Fall 2019 Heritage Academy Reading Scores

November 19, 2019

More great news from Heritage Academy!!!!

The Idaho Department of Education just released the State’s fall reading scores and Heritage Academy results show more growth!

The Idaho Public Charter School Commission (PCSC) and its staff criticized Heritage and said Heritage students would be better off if they returned to the Jerome School District. They said all Jerome students (Heritage and JSD) would be much better off if they were bussed to Commission-favorite North Valley Academy, a charter school in Gooding.

The Commissioners said that Heritage, Jerome School District and North Valley Charter School serve populations with the same demographic characteristics. They say that North Valley students grow while Heritage and Jerome School District students fail.

The actual data say something very different . . . and it looks like the main thing the schools have in common is a similar summer slump (the loss that occurs while students are on summer break).

Once again, the data show that Heritage Academy is overcoming tremendous barriers and challenging demographic characteristics to produce growth!

Congratulations to the Heritage Academy teachers, superintendent and school board members!

Student Demographic Characteristics - NOT THE SAME

School	Students from Low-Income Families	Students with Disabilities	Students Learning English	Non-White	At-Risk (Homeless, Foster Care, etc.)
State of Idaho	45%	11%	7%	24.9%	5%
Heritage Academy	96% of Students from low-income families	24% of Students with Disabilities	19% Students Learning English	45% Non-White	5% At-Risk
Jerome School District	64%	11%	22%	55%	5%
North Valley Academy	60%	13%	4%	24%	3%

Student Growth - NOT THE SAME

School	2018-19 Fall IRI	2018-19 Spring IRI	Growth
State of Idaho	52.6%	70.4%	34% Increase in 1 year
Heritage Academy	28.4%	59.3%	109% Increase in 1 year
Jerome School District	41.9%	54%	29% Increase in 1 year
North Valley Academy	50.6%	54.9%	9% Increase in 1 year

Fall 2019 IRI Proficiency - NOT THE SAME

These data show two important things:

Spring 2019 to Fall 2019 data show summer loss which may be regained over the school year.
For Heritage Academy, 91% of first through third graders tested attended Heritage Academy during the 2018-19 school year. The increase in Fall 2018 to Fall 2019 proficiency shows the positive impact and growth due to good instruction provided by the school.

School	Fall Proficiency 2018 IRI	Spring Proficiency 2019 IRI	Fall 2018 to Spring 2019 Growth	Fall Proficiency 2019 IRI	Spring to Fall Loss	Fall 2018 to Fall 2019 Growth
State of Idaho	52.6%	70.4%	34% Increase in 1 year	54.7%	22% Loss over the summer	4% Increase
Heritage Academy	28.4%	59.3%	109% Increase In 1 year	42.4%	28% Loss over the summer	49% Increase
Jerome School District	41.9%	54%	29% Increase in 1 year	36%	33% Loss over the summer	14% Decrease
North Valley Academy	50.6%	54.9%	9% Increase in 1 year	39.7%	28% Loss over the summer	22% Decrease