Test scores are improving in Nebraska’s largest school district, but Omaha Public Schools officials say there’s still work to do.
The Nebraska Department of Education released its State of the Schools report Tuesday. 59.8 percent of OPS students tested in reading met or exceeded state standards last year, up from 55 percent in 2010-11. 48.4 percent of students tested in math met or exceeded standards, up from 41 percent the prior school year.
Dr. ReNae Kehrberg, OPS’ Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Learning, credits three strategies for the improvement in scores. One is the district’s teaching model. "We want to also continue our coaching of teachers to give them descriptive feedback, so they have a real good understanding of what’s working and why it’s working so they can consistently continue to implement those best practices. And the third part is we want to continue measuring our student success to inform us of what we have to change to meet the learner’s needs, which then improves our instruction."
OPS’ elementary schools made adequate yearly progress or AYP in 2011-2012. The middle and high schools did not make AYP. The report card for OPS, and all other districts, is available at www.education.ne.gov.
The state report card says OPS’ cohort graduation rate, the rate of students who graduate in four years, was 73 percent. The district has 50,330 students.