Student Success Priority Areas
Achievement in Core Content Areas - Achievement Gaps - Access and Equity - Safety and Engagement
For each priority area in Focus: 2024 Clark County School District's Five-Year Strategic Plan, major strategies have been identified to ensure the District meets specific five-year objectives.
Below are the objectives, measures, targets, and strategies for each of the Student Success priority areas.
Student Success Priority Area 1: Increase student achievement in English language arts, mathematics, and science
Student success is our focus.
Currently, the majority of CCSD students are not considered proficient in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science—the core academic subjects that are necessary for a strong educational foundation. We must focus on core instruction as we work hard to ensure our young people graduate on time, prepared for the future.
We will do this by investing in our people.
Our people are our most significant resource. Meeting our ambitious student achievement goals requires our educators have the tools, resources, and training to meet the needs of all students. CCSD will make significant investments to ensure all educators are well-trained and equipped to provide high-quality standards-based instruction in every classroom. We will also provide expanded enrichment offerings to inspire and motivate our students.
In order to increase student achievement in English language arts, mathematics, and science, we will seek to achieve the following targets. Annual targets based on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT), and the ACT test are included in the appendix and sample strategies are listed below.
Strategies
Provide high-quality, standards-based Tier I instruction for all students aligned to the Nevada Academic Content Standards, support educators to improve their core instructional practice, and provide opportunities for all students to explore their strengths.
Strengthen Instructional Core
Develop and implement a comprehensive K–12 literacy plan to meet the needs of all students.
Utilize a balanced assessment system, including a K-8 interim assessment system in English language arts, mathematics, and science to guide and inform instruction.
Develop and Support Teachers, Principals, and Staff
Implement professional learning opportunities for educators to strengthen their delivery of Tier I instruction for all students.
Implement and utilize a comprehensive data dashboard to analyze student achievement data and early-warning indicators relative to attendance, behavior, and course completion to guide data-driven decision-making at the school level.*
Deploy districtwide Multi-Tiered System of Supports to promote students’ success in both academics and behavior.
Expand Opportunities for All Students
Increase early childhood opportunities programs to accelerate academic readiness for Kindergarten.*
Provide meaningful opportunities for student engagement and promote a sense of belonging at school through programs that include fine and performing arts, career and technical education, foreign language programs, and extra-curricular/co-curricular activities.
Expand universal screening for gifted programs to include all second graders during testing windows.*
Examine the model for delivery of services to gifted and talented students.*
Explore innovative models of practice to support achievement of students in all subgroups.
Provide opportunities for English Language Learners to develop conceptual understanding of academic content, analytical practices, and sophisticated uses of English simultaneously.
Develop a transition plan to address the drop in proficiency from elementary school to middle school.
* Additional funding must be sought to implement these strategies.
Student Success Priority Area 2: Decrease student proficiency gaps in English language arts, mathematics, and science
We must accelerate the outcomes for all students. To ensure that students who are significantly behind show a faster rate of improvement, specific strategies must be developed to address these needs.
Strategies
In addition to the strategies listed in Student Success Priority 1, we will implement the following to decrease student proficiency gaps in English language arts, mathematics, and science:
Focus attention on students and schools with higher needs
Incentivize and invest in teacher, principals, and staff application to and acceptance of positions at high-needs schools.*
Utilize PSAT and Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) data to identify students, beginning in middle school, for college credit-granting courses.*
Enhance the curricular resources and materials to provide educators tools to assist students with pre-requisite skills and concepts students must know and be able to do to master the Nevada Academic Content Standards.*
Utilize formative assessment tools within the balanced assessment system, including diagnostic, progress monitoring, and interim assessment tools, to identify students' skill deficits to target and monitor interventions and support to improve students' learning outcomes.
Implement research-based, intensive interventions and supports aligned to students' skill deficits to accelerate learning outcomes.
Provide professional learning opportunities for educators to utilize formative assessment tools to guide and inform instruction, monitor students' progress, and to implement research-based, intensive interventions and supports.
Provide extended-day and extended-year learning opportunities to enrich and accelerate students' learning.*
Implement early childhood opportunities for students to improve students' readiness levels when entering kindergarten.*
Implement tuition-free Summer School to provide opportunities for students to master skills and concepts and retrieve credits.*
* Additional funding must be sought to implement these strategies.
Student Success Priority Area 3: Increase access and equity to rigorous curriculum and instruction for all students
All students deserve access to accelerated courses of study and enrichment opportunities that prepare them for the future. Many students have the ability to succeed in demanding courses but do not get the opportunity.
CCSD is committed to providing more classes that align to students’ goals and interests and will work diligently to increase participation in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and career and technical education programs, prioritizing representation from all student subgroups. CCSD will also strengthen partnerships with higher education institutions and business leaders to focus on apprenticeships and career and technical education programs that align with community job needs.
Educators will receive training and support to ensure learning environments and instructional approaches are inclusive. We will also ensure educators have the resources to identify students for these courses and can support them to succeed.
In order to increase access and equity to rigorous curriculum and instruction for all students, we will seek to achieve the following targets. Annual targets are included in the appendix and sample strategies are listed below.
Strategies
Develop and Support Teachers, Principals, and Staff
Tailor individualized professional development for all AP teachers that connects to annual AP Summer Institutes and supports the use of College Board formative assessments.*
Identify and use retention strategies for Business and Industry licensed teachers so that high-skill and high-demand courses are taught by content experts for most Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 CTE courses.
Provide professional development opportunities and/or teacher mentors to support math instruction in intermediate grades. *
Utilize vertical alignment and transition meetings to ensure equitable placement of students into advanced coursework in 6th grade.
