Ozark tops area districts — and much of Missouri — in reading, math
Claudette RileyAs a district, Ozark tops the region — and most of Missouri — in students meeting state expectations in reading and math.
The results of state-mandated exams administered in spring 2019 showed 64.5 percent were on grade level in reading and 62.1 percent hit that mark in math.
In reading, Ozark was 15.8 percentage points above the state average and higher — in many cases significantly — than any other district in Greene, Christian, Taney, Webster and Stone counties.
Ozark's math results, while slightly lower than reading, were also tops in the five-county area and outshone the state average by 20.1 percentage points.
"We are extremely grateful," said Craig Carson, assistant superintendent of learning in Ozark. "But, that is not my go-to, to compare us to others."
Instead, he said Ozark closely collaborates — and swaps "best practices" — with area districts, especially Nixa, Republic and Willard.
'A regional approach'
Next week, the four districts will jointly host the 7th annual Shaping Teachers Across the Region, or STAR, Summit. More than 2,000 area teachers are expected to attend the Nov. 5 event to share what is working, by grade level and content area.
"We are taking a regional approach," he said.
Kevin Kopp, assistant superintendent in Nixa, said the four area districts work closely to improve student achievement.
"We have worked more together now than we ever have since I've been in Nixa and it's really amazing because we are stronger together versus competing against each other," he said.
Nixa's test scores in reading and math are above the state average and No. 2 in the four-county area for 2019, with 61.3 percent scoring proficient or advanced in reading and 58.6 percent hitting that mark in math.
Reading and math scores in Willard and Republic were also above the state average, and higher than many area districts.
Kopp said STAR Summit and other collaboration each year, including classroom visits, inform changes made to curriculum and instruction.
"It's helping all of our students and that is what we are about," he said. "Our kids are more than a score."
A closer look at Ozark's approach
Each year, Missouri public schools must test students in reading and math annually in grades 3-8. A series of end-of-course exams — in key subjects such as English, algebra and biology — are typically administered in high school.
The results of state test scores fall into one of four categories — advanced, proficient, basic and below basic. The proficient or advanced scores are considered "passing," or meeting and exceeding state expectations.
In Ozark, the push to improve literacy skills took a different course in the 2000s.
"We changed what we were doing in literacy a decade ago and we've gotten better," Carson said. "We are always about monitoring and adjusting instruction."
As part of that, the district intervenes with students who are lagging behind. Teachers look for skill gaps and help students catch up in small groups.
"It's about the individual learner because every student is different," he said.
For years, the district has allocated more time for reading than math but has been adding more time for math.
"We have a really strong belief system that if you teach children to read, it's going to impact other areas."
Carson said Ozark has worked to revamp curriculum and the way teachers approach math skills.
"We have changed to help kids to think beyond the algorithm, the math work, and to think about the concepts behind math," he said.
For example, the district wants students to not only know how to find the answers but to understand the concepts behind math and apply them in "real world" situations.
"We've increased the amount of mathematics training we've done," he said.
'Not where we want to be'
In Ozark, posting reading and math scores higher than much of the state is not enough. Carson said the district is constantly working to get better.
He said the district has the most room to improve in its subgroup population: students with special needs, limited English proficiency and from historically underrepresented and low-income backgrounds.
"We're focusing on our subgroups," he said. "We have growth but we are not where we want to be."
2019 Test Scores
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently released the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in reading on the state-mandated exams given in spring 2019. Here is a look at the scores for all districts for Greene, Christian, Taney, Stone and Webster counties:
READING
- Ozark — 65.4
- Nixa — 61.3
- Strafford — 60.5
- Bradleyville — 60.2
- Republic — 58.9
- Mark Twain — 57.5
- Branson — 56.3
- Fordland — 56.2
- Fair Grove — 55.8
- Forsyth — 54.8
- Walnut Grove — 53.7
- Blue Eye — 53.5
- Willard — 52.6
- Ash Grove — 50.6
- Springfield — 49.8
- Kirbyville — 49.7
- Norwood — 49.7
- Chadwick — 49.2
- Sparta — 49.1
- STATE AVERAGE — 48.7
- Taneyville — 48.4
- Logan-Rogersville — 47.3
- Spokane — 46.8
- Miller — 46
- Reeds Spring — 45.6
- Seymour — 45
- Hollister — 44.9
- Marshfield — 42.9
- Billings — 41.2
- Crane — 40
- Clever — 37.9
- Hurley — 37
- Galena — 31.3
- Niangua — 28.7
- Jennings — 24.4
- Lutie — 23.3