Attendance and Engagement

WSD will improve the proportional attendance rate from 82.9% to 90% by the end of the 2028-2029 school year. The growth will be 1.4% per school year, as measured by the Annual Performance Report.

Rationale

• The district’s attendance has decreased from 87.7 (proportional) to 76.2% in the last four years. This directly correlates with the decrease across the state. The attendance rate of 82.9% per DESE APR falls in the “approaching” category.
• The goal will provide for a designation increase from “approaching” to “on target” on the Annual Performance Review.
• In a statewide data review, attendance had the most direct correlation with achievement of
  indicators studied.
• In addition to being essential to school success, regular attendance is a skill that has endurance
  beyond high school and extends to colleges and careers.
• Research suggests student and staff engagement will contribute to increased attendance for students and staff.

Strategies for Implementation

• Utilize various community partnerships to provide mentorship opportunities for Kindergarten–12th grade students. Success will be measured based on the number of students involved with a mentor or a mentorship program.
• Continue developing the teacher mentorship programming to initiate staff and engage them in WSD. Success will be measured by the feedback collected from teachers who participate.
• Include attendance goals aligned to Comprehensive School Improvement Plan in all school improvement plans.
• Increase student voice and leadership as measured by the improvement in the areas of student leadership and staff leadership.
• Research alternative attendance options measured by professional learning opportunities for staff.
• Utilize new evidence-based research regarding attendance communication, and track the
  effectiveness of use.
• Provide professional development on engagement and motivation, and measure success on professional learning surveys and walk-through forms in the classrooms.

Curriculum and Evidence-Based Instruction

WSD curricula will be reviewed and approved on a 6-year cycle. All curricula will be updated from the current 34% that is updated to 100% at the end of the 6-year cycle.

Rationale

• The district has created a 6-year cycle to bring all curricula up to date and take it through the writing process to ensure the curriculum is grounded in evidence-based practices that support teachers with resources to help students grow and achieve.
• Curriculum documents and resources have not been fully funded.
• Research shows that providing teachers with evidence-based instructional strategies increases student achievement.
• The diverse needs of students in the WSD make it essential to differentiate evidence-based instructional practices.
• A well-rounded, challenging curriculum will engage students and staff, impacting attendance and student achievement.
• Consistency in implementing a district-wide curriculum with evidence-based instructional practices is key to student success.

Strategies for Implementation

• Write curriculum documents using teachers skilled in the content areas who come together in an extensive curriculum and assessment development process. All documents will include best practices and include all student groups.
• Embed inquiry-based, personalized learning, and/or competency-based learning, where appropriate in curriculum documents to foster student voice and choice and increase engagement.
• Provide and evaluate high-quality professional development for all staff on district curriculum, resources, and evidence-based instructional practices.

Academic Achievement and Growth

WSD students will score a designation of Target (highest designation) as measured by the Annual Performance Report achievement performance indicators in status and growth in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. WSD students will increase proficiency and growth scores in reading by 2% annually as measured by i-Ready, NWEA, and MAP assessments.

Rationale

• The District has shown growth in many areas and will continue to focus on earning the highest designation in academic achievement and growth. *These measures are based on the 5/2024 updated MSIP6 guidelines.

Strategies for Implementation

• Align building school improvement plans to address academic achievement in all four areas.
• Evaluate data to plan and improve subgroup learning through the implementation of PLCs.
• Research and implement effective practices in grading.
• Implement the ci3t process with fidelity. The percentage of students in each of the 3 tiers of instruction will be as follows: Tier 1: 80%, Tier 2: 15%, Tier 3: 5%, in the areas of academics, behavior, and social-emotional.
• Research and implement effective practices grounded in the Science of Reading.

College and Career Ready

WSD students will score a designation of Target (highest designation) as measured by the Annual Performance Report achievement performance indicators. In status: Graduate Follow Up | Success Ready - Career Tech Ed expansion.

Rationale

• Expand our career focus beyond 6-12 to PreK-5.
• Workforce data tells us that 63% of students think they are career-ready, but only 25% of employers say they are.
• Students should be prepared to either enter a career or college, and our schools are a key place where this is developed.
• The goal of education is to help inspire productive successful members of society, regardless of their goals after high school.
• No APR points have been earned for Success Ready - Career Tech Ed Expansion.

Strategies for Implementation

• Implement consistent use of four-year plan for all students.
• Expand job-shadowing opportunities.
• Connect curriculum to real-world and industry.
• Continue to build/expand the Pathways Program (expand to PreK-5, continuously evaluate and adjust coursework to align with industry expectations, provide for more robust experiences within the current pathways).
• Expand college and career speaker bank.
• Weave career connections into PreK-8 curricula.
• Expand partnerships with businesses, colleges, tech schools, and the trades.