PARKERSBURG - School board members want a better idea on what is working in Wood County Schools, and they want to hear about it from the schools themselves.
The Wood County Board of Education is asking for this year's Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) reports to concentrate on one or two initiatives where educators have seen positive results to better determine which programs are helping improve instruction
"What I would like to see is to pick one of the (educational initiative) models and have each school report on those, how they use them and what sort of results they've seen," said board member Tim Yeater. "A lot of times they are telling us they've implemented all of the programs required by the county. Every year you hear that every school does what they are supposed to do."
Yeater said instead he would like the LSIC reports to concentrate on how a single program is impacting their school.
"I want to hear about something that is really working for them," he said.
Board member John Marlow said he would like the reports to go a step farther.
"On the other hand, you could have them discuss what is not working and why," he said.
The annual reports are required by state law. In recent years the school board has varied the format of the reports to contain less numbers and more discussion on factors unique to each school. Each LSIC also submits a written report, which includes test scores and school demographics.
"Most of that kind of information we can get directly from the reports," said board member Jim Fox
"There was a lot less discussion of data last year, which was on purpose," said Superintendent Bill Niday. "That was requested by the board."
In addition to discussion of programs, board members said they would like to hear more feedback from teachers on board actions and decisions.
"I would like to hear what we should do as a board. One suggestion from each school," said Fox.
Fox also said he would like to hear teacher feedback on the textbook adoption process and how those materials are being used in classes. Niday said the district uses a textbook adoption committee of teachers and administrators to choose classroom materials.
