The Philomath School District saw some encouraging numbers out of this week’s public release of the Oregon Department of Education’s annual “At-A-Glance” district and school profiles, which includes data on attendance and graduation rates.
“We are pleased with graduation rates. Philomath High School continues this focus,” Philomath Superintendent of Schools Susan Halliday said. “We also look closely at and celebrate Philomath Academy for the five-year cohort rate. Students earning a GED (diploma) fall in this bucket.”
Latest student testing data shows continued challenges in classrooms
The Oregon Department of Education’s release of standardized testing results from this past spring revealed concerning proficiency levels statewide in English, math and science. The numbers that came out of the Philomath School District were a little more encouraging. “In terms of testing, we’re above where the state averages are,” Philomath Superintendent of Schools Susan…
Philomath School District freshmen on track to graduate in four years came in at 89% in 2023-24, which is four percentage points higher than the state average of 85%. It is also four percentage points higher than Philomath’s 2022-23 numbers but still not quite back up to the 91% seen for 2021-22.
The on-track-to-graduate percentage is based on freshmen earning at least a fourth of their required credits as they head into their sophomore year. The data serves as one way to help educators identify students that may need additional support.
“From talking with families across the state, I know that dedicated, focused educators can change students’ lives and keep them on track to graduate,” Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said through a press release. “Our job at the state is to learn from them about what works on the ground and support their efforts.”
Regular attendance figures — defined as students who attended more than 90% of their enrolled school days — showed Philomath at 66%, compared to Corvallis at 70%, Monroe at 64% and Alsea at 68%. The statewide average was 62%.
“Attendance is an area of focus for all schools this year,” Halliday said. “This issue is a major focus of state and national consideration as well.”
For Class of 2023 students graduating on time, Philomath High saw an 8% increase from 78% in 2022-23 to 86% in 2023-24. Corvallis came in at 88%, Monroe at 90% and Alsea at 40%. The statewide number came in at 81%.
For students earning a high school diploma or GED within five years, Philomath came in at 92% compared to the 87% statewide average.
“This displays a commitment to all students being prepared for their next steps,” Halliday said about the graduation rates.
Among the academic measurements, 59% of Philomath third graders met state grade-level expectations, a 5% increase from the previous academic year and above the statewide average of 40%. In eighth-grade math, 21% of Philomath students — 15% lower than 2022-23 — were considered proficient on the state’s standardized assessment compared to 27% statewide.
A few campus-specific numbers revealed through the data:
- Median class size — Clemens Primary 19, Philomath Elementary 23, Philomath Middle 20, Philomath High 21, Philomath Academy 20, Kings Valley 16, Blodgett 17.5, Statewide 22.5.
- Regular attenders — Clemens Primary 68%, Philomath Elementary 75%, Philomath Middle 72%, Philomath High 70%, Philomath Academy 36%, Kings Valley 49%, Blodgett 51%, Statewide 66%.
- English language arts (proficiency) — Philomath Elementary 57%, Philomath Middle 44%, Blodgett 47%, Statewide 42%.
- Mathematics — Philomath Elementary 43%, Philomath Middle 33%, Blodgett 20%, Statewide 29%.
- Science — Philomath Elementary 40%, Philomath Middle 36%, Blodgett NA, Statewide 27%.
In the district overall, 16% of students were identified as those with disabilities and 13% were mobile students.
As far as staff in the district, the 2023-24 numbers showed 10 administrators, 102 teachers, 39 educational assistants, six counselors, one licensed librarian and one licensed psychologist. And 85% of licensed teachers had three or more years of experience.
“Several targeted efforts are underway to support students including the statewide investment and commitment to early literacy best practices,” ODE Director Charlene Williams said in a press release. “As funding and supports from the Early Literacy Success Initiative become embedded in schools, we will begin to see a significant payoff for Oregon’s scholars.”
The report card data will be a likely topic of conversation at the Philomath School Board’s Dec. 12 meeting. The superintendent typically provides insight in the assessment’s various areas for a big-picture perspective for the board members and community.