A dozen schools in Iowa’s largest public school district have been identified by the state as “in need of comprehensive support and improvement” due to low performance, according to new statewide school performance data.
12 Des Moines schools are among 35 statewide that land in the bottom 5% of Iowa’s Title I public schools, or schools with a graduation rate lower than 66%, according to an Iowa Department of Education news release. There are five more schools than the district that previously had the lowest achievement.
The data is part of the newly released Iowa School Performance Profile that identifies schools in need of “additional performance-based support and improvement” during the 2023-24 school year. Annual evaluations are a requirement under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
Des Moines schools on the low-performing list are:
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Brubaker Elementary School
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Studebaker Elementary School
Carver, Monroe and Edmunds elementary schools in DMPS were removed from the list this year because of better performance, according to state data.
Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts said the state’s results were not surprising.
“As a matter of fact, it is encouraging because (state data) echoes exactly what we have seen,” he said. “I know we’re going to have a constant focus on specific and targeted areas to get better and have to improve.”
The performance ratings are part of “Iowa’s new accountability system” based on factors such as “proficiency outcomes in English language arts, math and science, student academic growth, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates and postsecondary readiness,” according to the Department of Education. Educational release.
Schools listed among the bottom 5% are eligible for assistance from the Iowa Department of Education, including 6,000 hours of on-site support, helping analyze data and create action plans, providing instructional materials and supporting school leadership teams, department officials said. during a press call Tuesday afternoon.
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Roberts said DMPS officials have looked at everything from academic results to school leadership to chronic absenteeism to help low-performing schools. The district also hired a new high school principal to help improve the school.
No other school in metro Des Moines made the list of lowest in the state.
The superintendent sees a bright spot for DMPS
In addition, 22 of Des Moines’ 63 schools were identified as needing targeted support and improvement because of achievement gaps in student groups such as English learners, students with disabilities, low-income, or among racial groups, according to the state. data.
“It will take a village” to get the improvements the state needs and ensure continued improvement in the district, Roberts said.
Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts speaks to Hoover High School students during their first day back in class, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Des Moines.
He said the improvements should be celebrated.
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“In the case, we have 15 schools this year that will enter the new school year that have been removed from the comprehensive and targeted designation,” he said, “and most of them are due to two things: the work that happened in terms of teachers, principals and staff in the building, but secondly, we do not want to underestimate the importance that we have received a lot of support from the Department of Education.
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Statewide, 16 schools designated among the best-performing last year have been removed this school year.
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Another 377 Iowa schools identified by the state as needing targeted support and improvement.
More than 93% or 351 of these schools were identified because “students with disabilities in these schools performed below the lowest level (5%) of all schools,” the release said.
“Of those schools, 110 were also identified for groups of students other than students with disabilities, including 78 schools identified because of the achievement gap experienced by English language learners.”
One difference from previous years is that “fewer schools were identified as needing targeted support and improvement based on achievement gaps experienced by students from low-income backgrounds and students who are black/African American, Hispanic, or multi-racial,” the release said. .
Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach him at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.
This article first appeared in the Des Moines Register: Des Moines Public Schools has 12 schools among the 35 lowest rated in Iowa.
