If it's spring, it's high school assessment season

After hearing from one high school group on the instructional use of new Chromebook computers in Spanish language studies, and watched a demonstration of Knowledge Team students who had placed seventh in state competition this year, the Medical Lake School Board, absent member Peggy Schweikhardt, quickly got down to business.

The board approved a first reading of revised policies related to student health, infectious diseases, and anaphylaxis prevention and response.

One policy relating to the use of medications at school added language prohibiting the use of medical marijuana.

While marijuana is legal in Washington state, federal safe and drug free school laws prohibit recipients of federal education money from accommodating medical marijuana. Medical Lake receives federal money.

Assistant Superintendent Kim Headrick provided an overview of learning platform changes at Endeavors alternative high school. The new platform is a hybrid that provides more engagement time for students, she said.

Called the Summit Learning Program, it focuses on three key proficiency areas: cognitive skills, content knowledge and habits for success.

“Those are things we know that when kids are struggling, or have differing needs, those are three areas that they really need to focus in on,” Headrick said.

The program also includes the use of Chromebook computers and a variety of other approved learning materials, Headrick said.

The program has been endorsed by the Curriculum Coordinating Council, which recommended board approval, according to documents.

Finance Director Chad Moss discussed the findings of a detailed on-site state accountability audit. Because Medical Lake is one of 20 districts statewide with a high percentage of choice students, it made the district “lucky enough,” he said, to also undergo a choice enrollment audit as well.

The audit found minor discrepancies in financial and choice enrollment reporting at Endeavors, the district’s alternative high school, petty cash and student fundraiser controls, and inventory procedures.

“Overall there was improvement since our last audit,” Moss reported. “We’re pretty happy with the results.”

It’s currently assessment season, Headrick told the board, and provided them a brief overview of various assessments being conducted in the districts schools.

The assessment window, she said, is between March and June.

The district is required to have at least a 95 percent assessment participation rate, according to Headrick, with the high school being the most difficult to achieve.

“So far it’s going very well,” she said, “I think we’ve gotten in our groove.”

Headrick also reported on the Spokane Scholars banquet, a long-running local foundation that recognizes the academic excellence of Spokane County area high school seniors, both pubic and private.

Headrick also reported on the de-linking of graduation assessment requirements passed by the Legislature this year. House Bill 1599 did away with the requirement that all graduating students must earn specific certifications in reading, math writing and science to graduate.

“No longer will we have what’s called a certificate of academic achievement, or individual achievement,” Headrick said.

Instead, students can now choose from multiple pathways for graduation, Headrick said.

Students will still need to have a “high school and beyond plan,” plus meet all 17 core class graduation requirements and a 24 credit-requirement, she said.

Students must also meet one other requirement option, such as meeting or exceeding the Smarter Balance Assessment in English and math, or complete and qualify for college credit courses in English and math, or earn credit in a high school transition program — such as a Bridge to College course.

They can also earn a C-plus or better in an advanced placement class in English and math. Students would also meet the optional requirement if they passed an ACT or SAT test. Meeting standards on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test, or ASVAB, is also acceptable.

Another option on which Headrick said she expected more guidance is completing a “sequence of career and technical education courses,” including those leading to apprenticeships or post-secondary education.

Board President Rod Von Lehe asked if the new graduation rules would impact special education students.

Headrick said the new requirements provided them additional pathways.

The class of 2019 will be the last to meet the certification requirements. The new standards go into effect for the class of 2020.

The next step is rule making by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, according to Superintendent Tim Ames.

“That will be the interesting part,” he said.

Using a document he shared with the board, but refused to make public to attendees of the public meeting, Ames reported on efforts made during a trip to the Legislature the previous week in which he and other educators worked to discuss issues under legislative consideration that might impact their districts.

His report has since become somewhat dated.

The Legislature on Sunday passed a $52.4 billion, two-year operating budget. Although the ramifications of that budget have yet to be fully understood by the educational community, according to Moss, the budget did increase the levy amounts rural schools like Medical Lake can ask of voters. The new levy amount increased from $1.50 to $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed district property value, or $2,500 per student, according to news sources.

For those districts sitting at or below $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, the budget also increased the amount of local effort assistance, or LEA, those districts might receive.

What that looks like in actual dollars remains to be seen, according to Moss.

“They’re still trying to sift through what was passed on Sunday,” Moss said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

Special education, a perennially underfunded education program, received $155 million in the budget.

Moss said the manner in which the budget was passed at the last minute was a bit unnerving.

“It makes us nervous when there’s a flurry of activity at the end of a session,” he said. “This was unprecedented. Everyone was tight lipped.”

Still, there was some optimism to be had.

“At least they’re done, I can say that,” Moss said. “I’m glad to be able to move on with these numbers. Hopefully there’s an increase in revenue.”

Ames also reported to the board on retirements and subsequent openings throughout the district.

“The school teacher shortage is probably not going to be an issue,” he said, due to reductions in force at larger school districts.

He said he had been in contact with provisional employees and felt the teacher employment climate would be beneficial to the district.

In other business, the board approved a the district’s summer meal program

During the past four years the program has served for free over 4,000 children 18 years of age or younger free breakfast and lunch meals, according to district documents.

The program operated at a loss to the district of $967 in 2018, according to board meeting documents.

“It’s well worth it,” Ames said.

The program will begin on July 1 and run Monday-Thursdays until August 15 at Hallett Elementary School. Breakfast is served at 9:15 a.m., lunch at 11:45 a.m.

Lee Hughes can be reached at lee@cheneyfreepress.com.