KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One Hickman Mills C-1 School District elementary principal said her students have experienced growing success with the implementation of a year-round model.
The program was introduced to Ingels Elementary School last year. It keeps students in school throughout the summer in an effort to boost academic success and engagement.
KSHB_41 has been covering this program over the past year, hearing from students and teachers who noticed a positive difference in comprehension and retention skills.
Ingels Elementary Principal Dr. Michelle McDaniel said the program's success is measured through a diagnostic assessment called the i-Ready test.
McDaniel reports an increase of 30% in reading and 25% in math compared to last year, along with double-digit increases in state assessment scores.
“This means the year-round model does work. Students can retain over the summer, and we can help them retain information so they won’t lose it over the summertime," McDaniel said. "It basically means that when you invest in children and provide the instruction that is needed for those children and are supporting them, they can grow academically."
There's also been a decrease in behavioral incidents by about 65% since the introduction of the year-round program.
"Kids are learning how to work collaboratively together, they're learning how to solve problems among themselves or with each other, so we're just excited that the model is working for us," McDaniel said.
The program is specific to Ingels Elementary. A Hickman Mills spokesperson said there are currently no plans to extend the program to other schools.
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