By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board heard a report on the Kansas State Assessment scores at its meeting on Monday.
The district earned two bronze awards, a silver award and a commissioner's recognition as a result of the Kansas State Assessments.
Parents should have received a notification this week allowing them to access the parent portal to view their student's assessment scores.
The assessment scores are broken into four levels.
• Students in level one have limited ability on grade-level standards.
• Students in level two have basic ability on grade-level standards.
• Students in level three have proficient ability on grade-level standards.
• Students in level four have advanced ability on grade-level standards.
Shanna Dinkel, assistant superintendent, said the state found students scoring in the upper level two range were performing much better than expected on the ACT, were graduating on time, and going on to be successful in post-secondary education.
The levels for English and math were adjusted for the 2025 assessments to move some students into level three, she said. The 2025 assessments will be used as a benchmark for the next several years.
Dinkel said the goal for districts across the state is to have at least 75% of students scoring in levels three and four, and 10% or fewer students scoring in level one, in both math and English.
She said Hays is seeing growth in levels three and four and decreases in level one in reading and math.
Anyone can access the full assessment scores broken down by grade and subject on the Kansas Department of Education website. CLICK HERE to search.
Hays scored better than the statewide average in both subjects.
Dinkel said students in the district have struggled more wth math than English, something that has been a nationwide issue.
"I think a lot of times it's the confidence in math," she said. ... "Sometimes it is a mindset that it is going to be a struggle."
The district aims to foster interest and a positive mindset toward math, even among children in the early childhood program, Dinkel said.
Board member Ruth Ruder asked about students using AI. Dinkel said the computers at the high school are locked down to AI, and teachers are trying to ensure when students test, they are demonstrating their knowledge and not relying on AI.
The district is focusing on math districtwide this school year. Dinkel said teachers are testing students before the state assessments in the spring to identify students who need additional help sooner.
Teachers are also implementing interventions with students who may be struggling in both subjects.
Districts can earn four levels of recognition for accreditation measures. These are copper, bronze, silver and gold.
Hays earned a Bronze Award for being academically prepared for postsecondary education, which is based on the district's assessment scores. Last year, it received a Copper Award in the same category.
Graduation rate
The district's graduation rate combines the graduation rates for Hays High School and the Hays Virtual School. The latest data reported is from 2024.
HHS' graduation rate in 2024 was 97.6%, and the virtual school's graduation rate was 61.5% for a combined rate of 93.5%. The combined average was above the state average of 89.5% for 2024.
Hays USD 489 received a Silver Award for its graduation rate, which exceeded the state average. Districts with a graduation rate of 93% to 94.9% earn a Silver Award. Gold Awards are given to districts with a 95% or higher graduation rate.
Post-secondary success
Post-secondary success measures the number of students who are enrolled in degree or certificate programs or have earned a post-secondary degree or certificate two years after graduation. It does not count students who go directly into the workforce or the military.
Hays' five-year success rate is 63.6%, and its average effectiveness is 57.6%.
The state estimates how well each district is expected to score on this measure based on factors, such as the number of students on free and reduced-cost lunch and the number of students who have individual education plans (IEPs). That gives the district a predicted effectiveness rate.
The district earned a Bronze Award because its post-secondary success rate exceeded the predicted effectiveness rate. It also earned a Commissioner's Award for significantly outperforming its predicted postsecondary effectiveness rate.
Board President Curt Vajnar said he hoped the curriculum would focus on real-world math rather than teaching to the test.
Dinkel said, "Now there is a variety, and there is a depth of knowledge to it. That is really what we are working on, to make sure we are teaching to the depth that is necessary, so that it is meaningful.
"[The assessment test] is one indicator. There are so many other measures of student success. We need to look at it as layers of data."