She promises to provide an example later in the presentation. Emily's dad nudges her and they both smile. Having set the stage, the assistant superintendent turns to carefully prepared charts depicting average student performance in each important achievement category tested. Results are summarized by grade and building, concluding with a clear description of how district results had changed from the year before and from previous years. As she proceeds, board members ask questions and receive clarification.
Participants discuss possible reason.
This is a routine annual presentation that proceeds as expected. Next comes the break from routine. Having completed the first part of the presentation, the assistant superintendent explains how the district has gathered some new information about one important aspect of student achievement. As the board knows, she points out, the district has implemented a new writing program in the high school to address the issue of poor writing skills among graduates. As part of their preparation for this program, the English faculty attended a summer institute on assessing writing proficiency and integrating such assessments into the teaching and learning process.