NOSD shows improvement in DPI scores

The Northern Ozaukee School District rated a 76.6 overall score in the recently released Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction report cards for the 2017-18 school year, placing it in the Exceeds Expectations category, the second-highest ranking awarded by DPI.

That was the lowest score among area school districts: Cedar Grove-Belgium and Port Washington-Saukville each scored 80.2; Cedarburg 81.8; Grafton, 83.6; and Mequon-Thiensville 87.9.

But it was a “significant improvement” over the district’s previous scores, Superintendent Dave Karrels said.

“In 2013-14 the district scored 67.8 -- which meets expectations — and we have pretty steadily improved since then,” he said. “That’s a growth of 9 points over those years, which is a significant growth in district scores.”

The district scored highest in the on-track and postsecondary readiness category at 89.8. Its lowest score was in student achievement with a 71.8 score.

Wisconsin Virtual Learning, the district’s online charter school scored 66.2 overall, Ozaukee Elementary School scored 83.2, Ozaukee Middle School scored 73.9 and Ozaukee High School scored 67.6.

DPI rates a score above 83 as significantly exceeds expectations, between 73 and 82.9 as exceeds expectations, between 63 and 72.9 as meets expectations, between 53 and 62.9 as meets few expectations and below 53 fails to meet expectations.

DPI report cards use a range of criteria in calculating the rankings, which include results from standardized tests.

High scores included the high school’s 97.5 rating in on-track and postsecondary readiness, the middle school’s 87 and the elementary school’s 88.9 in the same category. The elementary school also scored 86.9 in school growth.

The district’s lowest score was a 59.7 in student achievement at Wisconsin Virtual Learning and a 60.1 at Ozaukee High School in the same category.