• Attendance Rates
• Quarterly Assessments scores - English
• Quarterly Assessments scores - Mathematics
• PARCC Scores - Mathematics (Elementary grades 3, 4, 5)
• PARCC Scores - English/Language Arts (Elementary grades 3, 4, 5)

Key Challenge #1: Reading Assessment Data

The implementation of professional development around Guided Reading, Interactive Read Aloud, and Explicit Comprehension has positively impacted reading growth. Continued progress monitoring throughout the school year has helped our teachers to track our student data more closely and to be responsive to student needs. Despite these efforts, many students continue to struggle with reading, and Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers  English language arts (PARCC ELA) data has shown stagnation or even regression. When students do not meet success, teachers look at student data diagnostically to determine which is responsible - accuracy or comprehension. [Indicators 5, 6]

PARCC and district assessments in the area of reading continue to indicate a need to focus on literature and informational text (standard 1). Students in grades 2-5 struggle to answer the Part B portion of questions correctly, which requires students to go back into the text and locate text evidence. Improving student reading levels, and building perseverance and stamina should address this issue. Explicit comprehension lessons in grades 3-5 have helped significantly to build comprehension skills and improve assessment outcomes. While many strategies have been reviewed to address comprehension difficulties, we have seen success using Anchor charts, Interactive Read Aloud lessons, and Explicit Comprehension lessons. In addition to support with comprehension, students also need continued practice with test taking strategies.  [Indicator 6]

Historically, our students have met or exceeded county and state assessment results. A high percentage of our students read “on” or “above” grade level by the end of Grade 2. Before last year's data was available, we continually met and exceeded county and state percentages on both the PARCC ELA and PARCC Math. Surprisingly, this data was slightly lower in 2017-2018. [Indicators 5 and 6]

Key Challenge #2: Attendance

Shady Side Elementary recognizes the importance of attendance as well as the correlation between attendance and academic growth. When students miss school, they miss valuable instructional time, which leads to gaps in their academic progress. Shady Side implements a variety of initiatives to address attendance both proactively and reactively.  We regularly recognize attendance achievements (by individuals and classes), in addition to providing clear communication with parents and students about attendance expectations. Despite these measures, we continue to be concerned about attendance rates. Based on attendance records of the previous year, Shady Side Elementary has a 95% Attendance Rate. However, we have approximately 20 students (4.34%) that are considered chronically absent, having missed 22 (or more) school days. Sixty percent of these students did not meet the standards on Quarterly Assessments or F&P Reading Assessments.  [Indicator 10]

• Socio-Economic Issues (employment, income levels)
• Families in Crisis (mental, physical emotional, financial)
• Inclusion of programs of choice
• Inclusion of Triple E (EEE)

Key Challenge #3: Specializing Instruction for students with disabilities

Shady Side Elementary currently has a student population in which 7.36% of the students are identified with disabilities.  Based on 2018 PARCC scores, 0% of Students with Disabilities in grades 3-5 achieved a score of 4 or 5, which indicates meeting or exceeding standards. Shady Side Elementary has been identified as needing Targeted Support in providing accommodations and modifications to support Individual Education Plans, and address the progress of Students with Disabilities.[Indicator 6]

• Socio-economic community issues (employment, income levels)