Board Adopts 4 Learning Goals

Board adopts 4 learning goals to help reach “mega ends”

On August 26, the PSD Board of Education unanimously accepted four learning goals as an effective interpretation of its mega “ends” policy that states what knowledge and skills students should have by the time they graduate.

By taking formal action, the Board accepted the Superintendent’s interpretation that the four learning goals are an effective “means” to accomplish the Board’s “ends” under Policy Governance, the model the Board follows to govern the district.

The district’s four learning goals are for all students to:

• Achieve 3^rd grade reading proficiency
• Achieve annual academic growth
• Become post-secondary ready, and
• Successfully transition between grades and levels

These goals will now be used to help measure PSD students’ progress toward achieving the Board’s formal Ends Policy by the time they graduate:

            “In order to be post-secondary ready and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, Poudre School District children will demonstrate levels of achievement consistent with high individual expectations in: Academics, Civic Participation, Career Preparation, Creative Skills and Thinking Skills.”

The Board’s action August 26 follows presentation of an in-depth monitoring report PSD administration shared August 12 for the Board to review and discuss.  The report presents start up data about where student performance is now as the district and schools begin working to achieve these goals over time.

“Poudre School District has high expectations for our students,” says Jerry Wilson, Ph.D., PSD Superintendent of Schools.  “We must have challenging goals to assure our community that our students are receiving a world class education consistent with our Board’s policy.  The standard for the 21^st Century requires students to be prepared academically and civically to be citizens in a global economy.”

What’s next? In September, the Board will begin expanding on its ends policy—defining the elements of each of the five areas of student achievement.

For additional information on PSD’s goals, visit the PSD website at www.psdschools.org under the Goals & Accountability star.