2023-24 Academic Year Visit
Chadron Public Schools participated in a District Accreditation visit in November 2023. Full Report Here Insights Here
As a result of the visit, Chadron continues to be an accredited institution per Cognia Standards.
Cognia provides the Index of Education Quality (IEQ) as a holistic measure of overall performance. Chadron received a score of 315. An IEQ above 300 indicates the institution meets Cognia’s expectations for accreditation that include one or more Areas for Improvement and may include one or more Noteworthy Practices. Institutions must address the Areas for Improvement and provide evidence of actions taken and results to Cognia in a required Progress Report due three years following the review. Additional progress monitoring may be required if satisfactory progress is not achieved.
Summary of findings - Overall the review was very positive and highlighted some of the wonderful things happening in the district. The review team found Chadron to exhibit strengths in fostering a positive learning environment, providing robust support systems, and utilizing data for improvement. There were areas for improvement identified. These include the need for more structured professional development, streamlined communication methods, comprehensive curriculum review, full implementation of MTSS, formal data review processes, and enhanced engagement in digital learning. Addressing these areas could align the district's efforts more closely with its strengths, ensuring comprehensive excellence across all areas of operation and furthering its mission to provide quality education for all learners.
Noteworthy Practices
In conducting the review, the evaluator identified Noteworthy Practices that reflect significant areas of strength in the work of the institution. Although there are numerous examples of the institution's level of quality, the recognition of Noteworthy Practices reflects the greatest strengths of the institution.
District leadership, staff, parents, and community partners have collaborated to create a school environment that focuses on the well-being and growth of learners. Survey data, stakeholder interviews, and a review of programming indicate strongly that learners benefit from a culture of caring and equitable opportunities to realize their learning potential.
Standards Exceeding Expectations
Standard 1 - Leaders cultivate and sustain a culture that demonstrates respect, fairness, equity, and inclusion, and is free from bias.
Standard 2 - Learners’ well-being is at the heart of the institution’s guiding principles such as mission, purpose, and beliefs.
Standard 10 - Leaders demonstrate expertise in recruiting, supervising, and evaluating professional staff members to optimize learning.
Standard 17 - Learners have equitable opportunities to realize their learning potential.
Opportunities for Improvement
Using the information collected and reviewed, the evaluator identified the following Areas for Improvement that will help the institution improve.
The Areas for Improvement will be revisited when the institution conducts Cognia's Progress Report.
Opportunity 1
Develop and implement professional learning opportunities focused on building the capacity of staff to use digital resources to enhance instruction and to further promote the use of data to inform decisions.
Standard 6 - Professional staff members receive the support they need to strengthen their professional practice.
Standard 29 - Understanding learners’ needs and interests drives the design, delivery, application, and evaluation of professional learning.
RATIONALE - If professional learning is coordinated system-wide in an intentional manner and if staff at all levels receive the support they need to strengthen their professional practice, then overall pedagogical levels will increase and student achievement will be positively impacted.
Opportunity 2
Review, revise, and formalize the process for curriculum alignment and develop a functional curriculum document that includes review cycles, vertical and horizontal alignment, reliable curricular resources, and evidence-based instructional practices.
Standard 12 - Professional staff members implement curriculum and instruction that are aligned for relevancy, inclusion, and effectiveness.
RATIONALE - If a consistent and comprehensive curriculum plan is put in place, then identifying gaps in learning can be better identified and student performance will improve.
The 2023 AdvancEd Review Summary & AdvancED Full Review can be found at the links below.
Accreditation is a continuous improvement process. The Engagement Review provides independent, objective guidance in relation to the Performance Standards and the institution’s improvement journey. Upon receiving the Accreditation Engagement Review Report, the institution is expected to implement the following steps: (1) Review and share the findings in this report with stakeholders. (2) Use the findings from the report to guide and strengthen your institution's improvement efforts. (3) Celebrate the successes noted in the report. (4) Continue the improvement journey. (5) Report to Cognia on your progress toward improvement.
2018-19 Academic Year Visit
Chadron Public Schools participated in a District Accreditation visit during the week of November 25-28, 2018.
Many strengths were noted from the accreditation visit, as were areas where the district had opportunities for improvement.
Highlighted areas are noted below.
High Levels of Impact in Many Areas
61 of the 66 standards were in the impact category. The impact category is the highest rating.
Of the 35 ELEOT (Effective Learning Environments Observation Tool®) categories, CPS exceeded the international average in all but 3. That indicates the CPS instructional model is working. In 5 years time CPS has gone from implementing to meeting the goal and monitoring it.
Our Index of Educational Quality (IEQ) is 328.39 (the highest is 400), while the average 5 year range is 278.34-283.33.
Areas Exceeding Expectations
Leadership:
1.4: Policies that support system effectiveness
1.5: Code of ethics with roles and responsibilities
1.6: Staff supervision and evaluation for improvement and effectiveness
1.7: Operational processes that support teaching and learning
Learning:
2.4: Learners develop positive relationships
2.7: Instruction to meet individual learners needs
2.10: Learning is assessed and communicated
Opportunities for Improvement
Establishing expectations for digital learning in the classroom. Implementing a systematic process for identifying the technology-related professional development needs of teachers, and developing a consistent process for monitoring the use of digital media in the classroom.
Enhancing the system’s strategies for meeting the social and emotional needs of students
Opportunities for Improvement
Strengthening the alignment of district and school improvement plans, and implementing more formal processes and procedures.
The Board might want to consider the adoption of a system-wide goal for improving student academic performance.
The 2018 AdvancEd Review Summary & AdvancED Full Review can be found at the links below.