Academic Data thru Pandemic Indicates Community and School Partnership is Key to Educational Gains

Stanford Researcher Sean Reardon and Thomas Kane of Harvard developed this national Education Recovery Scorecard to measure learning outcomes during COVID. They used state scores as well as the Nation's Report Card (NAEP) to develop the database with a focus on how economic disparity impacts student achievement.  MUSD saw a -.06 school year decline in overall math scores compared to 2019 standardized assessments and a school year gain of +.21 in reading scores. Breaking the data down however, shows that for our MUSD learners living in low-income households, they experienced a school year decline of -.53, while those in higher socioeconomic households saw an increase of +.09 school years in math. Economics and opportunity cost impacts learning. 

As educators, we are dedicated to improving conditions of learning for all of our students.  MUSD team member convenings outside of school hours, such as our professional development days or Professional Learning Community time, allow us to examine the data and implications for instruction. Research provides tangential evidence that high dose tutoring, intercession and extended school year learning opportunities can increase learner gains, these are strategies MUSD is implementing already or has in process for the near future. Our capacity to elevate all learners is greatly enhanced when we are working in concert with our students' families and other partners throughout Milpitas. 

Strategic Goal #1 --Build a Culture of We-- requires listening to different perspectives, being present with one another, and engaging our community in solutions and possibilities for learners. The District provides our parents/caregivers and team members with opportunities to understand better what the data around learner progress says for MUSD.  Some examples are our Local Control Accountability Plan Advisory Committee, the Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services Plan, the Calaveras Hills High School Transformation Committee, and every school’s Parent Teacher Student Organization. 

The Sinnott PTA for example has partnered with the  MHS student Extreme Robotix  Team and Odyssey of the Mind to provide learners with after and in school opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise.  The Randall PTA provides the Project Cornerstone Los Dichos reading series, and the Zanker PTA has developed culturally responsive units of study for Black History Month and Latinex Heritage Month. Parent advocates like Michelle and Spike Jones, Jim Zhang and Meenal Honap, in concert with teacher leaders such as MHS Math teacher Wai Lan Tsang and Curtner teacher Naomi Patner, provide learners with experiences as mathletes in team competitions. Accelerating strides in student achievement takes a community and school district working together.

In Community,

Cheryl Jordan
Superintendent

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