Milton, Wisconsin – The recently released Wisconsin Department of Instruction’s (DPI) annual District Report Cards show that all schools in the School District Of Milton meet or exceed expectations by DPI’s accountability scores. Two schools, Consolidated Elementary and Harmony Elementary are shown to significantly exceed expectations.
DPI report cards assess Wisconsin districts across four priority areas, Achievement, Growth, Target Group Outcomes, and On-track to Graduation. The District received an overall accountability score of 67.4, a slight decrease from its 2022-23 score of 69. However, the District saw an increase in its overall achievement score, with particular improvements in math assessments.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS:
High Achievement: DPI report cards evaluate student achievement by combining results from district-wide English language arts and mathematics assessments. This year, Wisconsin Academic Standards were updated, requiring students to meet higher scores to achieve one of four skill-level categories: Advanced, Meeting, Approaching, or Developing. To allow districts to compare current data to prior years, DPI applied a one-time scale adjustment. However, due to these adjustments, DPI recommends Districts take that into consideration when comparing prior years’ data, as results/scores no longer align. Even with those adjustments in place, the District saw an increase in its overall achievement score.
On-Track to Graduation Strengths: The School District of Milton continues to excel in its “On Track to Graduation” rating, a measure DPI associates with overall student engagement and achievement. The School District of Milton’s graduation rate is 98.1%.
College and Career Readiness: The Report Card demonstrates Milton’s many excellent opportunities that prepare students for lifetime success through advanced coursework and hands-on experience. 206 students successfully completing advanced placement courses. 111 of MHS students earned at least one industry-recognized credential, and 160 students participated in work-based learning–nearly double the state average by percentage.
DPI weighs priority areas differently district by district. For Milton, Target Group Outcomes and Growth account for 50% of the overall accountability score. Both of these areas saw a decline compared to the 2022-23 report card.
Target Group focuses on students with the lowest test scores in the District. It is designed to help districts identify and focus on learners who need the most support. Growth measures year to year student progress on statewide tests relative to their peers across the state, taking into account several student variables, including but not limited to, prior test scores, race/ethnicity, and economic status.
In summary, DPI report card data demonstrates that despite such challenges as larger class sizes and stretched resources, the School District of Milton remains a high-achieving district where educators do an exceptional job supporting the diverse needs of its students. There has been clear improvement in state assessments and strong college and career readiness indicators. However, the data also indicates target group students need additional support to continue growing as learners.
NEXT STEPS
The School District of Milton remains committed to supporting achievement, opportunities, and community for all learners. District leadership and educators will be combing over the report card data to identify specific and targeted interventions to support all learners.
On these efforts, District Director of Teaching and Learning, Julie Musgrove shared: “The results from this year’s DPI Report Card provide us with an important snapshot of our progress and areas for growth. While we are proud of the gains in overall achievement and our continued success in preparing scholars for college and careers, we know there is always more work to be done. The decline in Growth and Target Group Outcomes highlights the need for targeted support and interventions to ensure every scholar has the opportunity to succeed. We are committed to using this data to refine our instructional strategies, provide additional support where needed, and continue to build on the strengths of our scholars and educators. With the ongoing support of our families and community, we will work to ensure that all scholars in Milton are not only meeting but exceeding their potential.”
Family and community involvement is a critical component of student success, and the District would like to thank all families for their partnership in supporting a high-quality educational experience for all students in Milton. For additional information on the DPI report cards, community members should feel free to contact their students’ principal or District leadership.
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