Alamance-Burlington School System students improved their performance on state tests during the 2021-22 school year from the previous year’s COVID decline. Schools achieved growth almost on par with pre-pandemic levels, according to the state’s accountability report presented today to the State Board of Education.
Because of disruptions caused by the pandemic, the accountability report for the 2021-22 school year is the first since 2018-19 to feature all components of the state’s accountability framework, including the calculation of A-F School Performance Grades and growth designations. According to the report, 29 of 36 ABSS schools met or exceeded overall growth. Furthermore, 14 of those 29 schools exceeded overall growth, which is the highest achievement.
ABSS experienced significant gains in mathematics with 26 out of 28 elementary and middle schools meeting or exceeding growth. In reading, 22 out of 28 elementary and middle schools met or exceeded growth. Only elementary and middle schools receive a reading and math growth score whereas high schools receive an overall growth score.
“These scores indicate that face to face instruction strongly impacts student learning. I’m confident that this growth will continue as we return to normalcy within our school district. I’m pleased with these results, but know we have lots of remaining work to do,” said Dr. Dain Butler, Superintendent.
ABSS is prioritizing classroom instruction time this year and minimizing teacher responsibilities outside the classroom. The District is also focusing on building relationships with students and families that will improve outcomes.
“ABSS is being consistent with our standards that are being taught and administration realizes that the experts are the teachers in our classrooms and they have been given the autonomy to creatively teach and assess all students,” Butler added.
ABSS has also implemented an intervention enrichment period this year at all K-12 schools which allows students an opportunity to individually make academic progress.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still significantly impacting students and schools last year, student performance on the state’s end-of-grade and end-of-course exams continued to be below levels reported for the 2018-19 year, the last full year prior to the pandemic disruptions that began in March 2020. According to the Department of Public Instruction, about seven of every 10 schools across the state achieved at least expected growth last year, as measured by the state’s yardstick for year-to-year academic gains.