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Washoe County sees biggest jump in student proficiency scores in nearly a decade

A WCSD bus driver watches a student walk away from the bus from his driver's seat after dropping him off.
Victoria Campbell
/
Washoe County School District
WCSD will start the 2022-23 school year on a rotating schedule that will not serve all students eligible for transportation each week.

The Washoe County School District is celebrating its largest one-year improvement in student proficiency scores in almost 10 years, according to newly released data from the Smarter Balanced Assessment.

The standardized test results show significant gains in English Language Arts, math, and science, with many students now performing at or above pre-pandemic levels.

“I was proud of the work that’s gone into these results. To see students back at or above pre-pandemic levels, that’s exciting,” said Superintendent Joe Ernst.

Data provided by Washoe County School District.
Data provided by Washoe County School District.

One of the most notable improvements came from English learners, who showed some of the strongest gains across the district. Ernst credits a shift in the district’s language instruction strategy.

“We've been able to redesign the English language model, and that is providing an English language specialist, expert teacher for all schools to train all teachers,” Ernst said.

The district also hired more than 280 new teachers ahead of the school year, about 90 more than the previous year. Ernst emphasized the importance of retaining early-career educators by offering strong mentorship and keeping their workload focused.

“You can lose between 30 to 35% of teachers, maybe in their first four years. So we have to make sure that we are supporting our teachers. We also want to make sure that their responsibilities stay focused on the most important responsibilities, that's lesson planning, providing instruction, connecting with kids and connecting with families,” Ernst said.

In addition to academic gains, the district is reporting lower rates of chronic absenteeism and increased family engagement in classrooms.

Ernst said the district aims to build on this momentum.

Maria joined KUNR Public Radio in December 2022 as a staff reporter.