The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released state assessment results
from the 2014-15 school year, revealing students in the Oregon Trail School
District (OTSD) scored higher than the statewide averages in all grades for all
tests: English Language Arts (ELA), math and science.

Students at the Welches School scored lower than the state average in ELA,
but higher than average in math and science (middle and elementary
schools).

“The (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) results indicate that our
staff and students rose to the challenge,” Debbie Johnson, OTSD Director of
Curriculum, wrote in an email to The Mountain Times, noting the district
developed a plan to address changes in standards that Oregon implemented a
few years ago.

“They also indicate that our students are capable of achieving this higher
standard. We still have work to do, but we are encouraged by the results.”
Johnson added that ELA has been most improved in the district, crediting a
collaborative effort and aligned focus for all grades. She sees science as a

continued strength, while adding that math is an area of focus for the district
after it completed a new math adoption last year.

“We have concentrated staff development and the purchase of new resources
to support a shift in instruction,” Johnson wrote. “The new materials coupled
with a shift in instruction means that students are experiencing a different
approach to learning math.”

The district also saw an increase in “regular attenders,” students who attend
school at least 90 percent of the time, including an increase of 3-3.4 percent
for grades kindergarten through eighth, and an increase of 6.9 percent for
high school students, while 95 percent of students participated in the state
assessment.

The graduation rate for the 2013-14 school year increased by 2.4 percent
over the previous year.

“A student’s success can be influenced by many factors, yet one of the
simplest steps to success is being present at school,” Aaron Bayer, OTSD
Superintendent, said in a press release. “Attendance and achievement are
explicitly linked. This correlation serves as a reminder that being present can
provide our students with the boost they need to arrive at the future they
deserve.”