[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6584725,"mediaKeyId","5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce","parentId",5653811,"title","Southeast Polk moves from learning to implementation in school improvement task forces","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1199000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce&start=1199&end=1199","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce/thumbnail_1199000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6584725/Iowa/Southeast-Polk-moves-from-learning-to-implementation-in-school-improvement-task-forces","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584725-ebbe362e05c7428131997cd0b699c63e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501809&Signature=Pct8owIK6Ys6xP2315DA5BV7aTVu~hoK1tDLzw0Z9IlTZqkJ3eiawdvVYugHeX80~o9ii6TiTQFUXnNLyxoQ~WhzRh8Omw4HV-Sgbj7TcVJQbHnQ3LndRkcc1s4R0l1OWgKwgA7fDipPzlsmoDX29uRa6uDBDfTzwV3WDt2y8H~A-7VgsgvhMTP72KP6ybvBq2JJhxhtm3uFwY9O5oBIcyWL~w0fah5BF1fVYxPjl0rrPfIz8PN~FrLyn~qtG9fqyKBWwZu3kiuYrBeqhhngzB7mm3y-ky0bmI4YSAMQNpRAW6zHXMQCDE58W9s4ZrXIjNmiuQDzos6UoeezeDX8aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Southeast Polk Comm School District ","date","2025-08-22T00:05:38.133Z","article","At the meeting, Dr. Latham briefed the board on year two of the district’s School Improvement Process (SIP) task force work and said the emphasis will shift from learning to implementation.

Dr. Latham said the district organized teacher leadership groups around four core goal areas: early literacy; academic core (English language arts, math and science); college and career readiness; and climate and culture (including attendance). More than 90 teacher leaders participated in task forces during year one, the presentation said.

Quoting a national consultant who worked with the district, Dr. Latham said the district has a strong teacher leadership structure and noted the consultant’s advice: \"teachers are more influential to other teachers than administrators.\" That feedback helped shape the district’s approach to keep teacher leaders on the same task force for three years: year 1 learning, year 2 implementation and year 3 evaluation of impact.

Dr. Latham said task force recommendations and the compiled task force report will be available for school teams to use in building action steps, and teacher leaders will serve as local supports for implementation in professional learning communities and classrooms. The presentation also cited recent capacity-building: the district added about 20 new model teachers to replace teachers who moved into other roles or retired.

Dr. Latham and Stephanie Laird will present the district’s teacher-leadership model at the School Administrators of Iowa conference, the presentation said. No formal board action was requested during the update; the item closed before the board moved to adjourn.

After the final item, a motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the transcript records the motion and that it was seconded but does not record a roll-call vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SEP Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","District leaders told the board that teacher-led task forces established last year will focus on implementing evidence-based practices in year two; teacher leaders will remain on the same task forces for three years and year three will evaluate impact.","taxTitle","Southeast Polk Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",38786,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6584728,"Southeast Polk enrollment report: elementary class sizes steady, junior high decline noted",136,972000,1108000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce&start=972&end=1108","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce/thumbnail_972000.jpg","/articles/6584728/Iowa/Southeast-Polk-enrollment-report-elementary-class-sizes-steady-junior-high-decline-noted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584728-4b846c2433a5f682f1b5860df85a844b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501809&Signature=XiyhY~WJ-NxCrXcUvu~FVNfzj8Mjoy6o6gyi0xGmy8v77893qGWpRb3Duhi4Lx0TyBbCDVcNb~d7fmxgV4PQrUhakK6WgEc6PcXVI6C-7wzdrmkYxMDIeVV64PAw0vEIg-wuAjyZL8j8-MBr3Ozebotfde~IfC9nXsG7AWeq~YNztpX1NTUALjBi9tA583MTnzb34e1lscKoVOdZhLW2ev4seXVbInZMYv7jHeLILL9j23LrTI88NjfhrkHKvshx1WifeL0SjknO~niMCXFQDj33xxctX07pLnIf46hb4TYtl-XPBTDOEpcoxLhrplBPcj~JSk~Yk2a~3jQjO6k0TA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the board meeting, Mr. Horton presented an enrollment update ahead of the 2025–26 school year and told trustees that most grade levels have healthy class sizes while some secondary grades show declines.

Horton said the district averages 22 students per elementary classroom and reported a net increase of 37 students compared with a week earlier. He flagged a notable drop in junior high enrollment and a decline in 12th-grade numbers (down to 581 from 618 a year earlier).

