Orient-Macksburg shows improvement in state scores

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part series examining report cards area schools received recently from the Iowa Board of Education based on several criteria.

Orient-Macksburg Principal Dan Grandfield credits his staff and teachers for the hard work they’ve put in to get the school going in the right direction in terms of academic achievement and the data that reflects that achievement.

The School Performance Profiles were recently released and are based on data from the 2022-23 school year. Schools receive an overall performance score that comes out in one of six categories: exceptional, high performing, commendable, acceptable, needs improvement or priority/comprehensive.

The elementary grades at O-M were listed as commendable, up from acceptable one year prior.

The middle and high school grades received the same rating, up two spots from needing improvement in the last report.

In a separate area known as the Every School Succeeds Act (ESSA) performance category, O-M was first listed as targeted in 2017-18, with their overall performance score the lowest it could possibly be. While O-M will remain targeted until it banks enough years at a high enough rating, their rating this year in this area shows they met the comprehensive status, which is a positive step in the right direction.

“We will continue to take appropriate corrective measures to ensure that we continue to improve to the point where we are no longer a target school, but our 2023 Iowa School Performance Profile scores were a major step in the right direction,” he said. “As the Orient-Macksburg Principal, I am very proud of our students and our staff for their efforts, devotion and dedication to get us to this point.”