1. Academic Achievement
The district will emphasize access to and learning in early literacy and mathematics (PK-3) in order to establish foundational skills, so all students are set on a successful course for graduation.
Puyallup School District believes that rigorous standards for academic achievement should remain at the forefront of our mission and priorities. Given the critical importance of early reading as a determinant for long-term success1, the Puyallup School District will emphasize early literacy, specifically from kindergarten through third grade. Additionally, as math proficiency continues to lag behind reading, a focus on numeracy is also critical to achieving academic success for all students.
How we will measure success…
- Percent of students, from all backgrounds, meeting or exceeding the benchmark on 4th-grade, 8th-grade, and 10th-grade STAR Math and Literacy assessments.
- Percent of students, from all backgrounds, who are on track to meet or exceed the four-year graduation requirements.
In order to monitor progress on how these early indicators are impacting students later in their academic careers, the district will also measure and track student proficiency levels and on-track-to-graduation metrics at the junior high and high school levels in addition to early literacy and numeracy metrics.
2. Family and Community Engagement
The district will clearly and efficiently communicate goals, priorities, and critical information in order to engage families and community partners in two-way communication.
The Puyallup School District continues to be deeply committed to partnering closely with families and our community to ensure that our students are able to achieve at the highest levels. This requires ongoing efforts to strengthen trust, transparency, and communication with families and community members. In addition to in-person events and engagements, Puyallup School District’s robust set of digital tools enables the district to reach families in unique and effective ways.
How we will measure success…
- - Digital-Based Metrics: Social media reach and engagement statistics, Website traffic as measured by Google search analytics, Broadcast system engagement as measured by reach and engagement statistics.
- - Number of communications translated into multiple student home languages.
3. Social-Emotional Supports
The district will cultivate an inclusive and supportive school community in order to promote a sense of belonging and well-being for each student and staff.
The Puyallup School District understands how critical students' social-emotional well-being is to their ability to engage successfully in academic pursuits and growth. Simply put, for students to learn, they must first feel emotionally safe and cared for in school. In accordance with the Washington State Board of Education, guided by the Washington State Legislature (RCW 28A.300.477), the Puyallup School District is committed to a “whole-child approach toward providing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) implementation that is equitable, trauma-informed, culturally sustaining, and universally designed.”
In addition to the well-being of students, the mental and emotional well-being of staff is also critical to their ability to effectively teach and support students. An emphasis on well-being will bolster staff effectiveness as well as their own sense of belonging in the district.
How we will measure success …
- Percent of students receiving suspensions, referrals, and exclusionary discipline (disaggregating student discipline data).
- Percent of students who feel they are valued members of their school community as measured by a district-administered survey.
- District and staff perceptions of their own professional well-being as measured by a district-administered survey.
4. Staff Development, Culture, and Satisfaction
The district will continue to focus on attracting and developing a highly effective, representative staff while bolstering overall job satisfaction for all staff in order to ensure quality instruction.
Our staff and teachers are one of our greatest assets in the Puyallup School District. Continuing to strengthen our staff workforce will be essential to ensuring that students are poised to achieve in the long run. Developing best-in-class educators who can effectively meet the academic and social-emotional needs of students will be a continued focus of the Puyallup School District. We also know that a staff and teaching force that represents the students it serves is a key lever for student sense of belonging and academic success. The Puyallup School District is dedicated to continuing to engage in hiring practices that ensure we can achieve a representative staff.
How we will measure success…
- Percent of staff who respond positively to questions related to teacher Effectiveness on a district-administered survey.
- Percent of staff who respond positively to questions related to feedback and support on a district-administered survey.
- Percent of staff who demonstrate growth on annual evaluations.
- Percent of staff whose demographics represent student demographics.
5. Facilities, Safety, and Security
The district will ensure the timely repair and maintenance of schools and support facilities in order to maintain a safe work and learning environment for students and staff.
The Puyallup School District knows the critical role that our facilities and infrastructure play in our ability to educate and support students. Students and staff are able to succeed when their environment is clean, maintained, and welcoming. Most importantly, maintaining adequate facilities is critical to keeping both students and staff safe. Through the use of robust standards for excellence and a dedication to timely service, the Puyallup School District will ensure that students and staff are able to teach and grow in a positive physical environment.
How we will measure success…
- Completion time and number of follow-up status inquiries for work orders after submission.
- Percent of families who respond positively to questions related to school safety on a district-administered survey.
- Percentage of students who are attending school in a permanent classroom facility.