Long-range needs assessment enables the school district to analyze assessment data, get feedback from the community about its expectations of students and determines how well students are meeting student learning goals. The board shall conduct ongoing and in-depth needs assessment, soliciting information from business, labor, industry, higher education and community members, regarding their expectations for adequate student preparation as responsible citizens and successful wage earners. Long-range needs assessment will include collecting, analyzing and reporting information from local, state, and national sources. This information will include state and local indicators, and student learning goals.
In conjunction with the in-depth needs assessment of the school district, the board shall authorize the appointment of a committee, representing administrators, employees, parents, students and community members, to make recommendations and assist the board in determining the priorities of the school district in addition to the basic skills areas of the education program. This School Improvement Advisory Committee will be coordinated with the staff committees that produce a Comprehensive School Improvement Plan that describes the process to develop, implement, and assess student achievement. The complete School Improvement Advisory Committee will meet annually to analyze achievement information and to prepare recommendations for the Board of Education.
It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to ensure the Board of Education and school district community is informed of students’ progress on state and locally determined indicators. The superintendent shall report annually to the board of progress in this matter.
As a result of the Board and committee work, the Board shall determine major educational needs and rank them in priority order; develop long-range goals and plans to meet the needs; establish and implement short-range and intermediate-range plans to meet the goals and to attain the desired levels of student performance; evaluate progress toward meeting the goals and maintain a record of progress under the plan that includes reports of student performance and results of school improvement projects; and annually report the school district’s progress made under the plan to the committee, community and Iowa Department of Education.
(May 15, 2000; July 7, 2003; January 17, 2011; July 9, 2012; January 19, 2015; <October 21, 2019)