Board of Education Meeting Recap
November 5th, 2024
Vote on Results (R) 2.4 Social Studies Monitoring Report
Relevant Policy: Results (R) 2: Core Academics
Executive Director of Academic Services Amy Engelkins, Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation Karyn Stocks Glover, and Sugar Creek Instructional Coach Kaite Mohr presented the Results (R) 2.4 Social Studies Monitoring Report. In the Social Studies domain, the Monitoring Report focuses on answering this question: To what extent are students building the knowledge and thinking skills necessary to understand society and act as informed, responsible global citizens? The full report is available on the VASD website at this link.
Overall, Social Studies proficiency trends show encouraging progress across grade levels:
4th grade Forward Exam: Overall proficiency increased by approximately 4%, with many student groups showing growth, including an 11% increase for Hispanic/Latinx students.
8th grade Forward Exam: Overall proficiency increased by approximately 3%, with Multilingual Learners growing by 5%.
10th Grade Forward Exam: Overall proficiency increased, including gains for African American students, Hispanic/Latinx students, and Multilingual Learners.
While most focus groups held steady or improved, the report also identified areas for continued attention, including a slight decrease for African American students in Grade 8 and decreases in proficiency for students with IEPs in Grade 10. District leaders emphasized the importance of continuing to focus on equitable outcomes for all learners.
The team highlighted several key leadership moves supporting improved outcomes:
Implementation of a new Social Studies curricular resource (K–9) to strengthen standards alignment.
Vertical alignment work to ensure smooth transitions, particularly from middle school to high school.
Professional learning focused on standards and inquiry, helping educators deepen connections across subject areas.
A K–5 inquiry pilot centered on authentic local history projects related to the Verona area.
Student voice underscored the impact of this work. Fourth grade students shared pride in researching the Verona Area’s history, working independently, and persevering through challenging tasks. Their reflections highlight growth not only in content knowledge, but also in inquiry skills, independence, and engagement.
To build on this momentum, VASD will:
Identify essential K–12 Social Studies standards to clarify learning progressions and strengthen opportunities for student feedback.
Develop standards-aligned K–12 rubrics as part of the district’s Standards-Based Teaching and Learning work, helping students and families better understand grade-level expectations and track progress.
Continue expanding and refining inquiry-based learning, particularly in grades K–5.
Together, this work reflects VASD’s commitment to preparing students to be engaged, informed participants in our democracy and our diverse global society.
During its discussion of the R 2.4 Social Studies Monitoring Report, the BOE engaged in a conversation encompassing equity, instructional practice, assessment, and how to meaningfully interpret student growth data within the larger system.
Member Peguero asked how VASD’s Equity Framework is being integrated into Social Studies. The team shared that the work is embedded across the curriculum, particularly through developmentally appropriate engagement with current events, a strong emphasis on inquiry, and intentional cultivation of critical thinking skills. They emphasized that Social Studies is not simply about content acquisition, but about preparing students to analyze, question, and engage as informed citizens.
The conversation reinforced that equity lives in both what is taught and how it is taught, through standards alignment, culturally responsive approaches, and authentic inquiry experiences that build access and engagement for all learners.
BOE members noted the overall increases in proficiency and asked whether the growth observed was expected. Director of Stocks Glover explained that when instruction is tightly aligned with grade-level standards and supported by high-quality curricular resources, rigor increases, and assessment outcomes often follow. System-level increases across grades 4, 8, and 10 signal positive trends, particularly given that Social Studies instructional time is more limited than that for other content areas. The consistency across grade levels suggests that the work is systemic rather than isolated.
Importantly, leaders shared that in the first several years of implementing a new curriculum, districts often experience a dip in proficiency as staff and students adjust. The fact that VASD is seeing gains, rather than a dip, suggests strong implementation and collaborative instructional practices.
At the same time, the team cautioned that the Forward Exam represents lagging data, meaning that VASD sees the results well after the assessment is completed. In addition, Social Studies is assessed on the Forward only in grades 4, 8, and 10, which is another limitation of the data. VASD also prioritizes leading indicators, or real-time evidence of student learning analyzed within PLCs. Teachers are using current classroom data, collaborative inquiry, and student work to make adjustments in the moment, rather than waiting for annual assessment results.
BOE members expressed strong interest in the inquiry-based approach described in the report. Executive Director Engelkins highlighted how teams have collaborated to identify standards that lend themselves to deeper learning, built inquiry-rich units, collected both outcome data and anecdotal student reflections, and refined instruction accordingly.
There was recognition among BOE members that much of this professional collaboration, the day-to-day work of refining lessons, building shared understanding of mastery, and calibrating expectations, is not fully captured in traditional monitoring reports. BOE wondered how they could better understand whether growth represents “reasonable progress” when only part of the broader instructional picture is visible in formal data.
BOE members also discussed comparison-district rankings and noted that rank order does not necessarily reflect true differences in student learning. Questions were raised about whether alignment to the Forward Exam itself may influence comparative positioning. The conversation underscored the importance of grounding interpretation in local instructional practices and standards-based work rather than focusing solely on external comparisons.
The discussion addressed how teachers determine what mastery of standards looks like. The team described ongoing work to identify essential standards and develop rubrics through multiple rounds of teacher collaboration, testing, refinement, and cross-site input. This work, grounded in Standards Based Teaching and Learning, aims to create shared clarity across schools about expectations and performance levels. BOE members expressed interest in seeing more of this standards-based and rubric development work reflected in future monitoring reports.
The discussion was constructive and affirming. BOE members thanked Executive Director Engelkins, Director Stocks Glover, and Instructional Coach Moore for continuing to refine the monitoring report format and for providing richer context around the data. Executive Director Engelkins, in turn, credited VASD educators for their collaborative work and commitment to continuous improvement.
