FAIRMONT – Fairmont School Board set new goals for the 2024-25 school year after seeing the results of last year’s World’s Best Work Force (WBWF) goals on Tuesday.

WBWF, which will be rebranding as Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR) moving forward, worked with the school to set four goals for the 2023-24 school year. These goals centered around School Readiness, Closing the Academic Achievement Gap, having All Students Graduate, and ensuring College and Career Preparedness.

These four pillars have existed since WBWF started through the state in 2013. Fairmont met its All Students Graduate pillar goal, which was to have the percentage of 9th-grade students earning 10 or more graduation credits go from 89 percent in 2023 to 91 percent in 2024. The percentage increased to 94.8 percent.

Fairmont was not able to make their other three goals. In School Readiness, percentage of pre-K students who met or exceeded expectations in the Cor Advantage Language Assessment fell to 65 percent in spring 2024 from 88 percent in fall 2023. The goal was to keep it at or above 88 percent.

School Board member Julie Laue pointed out that, though they hadn’t met their goal, they had improved from the previous year. In the 2022-23 school year, the percentage started at 73 percent and fell to 44 percent.

District Principal of Curriculum and Instruction Kim Niss said they will be switching to the FAST aReading assessment moving forward for this goal.

In Closing the Academic Achievement Gap, percentage of students in grades 4-10 who increased their score on the MCA decreased from 46.7 percent in spring 2023 to 40.5 percent spring 2024. The goal was to go from 46.7 percent to 53 percent.

For College and Career Preparedness, percentage of 8th-grade students who got a proficient score on the Math ACT fell from 41.3 percent when they took it as 7th graders to 37.3 percent The goal was an increase from 41.3 percent to 48 percent.

Niss said it wasn’t the result they were hoping for, but that they have pored over the data to make adjustments going forward.

“We wish we could report that we met all of them, especially our student achievement goals,” she said. “We take those very much to heart. I know all of us do. We want to see our students succeed. Each year, the district staff development committee meets in June and in August to pour over the data and [go] much deeper than just the numbers.”

Superintendent Andy Traetow said it’s not just the goals, but the commitments and actions taken to achieve them that matter.

“We can’t keep doing what we’re doing and expect different results, and we are adjusting our course,” he said. “A lot goes into it, but all in all, we feel like we’re making the right adjustments to move in a positive direction.”

Goals for the 2024-25 school year are for 50 percent of kindergarteners to be in the low-risk category on the FAST aReading assessment, 54.2 percent of students in grades K-6 in that category, 90 percent of 9th-grade students to earn 12 or more credits during their first year, and 26.1 percent of Free and Reduced Program students meet proficient on the 8th grade math assessment.

In addition, a larger 3-year goal has been established as part of a district-wide Educational Improvement Plan (EIP). By May 2027, the percentage of all students in Fairmont Area Schools reading at grade level is expected to be at 62.5 percent. This will be measured by FastBridge aReading assessment results.

School Board member Nicole Green asked if it was measuring the same group of students over all three years. Niss said since it is a three-year assessment, new students will come in and others leave during that time.

Laue motioned to approve the goals and EIP, which School Board member Mari Myren seconded. The goals and EIP were approved unanimously.

Other actions taken included:

— Approving the cancelation of the Dec. 24 School Board meeting, which Traetow said followed the tradition of only having one school board meeting in Dec. The Truth in Taxation hearing will take place at 6 p.m. during the next school board meeting.

— Approving attendance of school board members to the MSBA Leadership Conference Jan. 16 and 17.

— Acknowledgment by Traetow that enrollment is down 10 students, which he said was standard due to students moving or not attending school for a certain time due to moving without notifying the school or other circumstances.