A dozen schools in Iowa’s largest public school district have been identified by the state as “in need of extensive support and improvement” because of their low performance, new statewide school performance data show.
The 12 Des Moines schools are among 35 statewide that landed in the bottom 5% of Iowa’s Title I public schools, or schools with a graduation rate lower than 66%, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Education. That’s five more schools than the district previously had among its lowest-performing schools.
The data is part of the recently released Iowa School Performance Profiles, which identify schools that “need additional support and improvement based on their performance” during the 2023-2024 school year. The annual assessments are a requirement under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
The Des Moines schools on the low-performing list are:
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Brubaker Primary School
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Studebaker Elementary School
Carver, Monroe and Edmunds elementary schools in DMPS were removed from the list this year due to their improved performance, according to state data.
Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts said the state’s results were not surprising.
“In fact, it’s encouraging because (the state’s data) reflects exactly what we’ve seen,” he said. “I know we’re going to have kind of a relentless focus on very specific and targeted areas where we can get better and where we need to improve.”
The performance ratings were part of “Iowa’s new accountability system,” based on factors such as schools’ “proficiency outcomes in English language arts, math and science, student academic growth, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates and postsecondary readiness,” according to a Department of Education edition.
Schools in the bottom 5% are eligible for assistance from the Iowa Department of Education, including 6,000 hours of on-site support, assistance analyzing data and developing an action plan, providing instructional materials, and supporting school leadership teams, department officials said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
From 2022: Hundreds of Iowa schools are eligible for federal funds to boost student achievement
Roberts said DMPS officials have already looked at everything from academic results to school leadership to chronic absenteeism to help improve low-performing schools. The district has also hired a new high school principal to help strengthen those schools.
No other school in the Des Moines metro made the state’s lowest-performing list.
Chief inspector sees bright spots for DMPS
Additionally, 22 of 63 schools in Des Moines were found to need targeted support and improvement due to achievement gaps within student groups, such as English learners, students with disabilities, low-income students, or among racial groups. facts.
“It takes a village” to achieve the improvements the state needs and ensure continued improvements throughout the district, Roberts said.
Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts talks to Hoover High School students during their first day of school on Monday, August 26, 2024 in Des Moines.
He said these improvements should be celebrated.
Related: Des Moines Public Schools is ‘reimagining education.’ What that can mean for families
“In this example, we have 15 of our schools this year entering the new school year having been removed from both comprehensive and targeted designations,” he said, “and that is in large part due to two things: the work that what is happening in terms of teachers, principals and staff in buildings. But secondly, we don’t want to underestimate how important it is that we have received a lot of support from our Ministry of Education.”
How Iowa schools performed
Statewide, 16 schools that were among the lowest performing last year were removed this school year.
Related: The majority of Des Moines public schools are seeing progress in reading and math proficiency
Another 377 schools in Iowa were identified by the state as needing targeted support and improvement.
More than 93%, or 351, of those schools were identified as such because “students with disabilities in their school were performing below the level of the lowest (5%) of all schools,” according to the news release.
“Of these schools, 110 were also identified for other student groups in addition to students with disabilities, including 78 schools identified for the achievement gaps experienced by students learning English.”
One difference from previous years is that “fewer schools have been identified in need of targeted support and improvement based on achievement gaps experienced by students from low-income backgrounds and students who are Black/African American, Hispanic, or multiracial,” according to the release. .
Samantha Hernandez provides education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.
This article originally appeared on the Des Moines Register: Des Moines Public Schools has 12 schools under 35 that score lowest in Iowa
