About the Data: Percent of Children Reading at, or Above Proficient Level Based on 3rd-Grade EOG Exam

Data Description

Data Source(s):
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Accountability Services

Used on Prior EBCI THIP:
No

Measure Definition:
Percent of American Indian students in Swain County Schools reading at or above proficient level on the 3rd-grade End-of-Grade (EOG) exam:
(Number of proficient students / Total number of students who took the EOG exam) x 100

Baseline (Annual):
2019:

• Percent Proficient: 52.0%
• Numerator: Number of proficient students
• Denominator: Total number of students

Target:
57.2%

Target-Setting Method:
10% improvement from the baseline percentage.

Annual Data Overview

Numerator Details:

Number of American Indian 3rd-grade students who scored at or above the proficient level on the EOG exam.

Denominator Details:

Total number of American Indian 3rd-grade students who took the EOG exam each year.

Comparable National Data:

• 2023: 48.8%
• 2022: 46.4%
• 2021: 45.1%
• 2019: 45.1%

Data Collection Frequency:

Annual

Story Behind the Curve

The data reflects fluctuating proficiency rates among American Indian 3rd-grade students in Swain County Schools, with notable declines in 2021 and 2023. The significant drop in 2021 aligns with broader trends linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted learning through school closures and remote learning challenges.

A recovery in 2022 saw proficiency levels exceed the baseline of 52%, but this progress was not sustained in 2023, where only 40% of students scored at or above proficient. This underscores the ongoing challenges in providing consistent academic support and addressing educational disparities.

The pandemic's impact on standardized testing, as seen in the absence of 2020 data, further emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to bridge learning gaps and promote reading proficiency.

Partners

Efforts to improve 3rd-grade reading proficiency involved collaboration among:

• EBCI Public Health and Human Services (PHHS): Provided advocacy and supported outreach to families.
• Swain County Schools: Administered EOG exams and implemented interventions to improve academic outcomes.
• Community Stakeholders: Engaged families and community members to support early literacy initiatives.

What Worked

1. Resilience During Challenges:
   Despite setbacks, the recovery in 2022 demonstrated the effectiveness of school and community efforts to address learning loss.

2. Focus on Early Literacy:
   Collaborative efforts underscored the importance of early literacy as a foundation for academic success.

3. Engaging Families:
   Support from families and community stakeholders was critical in fostering environments that promote reading and academic achievement.

Strategy

The strategies implemented to address 3rd-grade reading proficiency included:

1. Data-Driven Approaches:

   • Utilized EOG data to identify trends and measure progress toward the target.
   • Shared results with stakeholders to inform and guide interventions.

2. Family and Community Engagement:

   • Encouraged family participation in early literacy initiatives and school activities.
   • Promoted community awareness of the importance of reading proficiency.

3. Targeted Academic Support:

   • Supported Swain County Schools in implementing programs to address learning gaps.
   • Prioritized American Indian students for tailored interventions aligned with cultural needs.

These strategies highlighted the need for sustained efforts to overcome disparities in reading proficiency and ensure that all students meet academic benchmarks.