Denair students across all grade levels made gains on one of the most-watched measures of academic performance, Superintendent Terry Metzger told Denair Unified School District trustees Thursday night.

Metzger reported on the district’s progress on what is known as the CA School Dashboard, which was created about a decade ago. It tracks not only academic indicators, but also things like chronic absenteeism and suspension rates, which impact classroom performance.

“There are different calculations for each indicator on the dashboard, which can make it challenging to interpret the barometer shown for each area,” Metzger explained. “However, once someone understands how it works, there is a lot of great information to help understand how well our schools are performing.”

Saying “we have a lot to celebrate,” then Metzger walked trustees through many of the main indicators.

“The most exciting news for us is that all schools in the district made progress. DECA made progress in every indicator,” she said. “Key trends include improvements in chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and English learner performance. While our English and math scores are still low, we are performing within the range of our neighboring districts (in some cases outperforming).”

Metzger said the dashboard statistics afford a “higher-level view” of student performance, as opposed to iReady test scores and end-of-unit assessments that provide more real-time feedback to teachers. Still, the dashboard influences classroom strategies.

“Last year, we really focused on English learner strategies as a district and that paid off in terms of improvement on the dashboard,” Metzger said. “This year we added a math focus based on last year’s data and expect that we will see growth in next year’s dashboard.”

The superintendent told trustees that she is proud of the progress the district has made.

“We have a sense of urgency as a district to ensure that our students are prepared for the next grade level and ultimately for whatever comes after graduation,” Metzger said. “It’s hard work and our staff have put their hearts and souls into learning how to meet students’ needs. Our 2024 dashboard results are a direct impact of that work.”

In other action Thursday, trustees:

• Approved an early retirement incentive of $2,000 for any employee who submits a notice of their intent to retire to the district office by 4 p.m. on Jan. 31. The retirement cannot happen before May 24, 2025.
• Unanimously supported a plan for the district to apply for an Environmental Protection Agency grant that could cover the entire cost of a new electric bus, which cost between $400,000 and $500,000.
• Listened as Metzger and Daisy Swearingen, the district’s chief business official, reported that $11.9 million worth of Denair’s school bonds from the recently approved Measure Z were sold this week. For now, the money will be put in the bank; the district expects to make $32,000 a month in interest. In coming years, another $22.3 million in bonds will be sold. The bond funds will pay for facilities updates across the district, including a relocated and rebuilt kitchen at DECA and the replacement of portable classrooms with permanent buildings at the high school.
• Heard a report about two of the career technical education (CTE) pathways at Denair High, which provide insight into and practical knowledge about potential areas of employment after graduation. Principal Breanne Aguiar, teacher Melissa Treadwell and paraeducator and ag advisor Christian Obando teamed up on the presentation, which included photos and videos of students. Treadwell talked about the emergency medical response that was added this year. She teaches two courses. One of the goals is for all students to learn CPR, first aid skills and BLS certificates. Obando talked about the three ag pathways — agriscience, ag floral and ag mechanics – all of which include three classes students must pass in order to complete the pathway. There are 185 students enrolled in one or more ag classes, Obando said, plus another 40 in ag biology. Students who receive a B grade or better in pathway classes also can receive college credits at Modesto Junior College.