Member Murphy motioned to approve the (R) 2.4 Social Studies Monitoring Report as achieving reasonable progress. Member Stier Christensen seconded. The motion passed 5-0.
Vote on Results (R) 2.3 Sciences Monitoring Report
Relevant Policy: Results (R) 2: Core Academics
Executive Director of Academic Services Amy Engelkins and Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation Karyn Stocks Glover presented the Results (R) 2.3 Sciences Monitoring Report. In the sciences domain, the Monitoring Report focuses on answering this question: To what extent are students across grade levels engaging in scientific inquiry to understand core science concepts, apply engineering practices, and explain the natural world? The full report is available on the VASD website at this link.
Superintendent Dr. Clardy noted that the Science Monitoring Report reflects less growth compared to some other monitoring areas. He emphasized that the data should not be interpreted as a reflection of any individual staff member’s work. VASD is fortunate to have strong, dedicated educators, and it is VASD’s responsibility to build systems that enable both staff and students to thrive. Executive Director Engelkins added that science has not had a recent curricular resource adoption in this content area at the K-5 level, which is an important contextual factor when reviewing the results.
Recent data shows areas of both growth and opportunity:
On the 8th grade Forward Exam, slight increases in proficiency were observed for all students, including African American students, Asian American Pacific Islander students, and students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
At the high school level, the percentage of students meeting PreACT benchmarks decreased slightly; however, VASD continues to outperform state averages and several comparison districts. ACT results remained relatively consistent year over year.
On the 4th grade Forward Exam, overall proficiency decreased from the prior year, while proficiency among students with IEPs increased.
Executive Director Engelkins and Director Stocks Glover outlined key leadership moves designed to strengthen science instruction systemwide:
Curricular Resource Adoption: New materials have been implemented in grades 6–9, and a K–5 curriculum recommendation is being brought forward to address identified gaps in standards alignment.
Identifying Essential Standards: As part of the VASD’s Standards-Based Teaching and Learning work, teams are clarifying essential science standards to help students receive clear feedback and monitor their own growth.
Increased Access to High School Science Courses in Spanish: To better support Multilingual Learners, the district is expanding coursework in Spanish while supporting the bridge to English, particularly as students prepare for the PreACT and the ACT.
Student reflections shared during the presentation highlighted the impact of hands-on, inquiry-driven learning. Middle school students described feeling like “actual scientists” during engineering internships, paying closer attention in class, and developing skills such as writing scientific arguments to support claims. These reflections underscore VASD’s continued focus on real-world application, disciplinary literacy, and authentic engagement in science learning.
Looking ahead, VASD will:
Continue implementing new curricular resources with fidelity to ensure all students have access to grade-level standards.
Provide ongoing professional learning for educators to strengthen instructional practice.
Deepen work around essential standards so teachers can provide targeted feedback and students can clearly track their progress.
During its discussion of the Sciences Monitoring Report, the BOE engaged in a candid, thoughtful conversation grounded in both accountability and appreciation for the work underway across the VASD. They expressed appreciation for the report's transparency, particularly for sharing data that did not fully meet the VASD’s goals. They noted that while the results do not yet reflect “reasonable progress,” they also recognized that the Forward and ACT data are lagging indicators, nearly a year old by the time they are reviewed. The conversation reflected a shared understanding that monitoring reports are not judgments of staff dedication but rather snapshots of where the system is currently and what steps are needed next. BOE members reaffirmed that VASD educators are deeply committed professionals and that the focus remains on system improvement, not individual evaluation.
Dr. Clardy noted that the VASD’s initial strategic focus on literacy and mathematics was both intentional and necessary. That prioritization required significant curriculum review processes and instructional time, and while it was the right move, it had downstream implications for other content areas. Executive Director Engelkins emphasized that not every curriculum renewal can occur simultaneously, and K-5 science is now positioned as a priority area moving forward. Next year will mark year three of literacy curriculum implementation and the anticipated launch of a newly vetted K–5 science curricular resource using VASD’s established curriculum review process.
BOE members explored how well current science instruction aligns with external assessments such as the Forward Exam and ACT. The conversation surfaced an important consideration: strong curriculum and instruction may not fully translate to improved ACT performance if alignment gaps exist between instruction and assessment design.
Director Stocks Glover also noted the significant literacy demands embedded in science assessments. Concerns were raised that science assessments can function, in part, as literacy assessments, requiring students to read, analyze, and construct evidence-based responses. This underscores the importance of disciplinary literacy starting in early grades.
Executive Director Engelkins highlighted ongoing efforts at the high school level, including PreACT and ACT preparation opportunities and strong professional learning community (PLC) work among science educators, particularly the biology team, to align standards, instruction, and assessment practices.
The BOE reaffirmed the importance of science learning that connects to students’ identities, cultures, and lived experiences. Executive Director Engelkins and Director Stocks Glover noted expanded offerings of science coursework in Spanish and acknowledged the need to monitor how multilingual students are prepared for English-based assessments such as the ACT.
Throughout the discussion, BOE members returned to a forward-looking question: What can we do about this? The tone was one of curiosity and problem-solving rather than criticism. They acknowledged that the foundational work completed and currently underway positions the VASD well for the next phase of science improvement. The conversation reflected confidence in VASD educators and a collective commitment to continuous improvement, thoughtful sequencing of curricular area focus, and strengthening alignment between curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Overall, the discussion reinforced that while the data shows room for growth, the system is taking deliberate, measured steps to build the conditions necessary for sustained improvement in science learning across the district.
Member Stier Christensen motioned to approve the (R) 2.3 Sciences Monitoring Report as presented with reasonable progress not yet achieved. Member Peguero seconded. The motion passed 4-0.
