State report card: Colfax schools “meet expectations”
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax school district “meets expectations” on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s report card for the 2021-2022 school year.
The Colfax Board of Education reviewed the latest results pertaining to the state report card at the December 14 meeting.
The school board had originally been scheduled to meet Monday, December 19, but the meeting was changed to December 14 because of surgery scheduled for the district administrator.
According to an article from Wisconsin Public Radio dated November 15, which was the date that the DPI officially released the test results, the latest report cards issued by the DPI show that 95 percent of the public school districts in the state met, exceeded or significantly exceeded expectations for the 2021-2022 school year.
The WPR article notes that the DPI did not release report cards two years ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DPI’s ratings for school districts are based on standardized testing, but the testing requirements were waived in the 2019-2020 school year because schools were closed statewide in March of 2020 in response to the pandemic.
The report cards use up to three years of test scores, so the report cards for the 2021-2022 school year do not have information from 2019-2020 and use test scores that go back as far as 2018-2019, according to the WPR article.
Colfax has an enrollment of 746 with 9.7 percent of the students who are open enrolled, according to information available on the DPI’s website.
In the Colfax school district, 16.9 percent of the students have disabilities, while 46.6 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged and .4 percent are English language learners.
District
According to the state’s report card for Colfax, overall the school district had a score of 68.7 out of a possible 100 points, meaning that the school district “meets expectations.”
For the achievement score for priority areas, which include English language arts and mathematics, Colfax had an achievement score of 62.2 out of a possible 100 points.
The score of 62.2 was the same or higher than 53.3 percent of the school districts in the state.
For English language arts, Colfax’s score was 60.9, compared to a statewide average of 59.6.
For mathematics, Colfax had a score of 63.5, compared to a statewide average of 57.7.
Regarding growth in the subject area achievement scores, Colfax had an overall score of 64.1.
In English language arts, the growth score was 52.7, compared to a statewide average of 66.0.
For mathematics, Colfax’s growth score was 75.5, compared to a statewide average of 66.0.
For English language arts, 23.2 percent of Colfax students scored below basic, compared to 28.2 percent statewide, while 36.8 percent scored at the basic level, compared to 33.9 percent statewide; 34.6 percent of the students were proficient, compared to 30.8 percent statewide; and 5.4 percent of the students scored at the advanced level, compared to 7.1 percent statewide.
For mathematics, 24.2 percent of Colfax students scored below basic, compared to 33.3 percent statewide, while 32.0 percent scored at the basic level, compared to 29.1 percent statewide; 32.3 percent scored at the proficient level, compared to 28.2 percent statewide; and 11.5 percent of the students scored at the advanced level, compared to 9.3 percent statewide.
Colfax Elementary
According to the state’s report card for Colfax Elementary, overall the school had a score of 69.6 out of a possible 100 points, or “meets expectations.”
For the achievement score for priority areas, which include English language arts and mathematics, Colfax Elementary had an achievement score of 73.3 out of a possible 100 points.
The score of 73.3 was the same or higher than 68.6 percent of grade K-5 schools in the state.
For English language arts, Colfax Elementary’s score was 69.5, compared to a statewide average of 59.0.
For mathematics, Colfax had a score of 77.0, compared to a statewide average of 66.1.
Regarding growth in the subject area achievement scores, Colfax had an overall score of 58.4.
In English language arts, the growth score was 47.0, compared to a statewide average of 66.0.
For mathematics, Colfax’s growth score was 69.8, compared to a statewide average of 66.0.
For English language arts, 11.4 percent of Colfax Elementary students scored below basic, compared to 27.9 percent statewide, while 37.8 percent scored at the basic level, compared to 33.5 percent statewide; 45.6 percent of the students were proficient, compared to 32.2 percent statewide; and 5.2 percent of the students scored at the advanced level, compared to 6.4 percent statewide.
For mathematics, 7.8 percent of Colfax Elementary students scored below basic, compared to 24.4 percent statewide, while 32.1 percent scored at the basic level, compared to 30.6 percent statewide; 43.5 percent scored at the proficient level, compared to 33.2 percent statewide; and 16.6 percent of the students scored at the advanced level, compared to 11.9 percent statewide.
High school
According to the state’s report card for Colfax High School, overall the school had a score of 67.7 out of a possible 100 points, or “meets expectations.”
For the achievement score for priority areas, which include English language arts and mathematics,
Colfax had an achievement score of 54.0 out of a possible 100 points.
The score of 54.0 was the same or higher than 64.4 percent of the school districts in the state.
For English language arts, Colfax’s score was 54.5, compared to a statewide average of 59.9.
For mathematics, Colfax High School had a score of 53.4, compared to a statewide average of 53.6.
Regarding growth in the subject area achievement scores, Colfax High School had an overall score of 67.9.
In English language arts, the growth score was 56.5, compared to a statewide average of 66.0.
For mathematics, Colfax High School’s growth score was 79.3, compared to a statewide average of 66.0.
For English language arts, 31.6 percent of Colfax High School students scored below basic, compared to 28.4 percent statewide, while 36.1 percent scored at the basic level, compared to 34.1 percent statewide; 26.8 percent of the students were proficient, compared to 30.1 percent statewide; and 5.6 percent of the students scored at the advanced level, compared to 7.4 percent statewide.
For mathematics, 36.1 percent of Colfax High School students scored below basic, compared to 37.6 percent statewide, while 32.0 percent scored at the basic level, compared to 28.5 percent statewide; 24.2 percent scored at the proficient level, compared to 25.9 percent statewide; and 7.8 percent of the students scored at the advanced level, compared to 8.1 percent statewide.
Science fair
During the principal’s reports, Trevor Hovde, principal at Colfax Elementary, reported that the elementary school will be hosting the First Annual Colfax Elementary Science Fair the week of February 13 through February 16.
Two groups will be participating in the Science Fair: Tier 1 will be students from Junior Kindergarten through first grade; Tier 2 will be students from second grade through fifth grade.
The Science Fair will be held at the same time as the spring parent/teacher conferences.
Display boards will be set up for visitors to see.
More information will be available soon.
Concerts
The holiday concerts for first grade through fourth grade and the fifth and sixth grade concerts are available for viewing on the Colfax school district’s website at HYPERLINK “http://www.colfax.k12.wi.us/”www.colfax.k12.wi.us.
Go to “Quick Links” and click on “Viking TV.” Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the performances.
Other business
In other business, the Colfax Board of Education:
• Received a reminder that the holiday break will start December 23 and that classes will resume on Tuesday, January 3.
• Learned that the average percent correct score for students participating in Accelerated Reader at Colfax Elementary is 89 percent. So far this year, students have read nearly 38.2 million words. Teachers are encouraging students to read more non-fiction. After the holiday break when students return to school in January, they will take the Star Reading test to monitor progress and identify a new reading zone.
• Learned that the Scripps National Spelling Bee will continue this year through CESA No.11. Third through sixth grade students will be participating in the spelling bee at 1 p.m. Thursday, January 12.
• Received a reminder that Adult School Crossing Guard Recognition Week will be held January 16 through January 20.
Closed session
Following a closed session, the Colfax Board of Education accepted the resignation of Sandra Sikora, secretary at Colfax Elementary.
The Colfax Board of Education meets next on January 16 at 6 p.m. at Colfax High School in the school district conference room.
