Jackson school district shows huge gain in state report

Jackson School District scored 85.5% on the state annual performance report for the 2022-23 school year. That was an almost 10% increase over the previous year.

The state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its report Dec. 18, measuring districts on standardized tests, attendance rates and other factors.

The report showed 70% of districts in the state had a lower score for the 2022-23 school year than the previous year. It was the only large public school in Southeast Missouri to show an increase. Sikeston dropped by two points; Cape Girardeau dropped by over three points; and Poplar Bluff went down by almost nine percentage points.

Janelle Pope, associate superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction said Jackson's significant increase in score was a result of the dedication and hard work of the faculty and staff in their "relentless pursuit of student success."

Pope said the biggest jump for the district in terms of percentage points came from state assessment test scores.

"We actually went up over 11 points in that category," Pope said.

Pope attributed the increase in the districts score in English Language Arts (ELA) to additional training for teachers in the science of reading, using a program called LETRS which helps teachers understand the foundational needs of students to learn to read well.

She said the district also uses a program called 95 Percent Group, a literacy intervention program which, according to its website, helps identify and close skill gaps early and "provides a strong foundation for reading success."

"Especially with students who are struggling readers, and we've just seen a lot of gains and a lot of growth with these programs," Pope said. "Teachers can help students grow based upon their own knowledge, but these programs also give them more tools in their toolbox."

Jackson was designated as "On Target" in the category of Academic Achievement in ELA, and as "On Track" in math, science and social studies.

Pope said the district saw another bump in APR scores in the area of dual enrollment Advanced Placement classes. She said this was primarily because of correcting a reporting error in the previous year's performance report.

"Our students have always been very invested in taking those courses, and we have a lot to offer at Jackson," Pope said. "But there was a reporting error to the state in terms of how many students we had involved, so when we recognized that was the fault, we did a better job of reporting that information accurately and so we went up eight points there."

The district also showed improvement in Academic Achievement Growth with ELA, math and science listed as "Above Average". However, social studies was graded as below average.

As reported previously, some school administrators across the state are questioning whether the testing program's formula for the Academic Achievement Growth category needs to be adjusted, pointing to massive swings in scores both positive and negative.

"This APR score puts Jackson in the top 10% of all K-12 districts in the state of Missouri," Pope said. "We are so proud of Team Jackson."