Nearly 16 percent of third graders across the state scored Unsatisfactory on the reading portion of the Oklahoma Core Curriculum Test. However, Mid-Del schools scored better than the statewide average.

With only 141 students scoring below the line, and one elementary in particular, Traub, having its entire 3rd grade class pass, Mid-Del district beat the average with only 12.6 percent scoring Unsatisfactory.

This low scoring has come after the controversial Reading Sufficiency Act, which will keep 3rd graders who do not pass the reading portion from promotion. This law has several exemptions and early estimates show that as many as half of the students that failed may still be eligible to move on with the exemptions built into the law.

At the May 12 School Board meeting, Mid-Del Superintendent, Dr. Pam Deering, said the first look at our area brings the number of students held back down to 104 and the number should continue to drop as more student portfolios are approved.

“Today we think that, due to our exemptions and working closely with staff, we are down to 104 students. The teaching and learning team worked to strongly support our kids in reading and literacy, but of course we had this measuring stick, this law facing us,” Deering said. “Those kids who tested Not Proficient will be given the opportunity to [take a different] test before the end of the year. We offer summer school as well and they will be given the opportunity to do a portfolio.”

There is a chance that none of these students will be held back as HB2625, a bill removing the mandatory retention of 3rd graders, passed the House. State Supt. Janet Barresi implies that this bill will do nothing to improve, and could raise, illiteracy.

“[HB2625] endorses a system of social promotion that has failed to reduce illiteracy and has deprived students from receiving the best education possible,” Barresi said. “Nothing is more fundamental to learning than the ability to read. The Reading Sufficiency Act can greatly improve literacy in our state, but it cannot work if it is abandoned for social promotion.”

She goes on to say it raises costs and will have unintended consequences.

“House Bill 2625 reinforces a status quo that has failed far too many children. It places exorbitant costs and time on school districts by mandating fourth- and fifth-grade reading remediation for students with Unsatisfactory and Limited Knowledge scores,” Barresi said.
“Moreover, it requires districts to hire reading specialists to be on the committees, an expense that smaller districts will be unable to afford. It undermines a law that districts have had three years to comply with, and involved parents in its implementation. Even a well-intentioned bill can have grievous consequences, and I am concerned that is the case with HB 2625.”

In other Mid-Del school news, Supt. Deering also reported on the new testing programs being reviewed after the devastating statewide outage a few weeks ago.

“At our sites, we field- tested questions or tests from our future testing company Measured Progress. We’ve collected the information and reported some issues from our fourth and fifth grade students from taking those field tests,” Deering said. “Here’s what was reported: Many found that the directions were not clear, frustrations with the format, frustrations with the wording, lengthy reading passages, extreme amount of time to complete the test, test booklets were randomly ordered. We had tears, we had students who gave up on their tests-they just quit doing it. There are lots of things about the tests that we need to be as prepared for as we can, but know that there are several frustrations with the field tests and the company.”

Additionally Mr. and Mrs. John Setser donated a piece of land valued at $14,000.00 to Mid–Del Schools. The land is located across the street from Del City Elementary School in the Epperly Heights Addition.

The 2014-15 tentative proposed budget for Mid-Del Schools, public discussion, and hearing was scheduled for the regular Board meeting on June 9th.

The New Teacher training day is back this summer to be held on August 11, 2014 with Kagan Cooperative Learning for any new district teachers. Space is available for up to 200 teachers.

Finally, Dale Hawthorne was recommended as the Director of Adult Education at Mid-Del Technology Center.