CCSD remains focused on academic recovery

Posted at 12:56h in Clark County School District, Parents, Press Release, Students by Bryan C

The Clark County School District (CCSD) is looking to National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) results to target investments as part of the Focus on the Future for Kids initiative. 2022 NAEP results reflect the tremendous impact that the pandemic had on student learning. The results show that CCSD data fluctuations were in line with large urban districts across the country.

“With this year’s NAEP data, we see some encouraging results; however, the reality is these numbers serve as a roadmap for the investments we need to make with the remaining COVID funding,” said CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara. “These results also show the herculean work of CCSD teachers, administrators, and support professionals in tackling the challenges of the pandemic to minimize the impact on students.”

NAEP, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know in public and private schools in the United States.

“The NAEP data, collected at the peak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant wave, reflect the significant impact that the pandemic had in our Great Cities,” said Council of the Great City Schools Executive Director Ray Hart said. “Clark County School District performed as well as or better than their peers in large city schools nationally. Their students have already returned to the same performance levels observed prior to the pandemic in eighth-grade reading. Sustaining achievement in any grade or subject in the face of a global crisis is no easy feat and is a testament to Clark County’s efforts to help their students recover from the impact of the global pandemic.”

Reading

  • 65 percent of 8th-grade students tested at or above NAEP Basic in 2022
    •  CCSD performed the same or higher than 92 percent of other large districts
    •  8th-grade student performance remained consistent from 2019
    • Scores for students with disabilities, White students, Asian American-Pacific Islander and students from two or more races remained consistent with 2019
  • 54 percent of 4th-grade students tested at or above NAEP Basic in 2022
    • CCSD performed the same or higher than 72 percent of other large districts
    • Scores for students with disabilities, English language learners, and Asian American-Pacific Islander students remained unchanged from 2019

Mathematics

  • 54 percent of 8th-grade students tested at or above NAEP Basic in 2022
    • CCSD performed the same or higher than 84 percent of other large districts
    • Scores for 8th-grade White, African American,  Asian American-Pacific

Islander and students with disabilities remain largely unchanged from 2019

  • 65 percent of 4th-grade students tested at or above NAEP Basic in 2022
    • CCSD performed the same or higher than 72 percent of other large districts
    • Scores for 4th grade White, Asian American-Pacific Islander, two or more races, and students with disabilities had scores that remained consistent from 2019

For the third time, during the 2021-22 school year, CCSD participated in the NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA). This allows the District to compare itself to 25 other large urban school districts which serve similar student populations.

Improving performance

CCSD recognizes the academic challenges some students faced throughout the pandemic. By investing significantly in curriculum and programs, CCSD accelerates student learning and academic recovery.

CCSD is currently in Phase 3 of the Focus on the Future for Kids Initiative. Phase 3 is looking at “What’s Next in CCSD Education? “ and will involve re-engaging the community in the conversation.

CCSD has already made significant Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) investments in programs aimed at academic recovery throughout the pandemic, including

  • Paper – CCSD has provided all students with free access to online tutoring services
    • Paper is available to students through their Clever accounts
    • The service is funded through ESSER
  • Summer Learning Programs – CCSD offered three primary summer learning opportunities free of charge to accelerate all students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral development
    • Approximately 95,000 students participated in the programs
    • The programs will continue in Summer 2023
    • The programs were funded through ESSER
  • ELL Endorsements for teachers – CCSD teachers can now earn a master’s degree in English Language Learning (ELL) with an ELAD endorsement, at no cost to them, through Project Pueblo, providing CCSD teachers with the knowledge and skills to better support English language learners 
    • Nearly 100 participants enrolled in the first cohort
    • This training is being funded through ESSER
  • Tier I English Language Arts instructional materials – Implementing a consistent curriculum for Tier I instruction in ELA for Kindergarten–Grade 12 will increase reading achievement across the district 
    • CCSD has allocated $60 million in ESSER funding for the purchase once the Nevada Department of Education adopts new materials.

To learn more about the District, visit ccsd.net.