06-05-2025
Pandemic continues to cast long shadow on Marion County student SAT scores
FAIRMONT — Marion County students continue to wrestle with math and to a lesser degree, literacy, in SAT benchmark testing.
"As we said in coming off the pandemic, it will take us three or four years to get students back to the point where they have those basic skills they missed in face-to-face instruction," School Superintendent Donna Heston said to the Board of Education on Monday.
Heston said the school system has started to climb out the dip in SAT benchmarks since the pandemic. The spread of a lethal virus led to the necessity of virtual in-home instruction. However, schools around the country are reporting lower math and literacy proficiency from students as a result.
Heston said Marion County Schools has done a lot to target students who fell behind as a result of the pandemic and worked on improving their proficiency in math and literacy.
Heston presented some preliminary data Monday. Heston said East Fairmont High students showed a strong 5% improvements in English Language Arts, while math remained stable. At Fairmont Senior High, students experienced modest growth in English Language Arts, but a sharp 8% decline in math.
English proficency at North Marion High declined by nine points but math improved slightly. Districtwide, English language and math proficiency declined slightly, but within the margin of error. Heston said these preliminary reports show that while East Fairmont continues to strengthen in literacy, Fairmont Senior and North Marion continue to face some challenges in math and ELA.
Heston cautioned that the data only reflects one day of a student's academic life and that in comparison overall, Marion County is one the better districts in the entire state. Last year, the county was among the Top 10 performing districts in the state, she said.
Board Member Donna Costello questioned how long the impact form the pandemic would last on student academic scores. Heston acknowledged it can't all be blamed on the pandemic. She said a number of indicators such as school option play a role. The State's Hope Scholarship program is sold as a school choice program, but could remove $315 million from public education if all private and homeschool students enroll. The program adds those students to the program next year. This effectively defunds public schools. For the 2024-25 school year, the Hope voucher program removed $4.9 million from Marion County Schools.
Heston added the format of the test is another factor.
"It sends home to us in looking at how we prepare students and use the PSAT," Heston said.
As for what the school system is doing to improve scores, Heston said they are working on integrating math and science skills so both disciplines aren't taught in isolation. Students are taught to connect those subjects to the real world. She said the district is in heavy discussion at all levels, from the classroom to central office, on how to bring up test scores.
Board members also haggled with Heston over whether or not there would be a standalone budget workshop this year. Costello and Board Member James Saunders created a makeshift front to press for a session separate from a typical Board of Education meeting.
Heston argued there wasn't a need for a separate session because a regular session would provide the necessary time and opportunity to field questions about the budget. She also indicated a regular session would be open to the public. Sanders pushed back, saying they weren't saying to hold a meeting behind closed doors. Heston pointed out a meeting limit had been imposed by the state legislature for how many meetings a school board would be compensated for.
She added voters and residents are expecting a regular meeting on May 19 at the appointed time, rather than a special line up. Board President George Boyles told board members to give him their preference by Thursday.
Boyles and School Treasurer Scott Reider briefly discussed one potential stumbling block for next year's budget in the hallway after the meeting ended. After Reider reached out to the state for next year's estimated budget numbers, he was told to use the numbers from the last year. With all the changes at the federal level and the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, Boyles said there was a lot of uncertainty regarding how much the federal issue was going to impact the amount of money schools receive next year.
The next board meeting is scheduled for May 19.
