Paducah Board of Education approves revised district improvement plan – WPSD Local 6

The Paducah Board of Education approved a revised draft of the Comprehensive District Improvement Plan Monday night, which aims to further students’ learning and education experience.

During Monday’s meeting, Paducah Independent Schools Assistant Superintendent Will Black presented progress updates of how the plan has impacted students from 2023 to 2024.

He said the elementary schools have had significant breakthroughs in math, reading, and science.

In math, students’ Kentucky Summative Assessment scores increased by ten points. 67% of fourth graders at Clark Elementary School received Proficient or Distinguished scores, which is an all-time best grade level score.

In science, student’s assessment scores increased by four points. McNabb, Clark, and Morgan Elementary Schools had a 50% reduction in Novice, or the lowest grade assessment, scores.

In reading, 76% of fourth graders at Clark Elementary School scored a Proficient or Distinguished.

Paducah Middle School had improvements in math, science, social studies, and writing. Students had a five-point increase in math scores and a four-point increase in writing scores.

Paducah Tilghman High School had improvements in math and reading.

“We want continued breakthroughs in those areas,” Black said. “One area we’re really targeting is science. We made some big gains in science … but we still have a ways to go in terms of improving that subject.”

Black said teachers are implementing various strategies to improve student performance, including setting goals for students and monitoring progress throughout the year.

“We set individual goals for each student at the beginning of the year for every subject, and what we try to do as a district is to think about each individual need of every student, and to target those needs, group them accordingly, and meet those needs strategically,” he said.

Black said the district supports teachers with instructional resources that are aligned to the state standard, such as High Quality Instructional Resources, which are comprehensive programs that are standards-aligned resources and grade-level assignments.

The comprehensive plan also implements a multi-tiered system of support, encompassing academic, behavioral, and social emotional support.

“Our district has partnered with Four Rivers and [Mountain Comprehensive Care Center] as well as Kentucky Care for a few years, and students can actually get access through their parents of course, to mental health counseling,” Black said. “All of those services are critical and helping students achieve.”

During the meeting, the Paducah Board of Education approved the finding to revise the District Facility Plan, which includes installing or replacing the district’s CCTV system with an IP based CCTV connected to a district wide cloud-based system.

The district would install the system at Clark, McNabb, and Morgan Elementary Schools, and in the Paducah Tilghman High School annex and bus garage.

They would replace the CCTV systems at Paducah Middle School, Paducah Tilghman High School, Paducah Tilghman wrestling building, Choices Education Center, and the Innovation Hub.

The board also approved the 2025-2026 school calendar. Students will start school Aug. 13. Fall break will be Oct. 6-10. Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 26-28. Christmas break will be from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2. Spring break will be Apr. 6-10. The proposed last day for students will be May 21.