targeted Improvement Plans and Local Improvement Plans. A Local Improvement Plan is developed by the school district and campus to address areas of low performance on a campus, and is incorporated into the Campus Improvement Plan. Progress is measured and monitored monthly, weekly campus visits are conducted, as are data reviews with the superintendent.

The Texas Education Agency requires TIPs (Targeted Improvement Plans) for schools identified as needing improvement due to low performance, D or F ratings, or consistently underperforming student groups. TEA recommends school districts select a single school improvement strategy to align district-wide processes; ECISD has chosen “intensive curriculum and instruction improvements” aligned to Academics & Accountability Department initiatives.  

 

B.      Trustees reviewed their Board Goals. The school board has established five (5) goals:

1.      Percentage of students achieving or exceeding the Meets Standard on state assessments will increase from 35% to 48% by May 2029 across all tested content areas.

2.      Percentage of 3^rd grade students reading at or above grade level will increase from 34% to 48% by May 2029.

3.      Percentage of high school graduates considered College, Career or Military Ready will increase from 88% to 93% by May 2029.

4.      Classroom Excellence – “every student receives engaging and challenging instruction to their various needs…”

5.      Culture of Excellence – “a safe culture of high expectations where every student is engaged, supported, and prepared for future success…”

The district has established a series of 19 Indicators of Success, and Trustees reviewed those 19 data points that continuously measure the progress toward each of the board’s goals.  

 

C.      Trustees got an update on the academic performance of E.K. Downing Elementary School. In support of EKD, students are taking checkpoint assessments created locally, and interim assessments which are provided by the state and are aligned to STAAR, to gauge academic progress and guide planning and intervention decisions. The school is showing overall improvement.   

 

7.      There was no closed session.

8.      There were no closing remarks.

The meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m.