School Board reviews low student scores on recent M-STEP test

“This shows you we still have some work to do,” said Van Buren Public Schools Director of Instruction Jeff Moore on Monday after presenting a large amount of information to the school board on the disappointing student scores on the recent M-STEP test.
“We’re below state averages right now,” he said, referring to the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP).
Director Moore said these test results are just a snapshot of information.
“We want to be honest about this information and use the numbers for what they are,” Moore said.
Moore showed the correlation between poverty and proficiency levels for all the schools in Wayne County and noted despite the high number of students taking free and reduced lunches in the Van Buren Public Schools, “We’re still underperforming” when compared to other schools.
His charts on the test results were marred by the fact the state took away the 2015 results at Savage Elementary School so there was no 2015 scores to compare this year’s scores to.
Also, he said he hadn’t yet got the separation of scores between Gifted and Talented students at Savage and the non-GT students. Savage showed the highest scores of the four elementary schools with 59.21% proficiency in third grade math over a state average of 45.2%.
In third grade math, Edgemont got 17.89%, Rawsonville 16.47%, and Tyler 28.95% this year, all lower than last year’s scores.
He pointed out the poor English Language Arts proficiency in the third grade had implications with the new reading bill passed in Lansing that will take effect during the 2019-20 school year. It says if third graders don’t meet the criteria in reading, they are to be retained in the third grade.
Moore said studies show if students can’t read by the third grade they won’t graduate and could end up incarcerated.
Trustee Sherry Frazier clasped her hands in frustration, saying, “We won’t get over this hump!”
“We will,” stated School Supt. Pete Kudlak.
“I know we will,” she replied. “We’d better!”
Moore presented a list of things they were doing to improve curriculum and said they are looking at other school districts with better scores to find out what they are doing that could be put into practice in the Van Buren Schools.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board:
• Approved budget amendments for the 2016-17 budgets, as presented by Financial Director Shareen Barker. She said they have learned that the RESA Enhancement millage that passed will be levied at once and so the district will be getting $1,875,000 this school year. Also, the district is getting $1,163,981 more in state foundation allowance because of having more students than expected. The salary/benefit increases amounted to $947,486 in increased expenditures. The $6.4 million fund balance is 13.7% of the total budget;
• Ratified the agreement with the Food Service employees that gives all workers a salary increase of 1% for the 2016-17 school year, retroactive to Sept. 1;
• Ratified the agreement with the teachers’ union for the 2016-17 school year that returns the remaining 2.6% concession, as of Sept. 1, given up as part of the unit’s effort to assist the district when in deficit. Employees will get a lump sum payment pro-rated to the 2007-08 salary schedule, calculated back to Aug 26. Beginning with Jan. 30 the membership will move to the new salary schedule. (For example, in 2008-09, a beginning teacher earned $35,457 and as of Jan. 30, a new teacher with a BA will earn $37,457 and start on his enhancement lane.) And, the union also agreed to switch from bi-weekly pays to 24 pays annually. Also, the district agreed to supply a half-time paraprofessional for those kindergarten classrooms whose count exceeds 26 students. Finally, building administrators will limit meeting times to no more than three hours per month. Board Secretary Kevin English abstained from the vote since his wife is a member of the bargaining unit;
• Approved non-affiliated staff salary raises as recommended by Supt. Kudlak. He said so many had not seen raises since 2011 and his recommendations will result in a little over a 1% increase to this group;
• Heard McBride Middle School Principal John Leroy give a presentation on McBride and the good changes happening there. He noted suspensions have fallen to 115 so far in this school year, from last year’s 244 because of new ways of handling conflicts;
• Heard Treasurer Kevin English give a legislative update, in the spirit of Martha Toth who used to give updates but no longer is on the board. English spoke against Senate Bill 102 and against Senator Colbeck and his bills, and against Betsy DeVos, who President-elect Trump recently appointed his cabinet secretary overseeing Education;
• Heard Supt. Kudlak announce that the school district’s Facebook page is up and running. He said the Jingle Bell Run on Saturday, to earn funds for the Education Foundation, already has 383 runners registered, which is more than they had in the race last year; and
• Was reminded the Dec. 12 school board meeting at Belleville High School Commons will be the last meeting of the year. The new board members will be ceremoniously sworn in by Judge David Parrott at the board’s organizational meeting in January.