Rome school system continuing to institute programs to address learning loss

As the Rome school system enters the second half of the school year this week it is targeting student underperformance and learning loss with a series of programs.

The issue is that a majority of students at Rome Middle School and Rome High School scored below the state average in core subjects in the past school year, signaling a need for additional programs to combat learning loss.

Across the state, the College and Career Ready Performance Index released in November showed that a third of Georgia high schoolers have not achieved a mastery of core subjects that would allow them to continue to the next grade.

That, and other learning related topics, was the discussion held after principals from each of the schools presented their successes and issues before the Rome Board of Education in a series of meetings recently.

In the 2021-2022 school year, Rome elementary students averaged 51.5 in content mastery and 65.8 in readiness, compared to state averages of 63 in content mastery and 71.8 in readiness.

Rome Middle School students averaged 53.6 in content mastery and 70.5 in readiness, compared to state averages of 60 in content mastery and 75.1 in readiness.

Rome High students averaged 54.7 in content mastery and 76.5 in readiness, compared with statewide high schoolers averaged 64.7 in content mastery and a 73.2 in readiness.

In addition to administering state and federal mandated tests, the school system also contracts with a company to provide two benchmark tests during the school year.

The goal is to get all students at the end of the year to score at least as “proficient” — the next level above “developing” — or, even better, at the highest level, “distinguished.”

However, according to that internal testing data presented to the board, nearly two-thirds of students at Rome Middle and Rome High are behind. In math, 75% of seventh graders and 70% of eighth graders scored as “developing” or below. In reading, 67% of middle schoolers and 73% of eight graders are categorized as “developing” or below.

One of the largest factors influencing those scores is the mastery of the English language, said Rome High School Principal Parke Wilkinson.

Of the students who didn’t rank proficient in each of the subjects, 80% speak English as a second language, he told the board. Two to three years ago, the high school increased the number of programs aimed at bringing Spanish speaking students up to speed.

A step-by-step approach

Dealing with that education shortfall is a multi-faceted approach. While the school system may not get all the students in the lowest category, rated as beginning, to proficiency — a move into the next level of mastery is improvement.

For example, if the more than 40% of Rome High students who tested at the lowest level in U.S. History progress to the next level, they’ve shown improvement.

“How do we get low level students to ‘developing’ and how do we get developing students to ‘proficient,’” Superintendent Eric Holland asked board of education members rhetorically in a December meeting.

To address the learning loss, largely attributed across the country as issues resulting from prolonged breaks and pandemic scheduling, the city schools have instituted several programs.

Students in the lowest percentile have 60- to 90-minute weekly breakout sessions, called Wolf Blitz, to receive additional instruction in lagging subjects, Rome Middle School Principal Christian Barnes told the board.

Other measures center around parent outreach and positive behavior reinforcement programs, called PBIS in the school system. The idea is for students to reinforce the positive, and for parents to encourage and boost engagement.

As with any school system, some parents will be involved and communicative with the school while others aren’t. Barnes said they’re aiming to get as many parents involved as possible.

“We’re going to continue to develop ways to communicate positively with parents,” Barnes said. “We’d like to see parents go see the great things their kids are doing in the classroom.”