The Knoxville Community School District has announced the release of the 2024 Iowa School Performance Profiles, which provide a “report card” on public school performance across the state.
This year’s results for Knoxville High School, Knoxville Middle School, and Northstar Elementary reflect an overall rating of “Acceptable”. However, due to scores in the students with disabilities subgroup that fall below the state cut score, each school’s rating has been adjusted to “Needs Improvement.” As a result, each school in the district has been designated for targeted support for students with disabilities.
The Iowa School Performance Profiles score schools based on achievement, growth, chronic absenteeism, and other key learning measures. High school evaluations include additional metrics, such as graduation rate, work-based learning placements, and college credits earned. KCSD is also scored on the subgroups of students with disabilities and low socio-economic status since each building has more than 20 students in each of these categories. Schools receive an overall score and rating, which may be adjusted based on the performance of subgroups. These profiles are publicly available and provide families, educators, and the community with insights into school performance and areas for improvement.
In the release issued by KCSD it states, “The Knoxville Community School District remains firmly committed to fostering success for all students and ensuring that every student achieves their full potential. The district recently made a significant investment in literacy programs to benefit students of all ages and abilities, aiming to create strong foundations in reading and writing across the district. Recognizing that attendance is also essential to academic success, the district is actively implementing strategies to improve attendance rates and reduce chronic absenteeism, helping students fully engage in their learning journeys.
“Our district is dedicated to building a culture of excellence and equity for every student, with a special focus on those who may need additional support to succeed,” said Superintendent Cassi Pearson. “We are addressing these recent performance results with targeted action, ensuring that our students with disabilities subgroup receives the support and resources needed to thrive alongside their peers.”
The release also said that moving forward with targeted support and resources in alignment with the findings of the ISPP, KCSD is focused on enhancing support for students in all reportable subgroups. This targeted approach will ensure that each student benefits from the district’s initiatives aimed at improving achievement and growth in reading, math, and science. The district is working closely with educators, staff, and families to assess individual student needs, implement tailored interventions, and monitor progress to meet state standards.