September School Board Meeting

Chris S. Coray, reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  September 21, 2016.  The Rich School District held its regular monthly meeting.  All members were present.

The board voted to not charge EMS personnel directly for some of the costs incurred in background checks required by those who provide that service at schools in the district.

Considering the upcoming hire of a replacement for Richard Clark, who is retiring as business manager, the board decided not to require a CPA credential for applicants, that the USBA could serve as a non-binding filter on applicants, that the application date would be Jan 3, 2017, that the start date and salary were negotiable based on experience.

The board received a report on the recent SAGE tests mandated by the state.  Overall, in language arts, the percentage of students judged proficient was 44% compared to the Rich District-wide average of 53%.  In mathematics the state proficiency result was 47% and the district 49%.  In science the state average was 49% while Rich District was rated at 47%.  It needs to be noted that the averages for the district were for the aggregated schools, including elementary, middle, and high school.  In the Rich District only 3% of the students opted out of the test.  In the state as a whole, the highest percentage of opt out students was in Park City, where 50% of the students chose to not take the test. 

Checking additional data available on the State Board Web site, more specific data can be obtained.  Just for example, in mathematics, 40% of the students at Rich High School were judged to be proficient, compared to 64% at Sky View High School in Smithfield and 36% at Manila High in Manila.  SAGE mathematics proficiency levels were higher at the middle and elementary schools in the Rich District than at the high school. 

 (Reporter’s comment and opinion:  The SAGE tests are an unsatisfactory and defective measure of student mathematical proficiency.  It is also true that Utah is the only state in the nation that uses SAGE tests.)

The ACT test, which is not SAGE connected, in mathematics resulted in an average score of 19.0 at Rich High School compared to a 19.7 average statewide (36 is a perfect score).  Admission to some colleges, like BYU, which has a high demand, requires a composite ACT of 27 or 28.  In some extreme cases, like CalTech, a perfect 36 composite ACT is not sufficient to guarantee admission.  

The NESS funding program is being examined statewide.  Its main purpose is to provide extra assistance to small schools in isolated areas, recognizing that there are often extra education opportunities in large schools in large districts and this program attempts to equalize opportunity.