RUSD Passes School Report Card; Secession Law Takes Hit

RACINE COUNTY, WI — School report cards released Thursday by the State Department of Public Instruction show that the Racine Unified School District made a one-year improvement that has far broader implications on the state level.

In 2016, RUSD earned a "Fails to Meet Expectations" rating. This year, the district improved its rating by more than 11 points, and is considered to be "Meeting Few Expectations." If the district earned two straight failing grades, it would have triggered a key piece of 2017 state legislation that would have governed a breakup of the district.

"We are pleased that our district report card score has increased by more than 11 points. We have more work to do, yet we are very optimistic. These results demonstrate that the work we have underway is making a difference. We’re committed to maintaining this momentum toward even better results next year," said Stacy Tapp, Chief of Communication and Community Engagement for the Racine Unified School District, said.

Tapp said that a number of initiatives in the district have resulted in notable student achievement:

• New English Language Arts and Math curricula
• More ACT prep opportunities for all high school juniors
• Reading coaches to support staff and students at the elementary and middle school levels.

District Avoids Second Failing Grade

Gov. Scott Walker signed the state's $76 billion state budget into law in September. Included in that budget was a small provision with large implications for schools, parents and their students in Racine County.

That provision, called the Opportunity Schools Partnership Program, grants the Racine Unified School District one academic year to improve its state test scores to avoid a second straight failing grade.

If the district fell short of its state-imposed mandate, and failed a second straight year, a commissioner would have been appointed to create a separate district for the failing schools, while allowing voters in surrounding municipalities that are tied to the district, the ability hold a binding referendum to separate from the district.

Under previous state law, voters in Mount Pleasant, Caledonia and Sturtevant can hold referendums to secede from RUSD, however the referendums are only advisory.

State Sen. Van Wanggaard issued a statement Tuesday, saying that while the immediate "threat" of a district breakup may have been averted, he recommends that district parents should push for greater improvement.

“I am encouraged that Racine Unified’s reforms appear to be pointing the school district in the right direction. While the immediate threat of a district breakup and OSPP may have been lifted, a one-year improvement in test scores does not make a successful school district. Just as I wouldn’t accept a less than 60 percent score from my children when they were in school, parents and taxpayers shouldn’t accept a 60 percent score from their school district," he said. "All children deserve a great education regardless of geography. I hope the Racine Unified will continue their upward trajectory until they are once again one of the best districts in the state and country.”

District

Racine Unified School District 59.3 (Meets Few Expectations)

Schools

Fails to Meet Expectations (6)

Gilmore Middle 31.5
Park High 37.8
Knapp Elementary 40.4
Starbuck Middle 47.1
Horlick High 48.7
McKinley Middle 50.1

Meets Few Expectations (10)

Goodland Elementary 53.8
Case High 54.8
Jerstad-Agerholm Elementary 55.2
Julian Thomas Elementary 58.8
Jerstad-Agerholm Middle 58.9
West Ridge Elementary 58.9
Mitchell Middle 59.9
O Brown Elementary 60
Racine Civil Leaders Academy 61.6
Johnson Elementary 62.8

Meets Expectations (10)

Jones Elementary 63
Red Apple Elementary 63.3
The REAL School-Racine Educational Alternative Learning Experience 64.7
Giese Elementary 67.5
Schulte Elementary 68.4
Walden III Middle 71.6
Gifford Elementary 71.9
Wadewitz Elementary 72.4
Roosevelt Elementary 72.6
Fratt Elementary 72.9

Exceeds Expectations (7)

Mitchell Elementary 74.4
Fine Arts Elementary 76.5
Walden III High 77.2
North Park Elementary 78.3
Janes Elementary 81.4
Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary 81.4
Racine Alternative Learning AR Alternate Rating - Satisfactory Progress

All Wisconsin Districts Get Passing Grade

Overall, 361 public and private school report cards earned five-star ratings, 719 had four stars, 643 had three stars, 261 had two stars, and 117 schools earned one star. On district level report cards, 44 districts earned five-star ratings, 190 had four stars, 166 earned three stars, and 20 had two stars.

There were 152 report cards for 140 private choice schools that are not rated because there was insufficient data. This is the second year that choice schools were included in report cards and the second year the schools could opt to have both a choice student and an all student report cards.

How Report Cards Are Calculated

Accountability ratings are calculated on four priority areas: student achievement in English language arts and mathematics, school growth, closing gaps between student groups, and measures of postsecondary readiness, which includes graduation and attendance rates, third-grade English language arts achievement, and eighth-grade mathematics achievement.

Schools and districts could have point deductions for missing targets for student engagement: absenteeism must be less than 13 percent and dropout rates must be less than 6 percent.

The 2016-17 report cards use data from a variety of sources, including information reported through WISEdash and two years of Forward and one year of Badger testing as well as three years ACT Plus Writing and Dynamic Learning Maps testing for growth calculations.

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