Good Afternoon Kenner Discovery Community:

Later this week we are expecting the School Performance Scores (SPS) to be released. I believe they will be available to the public on Thursday, November 8, 2018. They can be found at Louisiana School Finder. We will send a push message home with a link to the score on Thursday.

Once again, the way schools/students are measured is changing. Since Kenner Discovery opened its doors in 2013, changes have occurred each year in testing for students or measurements for schools. Are these changes bad for students or schools? No, the goal is to raise performance standards for schools and students. We are fully behind higher academic standards.

Here is a review of our SPS over time.

YEAR

SPS

LETTER GRADE

ENROLLMENT

2013-14

95.5

B

420

2014-15

103.5

A

581

2015-16

102.1

A

810

2016-17

100

A

1,057

2017-18

?

?

1,216

LA Superintendent of Education, John White, says in 2018 there will be considerably fewer “A” rated schools and more “F” rated schools. As an open enrollment school that has experienced unprecedented growth, I am sure we will have some highlights and some challenges once the new scores are released. The LA Department of Education (LDOE) is releasing scores under the old accountability formula and the new one to help parents and the community understand and adjust to the changes.

Here is what I know so far. The primary goal is to have students reach Mastery or Advanced on LEAP 2025. In 2017-18, 49 percent of our students reached Mastery or above, which is 4 percent more than 2016-17. A 4 percent increase is significant especially with the large increase in enrollment. Our students’ performance is improving. Kenner Discovery offers more electives in Middle and High School than in previous years. We offer multiple Carnegie Unit high school classes to our 8th grade students. Discovery High School offers Project Lead the Way Biomedical courses and numerous Advanced Placement courses for our students.

The Administration and faculty have discussed the changes in school measurement, and the work that needs to be done to ensure our students’ success. We are committed to increasing our students’ academic growth and academic/workforce opportunities. We are committed to maintaining our academic excellence and addressing any challenges that may arise. We are committed to our families and our students. We appreciate your constant support and involvement in our school community. We will celebrate every accomplishment and face every challenge with HEART and with your support.

With a Swamp Owl HEART,

Patty Glaser, Ph.D.

Head of School