With the release of the most recent state assessment data from the Nebraska Department of Education, Crete Public Schools leaders once again point to signs of success.
While overall proficiency rates were relatively flat or slightly down from the previous year, CPS is still mostly ahead of the state averages.
“We are always looking at data to help inform our decisions - both at a district and a classroom level,” said Dr. Josh McDowell, CPS superintendent. “The state’s assessment data gives us another point to reference as we gauge our successes and areas to focus on.”
At the most overarching level, CPS was at 56 percent proficient in ELA, compared to the state’s 59 percent level, 61 percent in Math compared to the state’s 58 percent, and 77 percent in Science compared to the state’s 74 percent.
Each spring, all Nebraska public schools complete assessments, currently called NSCAS (Nebraska Student Centered Assessment System), in grades three through eight for math and ELA, and in grades five and eight for science. All grade 11 students take the statewide ACT for accountability purposes.
CPS scored higher than the state in eight of the 17 grade-level breakdowns. This is similar to the past three years, but still significantly improved from 2021, when CPS only outpaced the state in five grade-level breakdowns.
“The numbers, when looking at them from the perspective of a community member, may seem a bit confusing,” said Brittany Hajek, CPS Chief Academic Officer. “We spend quite a bit of time with data to unlock the areas where we see areas of growth and concern.”
One way CPS looks to see how well students are progressing is by watching a cohort, or group of students traveling from grade to grade. For example, looking at the students who were in third grade in 2021, fourth grade in 2022, fifth grade in 2023 and sixth grade in 2024.
That particular group stayed equal with the state average in ELA for their grade all the way through, and has moved from 50 percent proficient to 58 percent proficient over the four years. In Math, they have moved from 51 percent to 58 percent.
All three cohorts with four years of data, in fact, have grown in proficiency in both ELA and Math over those years.
When looking at the data and results, McDowell said it is important to see it through the lens of the district's new strategic plan and its one overarching goal: Ensuring all students meet the comprehensive set of indicators included in the CPS Profile of a Graduate.
“The objectives and strategies in the strategic plan came directly from the data we’ve collected,” McDowell said. “We will continue to let our students, staff, families and community know where we are going and that we have a plan to get there.”
The emphasis on instruction and improvement this year will help not only students but also staff keep learning and growing, McDowell said.
“This will provide them the greatest opportunities for success in a rapidly changing world,” he said.
Nebraska statute requires the State Board of Education to create a system of accountability combining multiple indicators of school performance. The Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow, or AQuESTT, represents both an accountability system and a system of support built around six tenets.
Each district receives an individual score, based on many factors. The classifications - “excellent,” “great,” “good,” or “needs improvement” - are determined by the metrics of academic achievement, academic progress, English language proficiency and progress, graduation rate, and school quality and student success.
This year, CPS as a district missed keeping its “great” designation due to a difference of 1 percentage point across the entire district in the proficiency category. The Intermediate School dropped to “great” due to a lack of a bump up in the growth category. A decrease in EL proficiency at the Elementary School caused a drop from “great.”
The Middle School maintained its “great” classification and the High School its “good” rating.
“There is a lot that goes into these classifications,” Hajek said. “While it is disappointing to drop in ratings, we can identify exactly why and where a few small indicators made an impact.”