Joyce Baker would like the Covington Board of Education to focus on raising academic standards to continue the improvements in the district’s state tests scores and to ensure that students are prepared for success.
“We’re on the right track,’’ Ms. Baker said. “The current board is working cooperatively to support the initiatives of the superintendent and the schools. The test results are showing us moving up and we want to continue to that.’’
The Covington Board of Education voted 4-0 last week to elect Ms. Baker chairperson of the board. Julie Geisen-Scheper is the new vice chair.
Baker, a former teacher in Covington schools for 36 years, said she would like to see improved outcomes for students so when they graduate from Holmes High School they will be college or career ready.
“We want to improve standards so they can get jobs in Covington and continue to work and raise families here,’’ she said. “I just hope that everyone continues to work together and improve the positive things that are going on in all areas for students and staff. We want to make the district as productive as possible.’’
Last Friday, the Kentucky Department of Education released the results of the 2014 Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress (K-PREP) tests and other assessment measures that make up the Unbridled Learning Accountability system. This model measures student achievement, growth and gap group data at every level; college and career readiness at middle and high school levels and graduation rate at the high school level. Districts are given a score from 0 to 100 and ranked by that score. The state goal is for every school to be proficient.
Covington results show:
• Glenn O. Swing Elementary School is a distinguished school. With an overall score of 82, it ranks in the 99th percentile of all schools statewide. Only three elementary schools in Northern Kentucky and 29 of the 720 elementary schools throughout the state posted higher scores than Glenn O. Swing.
• Latonia Elementary is a proficient school for the second year in a row with a score of 73.1, earning an 85th percentile ranking.
• The district met its Annual Measureable Objective goal set by Kentucky Department of Education. With an overall score of 59.4, the district increased its score by 6.9 points and moved from the 7th to the 22nd percentile
“We have work to do, but we are headed in the right direction and we are committed to this path of improvement,’’ Baker said.
On the latest round of state test scores, Covington schools made significant gains, including one its schools, Glenn O. Swing Elementary, earning a distinguished rating – the highest designation a school can earn. Latonia Elementary earned a proficient ranking. Though the district’s overall score remains comparatively low, it did increase by 6.9 points to 59.4.
Later this month, the Kentucky Department of Education is expected to begin interviewing candidates who applied to fill the board seat left vacant by the resignation of Kerry Holleran. The Commissioner of Education will make the appointment, which is effective until the end of the term, Dec. 31, 2016. The department does not announce the names of those who have applied for the appointment.
Covington Independent Schools