By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 received awards in all four of the areas measured under the new Kansans Can Star Recognition program.
The district received bronze recognition for student postsecondary success, and copper awards for graduation rate and students being academically prepared for postsecondary success. The district also received a Commissioner's Award with Honor for postsecondary success.
The school board heard a report on the awards at its meeting Monday night.
"I think it is worth noting that there were four areas that we could receive awards in from the state, and we received them in all four areas," Superintendent Ron Wilson said. "I think that is a real feather in the cap to the work that is being done in our district.
"I know they are going to work hard to see if they can up the ante a little bit."
Postsecondary preparedness
The postsecondary preparedness category looks at state assessments and ACT scores. Copper award winners must have at least the state average of students scoring at a level three or four on state assessments in English, math and science, which is students working above grade level.
Level two is students working at grade level and level one is students working below grade level.
The district for 2019 had 41.66 percent of students scoring in the top two tiers in math, 43.57 percent of students scoring in top two tiers in English and 43.57 percent of students scoring in the top two tiers in science. The state average was 34.6 percent.
Shanna Dinkel, assistant superintendent, said only one school district in the state received a silver award. Ten districts received bronze awards, and no districts received the gold award.
Dinkel also presented ACT scores. The average student composite score on the ACT for district students in 2018-19 was a 22. The state average was 21.2.
She said the scores in 2018-19 took a dip, but the district had more students taking the ACT because the state offered to pay for all students to take the test.
More Hays students than the state average reached benchmark scores for being ready for college in the areas of English, math, social science and biology.
Seventy-three percent of Hays students taking the ACT hit the benchmark for being ready for taking English composition, compared to 64 percent for the state average.
Graduation
The district's graduation rate for 2018 was 88.5 percent. The state is always a year behind in reporting graduation numbers.
Dinkel also included statistics in her report on chronic absenteeism.
"We know that student attendance — those who are chronically absent — that will really impact them being on track for graduation and that postsecondary success," she said.
The elementary schools are celebrating attendance and posting school-wide attendance numbers near their offices.
For 2019, the district calculated its graduation rate at more than 90 percent. This would earn the district a bronze award for next year.
Postsecondary success
Postsecondary success is measured on the number of students who graduate high school in four years and then go on to earn an industry certificate, a postsecondary certificate, a postsecondary degree or are enrolled in postsecondary education in both the first and second years following graduation.
The district's five-year average success rate was 61 percent.
The district's effectiveness rate is adjusted based on poverty, the amount of chronic absenteeism and student mobility.
School districts that have a postsecondary success rate higher than is predicted according to its limiting factors receive a Commissioner's Award. Hays received a Commissioner's Award with Honor, which is the second highest level in that category.
Next year districts will also be judged on social emotional growth, kindergarten readiness, individual plans of study and civic engagement as part of their accreditations.
A one page district report card is set to be released before the end of the month. That report card will be posted on the USD 489 website when it becomes available.
USD 489 Foundation auction
The USD 490 Endowment for Education Excellence presented a check to the school board Monday from proceeds from its fundraising auction in October.
The auction raised $25,170, which will be dedicated to further security upgrades at district schools.