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The Polk County Board of Education received an update at its September meeting showing how well district students and staff performed on recent end-of-year tests.

During the board’s scheduled monthly gathering, held at Polk County Middle School, Assistant Superintendent David Scherping walked board members through state testing data from the 2020-2021 academic year.
Despite the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic, Polk County students combined to exceed the state average of percentage of students scoring grade level proficient by more than 14 percent. Nearly every grade level surpassed the state average by at least 10 percent in each tested subject area.

Scherping also reviewed the performances of nearby districts, with Polk County students outscoring local systems in 11 of the 21 grade / subject areas.
In other action at the meeting:
• The board approved Title I, Title II and Title IV educational plans as presented by Curriculum and Instruction Director Jan Crump.
• Scherping provided a child nutrition update to the board which included the continuation of free meals for all students in Polk County and a summary of supply chain and personnel challenges impacting the department.
• Scherping also presented a construction update to the board summarizing the work that was completed over the summer and those projects still in progress, with specific attention given to the Polk County High School HVAC project.
• The board approved calendar changes for Tryon Elementary due to a power outage on the first day of school and for Polk Central Elementary, Polk County Middle and Polk County High to address the two instructional days missed due to Covid. Updated calendars can be found at https://polkschools.org/calendars/.
• Superintendent Aaron Greene summarized the district’s beginning of the year enrollment and student participation in the Polk County Virtual Academy, and he also updated the board on the lack of an approved state budget which is delaying step increases for employees slated to receive them.
• The board approved moving their regular October meeting from October 11 to October 18.

From Staff Reports