Setting the record straight on Kent School District graduation rates and other issues | Editorial

In the Nov. 11 issue of the Kent Reporter, Charles Hoff wrote a commentary on the need for community involvement in our schools. As a Kent School Board member, former teacher, college professor and longtime community supporter, I couldn’t agree more. Research and common sense is very clear – the more the adults of a community get involved in our schools, the better our kids’ chances will be for informed, prepared, prosperous, healthy, happy and impactful lives.

But, I must take firm exception with Mr. Hoff on some of his assertions about our district. He stated: “The Kent School District is below the state average for high school completion and is located in the heart of the aerospace industry.” While he is right about our locale, he is wrong about our completion rate. According to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington state’s annual on-time graduation rate for 2009-2010 was 76.5 percent. Kent School District’s annual on-time graduation rate for the same period was 82.3 percent. The exact figures for 2010-2011 are still being formulated in Olympia, but initial calculations show our numbers will be even higher. If you look at the past four years, you will see steady improvement across all student groups and ethnicities.

This is not the only evidence that our schools are heading in the right direction. While our challenges are huge and we have a long way to go before our efforts are 100 percent successful for every child, we are proud of what has been accomplished in Kent School District.

KSD’s average SAT scores are higher than Washington state’s average. And this state has the highest average SAT scores in the nation.

Seven schools were recognized for making AYP (adequately yearly progress) as defined by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act. One school has achieved this distinction for the third year in a row. The word “adequate” is a misnomer in this situation as it is an accomplishment that very few of the schools in the country achieve.

Kent Elementary, one of our highest needs schools, recently won the prestigious John D. Warner Award for Educational Excellence from Boeing.

Lisa Clarke, a teacher at Kent-Meridian High School, was recently named the World Affairs Council’s World Educator for her work with our burgeoning international community and her efforts to develop instructional materials for other teachers across the globe.  She is scheduled to receive the award from former President Jimmy Carter in January.

Our schools, our teachers, and our students are being recognized nationally and even internationally for their innovation and achievement.  And none of this is happening by accident. It is the result of deliberative action by district leadership. My colleagues and I gave our superintendent, Dr. Edward Lee Vargas, and his staff clear instructions that student achievement as defined by graduation rates, the closing of the achievement gaps between minority and majority groups, and college/career readiness are their priorities.  In each category, we have seen marked gains in the past three years.

Dr. Vargas is pushing our staff and system to meet high expectations so that every learning site has what the leading research tells us are the essential characteristics of a high performing school:

1. A culture of equity and excellence for all: no excuses attitude;

2. Effective school leadership and leaders;

3. Focus on high, standards-based, academic and social expectations for all;

4. High levels of collaboration and communication;

5. Curriculum, instruction and assessments aligned with state standards;

6. Careful experimentation with instruction;

7. Frequent monitoring of learning and teaching through data based analysis;

8. Focused professional development;

9. Collaboration focused on Instruction;

10. Involvement of all stakeholders and a strong sense of family;

11. Passion for continual improvement and

12. High levels of family and community involvement.

Our superintendent is a professional with the credentials to prove he can focus the energy of the Kent School District in positive and meaningful ways. We have a district improvement plan that runs 40 pages. Each school site has a distinct plan to deal with the needs of their population. Helping our students achieve in a measurable way is the focus of this district. Our tax payers have trusted us to implement technology in the curriculum. If you want to see the power of this effort, please join us for the district wide demonstrations at ShoWare Center on Jan. 18.

Our principals extensively study and analyze student achievement data and use that analysis to inform good decisions on how best to improve, while our teachers collaborate in learning teams to provide the most powerful instruction. Our support staff works tirelessly so no child is left behind. Another example of team success – Covington Elementary fifth-grade science student proficiency rates went from 14 percent last year to 72 percent this year. That is incredible. Let’s celebrate it, not ignore it!

And no, schools can’t do it alone. Our community partners in the service, faith, business and parental communities are providing increasing levels of support in mentoring, basic needs, scholarships and much more. In the Kent School District, we are a family of educators working tirelessly to ensure that we not only do things right, but do the right thing for our kids. That means every kid. We won’t rest until every single child achieves success.

Mr. Hoff, you were right about the need for more community involvement in our schools, but the facts categorically contradict your claims about the performance of the Kent School District and show them to be inaccurate, distracting and inflammatory. The Kent School District is doing everything in our power to help students achieve. Given the current economic climate, community support is no longer a luxury, but rather an essential component of our strategy of survival and success. School board meetings are public and we invite the public to be a part of our work.  That ongoing participation is critical in providing an essential service to our community. Together, we are building the future and working hard at it.