A plan to improve student achievement has been approved by the Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education.

On Tuesday, the board approved the 2020-21 District Comprehensive Improvement Plan. Jamestown has been identified by the state as a “target district,” which requires a comprehensive improvement plan to be developed to identify specific goals and actions that will be taken to improve student performance.

Schools and districts are deemed a target because they lack proficiency in five priority categories: improve student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA); improve student achievement in mathematics; improve the percentage of daily average attendance while decreasing the percentage of students who are chronically absent; improve the percentage of students with disabilities achievement in ELA and math; and improve the percentage of students who obtain advanced diplomas or advanced coursework.

Michelle McDowell, JPS chief academic officer, said that three schools and the entire district have been identified as targeted. The schools include Ring Elementary and Jefferson and Washington middle schools.

McDowell said the main reason the schools and the district were identified as targeted by the state is because they need to improve student achievement in ELA and mathematics, and improve the percentage of daily average attendance while decreasing the percentage of students who are chronically absent.

Paul Abbott, board president, asked school administrators how the plan is going to work during the current time with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Kevin Whitaker, JPS superintendent, said the plan that was adopted for the 2019-20 school year has been “rolled” into the plan for this school year. He said that the school receives state funding to implement the plan.

McDowell told the board the district is receiving the same funding it received last year, so the potential 20% cut the school district might received in state aid didn’t impact the financing for the comprehensive improvement plan.

In other business, Whitaker announced that Tuesday was the first day back to school for the staff. He said the staff worked on protocols and guidelines that will be implemented throughout the district so students and everyone in school buildings can return safely. Whitaker also thanked the custodial staff, who rarely get credit for the work they do, for preparing the schools to be reopened.

“We’re ready. We’re ready for kids,” he said. “We await our kids.”