Support of ISBA Resolution Approved
On Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, the monthly meeting of the Cambridge School District took place. The agenda currently in place was approved by board members, along with the financial reports, payables, policy 5000s, bus route, and minutes from their last meeting.
The first item on the agenda was the discussion on administrative reports, and the superintendent’s report included a question about whether seniors should participate in the ISAT. Seniors are currently not participating in the official ISAT test. Is it advisable for senior students to participate in the eleventh-grade ISAT to assess improvements? This was the question that was asked. Having the involvement of the senior class in the ISAT could assist in directing educational instruction to areas where it is most needed. The conversation also covered the calculation for travel expense compensation, the allocation for at-risk students, and rejecting the use of school vouchers.
The Reopening Plan was the next item on the agenda and it pertained to old business. It was open for public comment, but there were no comments from the public.
Next on the evening’s agenda were the new business items. The board members deliberated on the CIP, which stands for Continuous Improvement Plan. This refers to the annual plan that school districts create to improve student performance. The school district’s website must have the CIPs posted and they need to be submitted to the Office of the State Board of Education by October 1st. The plan should be based on data and encompass: Specific and measurable objectives, A clear vision and purpose, Important metrics for tracking progress, Evaluations of student success, graduation rates, and other factors. The board established objectives last year, aiming for approximately 80% of their students to achieve proficiency and for a yearly growth rate of 75%, which remained a consistent goal across all grade levels. Regrettably, one grade level failed to achieve this target, and the performance was exceptionally poor. The board members deliberated on the potential reasons behind the performance in this specific grade for a particular subject. The scores are from the students’ end-of-year assessments from last school year. Board members then deliberated whether the proficiency goals should be reduced, including those set for teachers. Is it appropriate for teachers to have an 80% proficiency goal for their students? The board members reached a consensus on the goals for both students and teachers, and all members approved it.
The next action item was their 10-year facility plan which was presented, and all members gave their final approval.
The following item was the ISBA Resolution action item. This was to have Cambridge be a co-sponsor on Midvale’s resolution form. Boards use resolutions to communicate their stance on an issue to others. Resolutions can be employed to set objectives, enforce policies, or tackle particular issues. The Midvale ISBA Resolution addresses the challenge that some schools face in finding employees when the enrollment is no greater than 250. It allows for the hiring of spouses of school board members through the regular hiring process and permits their retention without having to reopen the position. At present, they are allowed to employ the spouse of a board member. However, the position must be reopened every school year, and if there are other applicants, the new applicant must be hired. Midvale’s chances with the legislature improve when it has more co-supports or sponsors. The board members have given their approval for Midvale to receive their co-support.
A set policy work meeting was then set and approved by the board members.
The last item on the agenda was regarding Personnel, and there was a possibility of the board entering into executive session. However, the board members voted to approve this item, so there was no need for an executive session.
The meeting was then adjourned.