Expand Opportunities for All Students
College and Career Preparation
Expand dual credit opportunities aligned to career and technical education to ensure that high-skill and high-demand sectors target the job growth needs of Clark County and Nevada.*
Use academic planning strategically to ensure student awareness of dual credit opportunities and ensure that counselors communicate regularly with families and students regarding dual credit opportunities at specific schools.
Develop timely and targeted Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) institutions to increase enrollment numbers in sectors aligned to Technology, Nursing, Manufacturing, and Education. Additionally, facilitate quarterly meetings with counselors involving local NSHE representatives to inform them of dual credit opportunities.
Partner with NSHE institutions to address challenges in qualifying to teach dual-credit courses.
Offer PSAT at the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade levels for all students to acquire systemwide Advanced Placement potential data to make certain that all underrepresented students have access to an AP class in high school.*
Increase 6th and 8th grade course enrollment in honors, advanced, and high school classes.*
Expand course offerings at high schools to allow for schools to address remediation needs.
CTE Coursework and Certification
Start CTE pathways at earlier grade levels and focus feeder schools on specific pathways.
Increase CTE completer enrollment of master scheduling and data analysis of Level 1, 2, and 3 attrition data.
Consolidate Level 1 CTE pathway offerings to ensure alignment to high-skill and high-demand jobs. Ensure that oversaturated pathways are reduced at high schools.*
Align CTE course offerings to community and state economic needs in middle and high schools.*
Partner with businesses and private industry aligned to high-skill and high-demand pathways to ensure that students are introduced to opportunities, internships, and apprenticeships with related businesses.
Conduct focus groups with students to determine ways to attract them to pathways aligned to high-skill and high-demand jobs.
Utilize articulation rates from CTE level 1 to level 3 courses when determining Perkins grant allocations to schools.
Magnet Schools
Implement kindergarten classes at elementary magnet schools.*
Develop and implement two K-8 magnet schools to provide the opportunity for continuity for students to attend magnet programs in kindergarten through grade 8 and to provide additional magnet seats at the elementary and middle school levels.*
Develop and implement a dual language Spanish elementary magnet school to provide all students additional opportunities to participate in elementary magnet schools.*
Develop and implement additional middle and high school magnet schools/programs to ensure equitable access and opportunities to these programs throughout the Las Vegas valley.*
Review and revise, as necessary, admission criteria for high school magnet schools/programs, CTAs and Select Schools to provide equitable access and opportunities for students.
Review and revise, as necessary, the recruitment and application process to determine whether there is equitable access and opportunity for all students to attend magnet schools/programs, CTAs and Select Schools.
* Additional funding must be sought to implement these strategies.
Student Success Priority Area 4: Ensure students and staff are safe and students are engaged at school
Students must regularly attend school to benefit from their educational experience. CCSD strives to provide a safe and engaging learning environment where students can thrive but we recognize we are not doing enough. School safety and behavioral supports must both be addressed.
In 2017–2018 the districtwide chronic absenteeism rate for students in Grades K–12 was 20.7 percent and significant gaps exist between student subgroups. Additionally, both suspension and expulsion rates are cause for concern and disproportionality exists in the rate of suspensions and expulsions among student subgroups, particularly for Black/African American students.
We strive to treat all students fairly and provide them with early interventions that will ultimately reduce time spent out of the classroom. We will ensure our schools are safe places and our classrooms are more inclusive and productive, so that we can empower students to work hard and stay on the right track. We will also call on community partners who can uniquely provide the wraparound supports our students need.
In order to ensure students and staff feel safe and engaged at school, we will seek to achieve the following targets. Annual targets are included in the appendix and list of sample strategies are listed below.
Strategies
Develop and Support Teachers, Principals, and Staff
Provide professional learning focusing on the components of trauma-sensitive schools including safe and supportive learning environments, assessments of needs and supports, development of social and emotional skills, and collaboration with families and the community.
Provide cultural competency professional learning to promote safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environments for all students.
Provide opportunities for students to enhance social and emotional skills infused within high-quality, standards-based instruction in the classroom.
Implement a districtwide Multi-Tiered System of Supports to promote students’ success in both academics and behavior.
Implement and utilize a comprehensive data dashboard to analyze student achievement data and early-warning indicators relative to attendance, behavior, and course completion to guide data-driven decision-making at the school level.*
Implement Recommendations Developed through the Safety Advisory Committee*
Require mandatory reporting of every Clark County School District (CCSD) firearm incident and make the report easily accessible on the CCSD website.
Expand SafeVoice to be a community-wide “see something, say something” program.
Appoint a community liaison from CCSD to work with the Mayor’s Faith Initiative on gun violence and responsible gun storage, utilizing existing community resources to attain safer school campuses.
Provide crisis response training for students and staff including “active situation” training.
Require students to wear student IDs on breakaway lanyards.
Implement optional Socio-emotional Learning Curriculum (SEL) to engage all students and deter disengagement from school and community ideals.
Improve overall campus security by improving security cameras or installing security access doors at schools.
Commit to conducting a basic school safety assessment at every school.
Create eight K-9 Units trained in firearm detection.
Expand Opportunities and Supports for All Students
Increase partnerships to expand mental health wraparound services, social workers, school safety personnel, behavioral interventionists, and counselors in schools.
Implement a partnership with the Character Lab Research Network to help students develop character strengths like grit, curiosity, humility, and empathy.
Utilize the Clark County School Justice Partnership and Restorative Justice practices to ensure students are held accountable for their behavior in order to learn from their mistakes, take responsibility for their actions, and reconnect to the school community by providing them with continuity and support from educators who interact with students on a daily basis.
Explore educational options for students who commit violent offenses.
* Additional funding must be sought to implement these strategies.
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