Name: Appleton Area School District data: 28% of high school students failed at least one class last semester
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Appleton Area School District data: 28% of high school students failed at least one class last semester

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Appleton Post-CrescentView CommentsAPPLETON - One in four Appleton Area School District&nbsp;high school students failed at least one class last semester&nbsp;while instruction remained online due to COVID-19.Broken down by grade level, district data revealed 23% of 12th-graders, 28% of 11th-graders, 30% of 10th-graders and 28% of ninth-graders at Appleton's North, East and West high schools failed at least one class during fall semester.And about the same amount (20%) of high school students had received an incomplete for fall semester, meaning they have an additional two weeks to earn a potential letter grade for that course before it becomes an "F."&nbsp;While there's some overlap between the groups, and some students may be able to make up some work and receive a passing grade, most failing grades&nbsp;aren't likely to change within two weeks.The data, presented to the school board last week, offers yet another glimpse into the immense&nbsp;challenges schools across Wisconsin and the nation face amid&nbsp;another academic year marred by the global pandemic — especially in keeping students engaged while learning through computer screens.RELATED:&nbsp;RELATED:&nbsp;Steve Harrison, the district's assistant superintendent of assessment, curriculum and instruction, said the data is an&nbsp;important snapshot of where secondary-level students are at, as of halfway through the year."We need to understand that this last year is an extremely unusual and unprecedented year," Harrison said Friday. "But we also need to understand where we're at and where we're coming from and continue to improve."However, the data also has shortcomings.In previous years, Harrison said, the district only analyzed letter grades by school.Going forward, Harrison said the district will begin compiling quarterly districtwide grade reports so that the data can be compared over time, "apples to apples."&nbsp;At a school board meeting next month, Harrison said he plans to present similar data from previous school years."Yes, the challenges have been unprecedented," Harrison said, "but we also need to look at that within a context of what historically we’ve seen? ... We have opportunities to get better at getting better."Even without the comparable data, Harrison said, it provides the district with a better understanding of where educators must focus their instruction for the remainder of the school year — especially now that most students are back in class under a hybrid learning model.And, it reveals who is in the most need of extra academic support, Harrison said. Broken down by the district's most vulnerable populations — like English language learners, students receiving special education services and those who are economically disadvantaged — the data revealed those students disproportionately struggled with their academics in comparison to their peers.For example, students with disabilities comprise about 12% of enrollment, but made up nearly 23% of the students failing at least one class and 20% of those who had&nbsp;at least one incomplete. About 7% of students are English learners, yet they made up 16% of those who&nbsp;were failing and 13% of those who had an incomplete. And about a quarter of students receive free and reduced lunch, but they made up 54% of those with a failing grade and 45% of those with an incomplete.Harrison also presented data from the end of last year's spring semester,&nbsp;when&nbsp;schools across the state were required to shutter and suddenly pivot to distance learning with little warning when COVID-19 first hit Wisconsin.That data was also alarming: Around 25% of high school students were not on track to graduate at the end of last academic year. A student is considered to be on track&nbsp;if they earn about six credits per year, for a minimum of 23 by graduation.However, Harrison noted, not all students will complete six credits each year, depending on the course schedule they've developed. And, Harrison said, students can't complete just any 23 credits — the district has requirements for how many courses must be taken in specific subjects, like math or reading."What is that student's overall career plan, beyond just high school graduation? We focus on how their coursework aligns with that student's goals after high school," Harrison said. "Every student will complete courses and credits at different rates."Contact reporter Samantha West at 920-996-7207 or . Follow her on Twitter at .View Comments

Appleton Post-CrescentView CommentsAPPLETON - One in four Appleton Area School District&nbsp;high school students failed at least one class last semester&nbsp;while instruction remained online due to COVID-19.Broken down by grade level, district data revealed 23% of 12th-graders, 28% of 11th-graders, 30% of 10th-graders and 28% of ninth-graders at Appleton's North, East and West high schools failed at least one class during fall semester.And about the same amount (20%) of high school students had received an incomplete for fall semester, meaning they have an additional two weeks to earn a...

Appleton Area School District data: 28% of high school students failed at least one class last semester

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