\"We average 22 in our elementary classrooms, which is a fantastic number,\" Horton said. He noted only eight grade-level classes were completely full in the snapshot provided.

Board members asked whether enrollment assignment prioritizes neighborhood schools or available space. Horton said the district generally assigns students based on residence to keep children in neighborhood schools, and open-enrollment requests are handled with conversations about where space exists.

No boundary changes or policy actions were proposed during the update.","Board member Matthew Horton (recorded as 'Mr. Horton' in the transcript) summarized enrollment ahead of the new school year: elementary class averages are about 22, the district reported a net increase of 37 students since the last report, and junior high and 12th-grade counts declined from last year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6584733,"Southeast Polk reports higher AP pass rate, big jump in ninth-grade participation",653,153000,806000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce&start=153&end=806","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5653811-aa3ccd41fb77a8760ef639c43c21efce/thumbnail_153000.jpg","/articles/6584733/Iowa/Southeast-Polk-reports-higher-AP-pass-rate-big-jump-in-ninth-grade-participation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584733-b0faa8bf0d5a8220d62b0b33cf4957fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501809&Signature=Q7DNvLFnXspVMgow4F7etyjrduFZBrrQGix0DFxX2Nk~7JdV6M~UFoaspWWywcH97ffwJeZajMjcVxzMpXvxq-vrCiMJ1ePxtt7HlSur4udiLZHn098iXGv8PeC-AYR3hx~EXK4gRRc-Brv6c96NWhOX3F6sgJIJ0GO7raZbL7RVDnnL3uDRjomENtzLGO2DjOzgnKKAaaiEVif3OutLDkF8ElLDQVNC~ruPLNW9zm33tj9fe1NyqsZlHtQYzlcZqAE1Lu0WHyvYgP3RzsqJdFYaXGKDVTegvCx4SVJJz3VW6k85PwkJSQnmSLhR5fwJAXiOoXI23wTSNm4QuSeaiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At an August meeting, Southeast Polk Community School District staff reported an overall AP exam passing rate of 85.5% for 2024–25 and said ninth-grade participation jumped markedly this year.

District staff said about 90% of students who started an AP course in January took an AP exam. The presentation listed 538 graduates in the class of 2025 and an estimated district AP index of 0.94, a rise from recent years.

The presenter said the ninth-grade increase was notable: 71 ninth graders took the AP Human Geography exam this past year, up from 21 in an earlier year. \"There was a significant jump in the number of ninth grade students that that took an AP exam,\" the presenter said, and suggested greater exposure and separate ninth-grade sections may have reduced students' anxiety about enrolling.

The board heard that pass-rate performance varies by subject. The presenter said several subjects had large gains — including physics and AP language — and noted the district has sustained pass rates in the low-to-mid 80s in recent years after COVID disruptions. \"Eighty-five and a half percent of all exams taken at the high school and the junior high were passed compared to the Iowa average of 69.7,\" the presenter said. When asked what score counts as passing, the presenter answered simply: \"A 3.\"

Staff discussed course-volume effects on percentages: the presenter noted small cohorts can shift a subject's percentage substantially (for example, eight students taking Computer Science Principles will cause big swings if one or two scores change). District leaders said their annual goal-setting for AP aims for full enrollment, 100% test-taking and 100% passing, language the presenter described as \"lofty goals.\"

Board members and staff also discussed test administration logistics. A board member who has proctored exams praised the spring administration and the transition to online testing at multiple locations, calling the operation \"very smooth\" despite occasional Wi‑Fi and Chromebook charging problems. The district used four sites last spring, including two churches, the fairgrounds and the high school; staff said they aim to reduce the number of testing sites this year.

Looking ahead, district staff reported 628 students enrolled in AP courses for the 2025–26 school year when the presentation was prepared, the highest number since the 2014–15 school year. The presenter said a main contributor to the increase is ninth-grade enrollment in human geography, with roughly 126 students expected to take that exam next year (most in ninth grade).

No formal policy or budget action was taken during the AP presentation.","District staff told the school board that 85.5% of Advanced Placement exams taken in 2024–25 were passing, ahead of the Iowa average of 69.7%. Ninth-grade AP participation rose sharply, and district leaders said logistics and online testing are areas of focus for the coming year.","actionData","errors"]

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Southeast Polk moves from learning to implementation in school improvement task forces

Southeast Polk enrollment report: elementary class sizes steady, junior high decline noted

Southeast Polk reports higher AP pass rate, big jump in ninth-grade participation