At its July meeting, the Ralston Board of Education unanimously approved a new English Learners (EL) curriculum for grades 7–12 after staff piloted two programs and chose Vista. Teachers praised the curriculum’s ability to meet the diverse needs of EL students, calling it a more effective tool than past materials.
Karen Western Elementary Principal Andrew Mather presented school improvement data showing significant gains in reading proficiency and reductions in chronic absenteeism over the past academic year. While some grade-level scores, including incoming second and sixth graders, showed promising mid-year gains, Mather pointed out an end-of-year decrease and voiced the need for continued progress. Attendance data reflected improvements, with the number of chronically absent students falling from 57 in 2021-22 to 18 in 2023-24.
Financially, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Bredenkamp reported that the district’s available funds are up significantly compared to the same time last year ($17.4 million versus $13.2 million) due to changes in the timing of state aid distributions. Superintendent Jason Buckingham shared updates on bond-funded facilities improvements, including a new student parking lot at Ralston High School set to open before the start of the new school year. The board also heard updates on legislative services, clean diesel initiatives and state policy changes that will broaden student admission criteria.
Meeting documented by Will Ramsey
Read full meeting notes here
