Summary:
The Waits River Union High District #36 is a small school district in Vermont that contains only one school, Waits River Valley Union School, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. With a total enrollment of 272 students, the school has faced academic challenges in recent years, with declining performance and below-average proficiency rates compared to state averages.
Waits River Valley Union School has a low statewide ranking, placing 105th out of 133 Vermont elementary schools in the 2023-2024 school year, and its performance has declined over the past few years, dropping from a 3-star rating in 2021-2022 to a 1-star rating in 2023-2024. The school's proficiency rates in VTCAP/English Language Arts and Mathematics are below the state averages across all grade levels, with the largest gaps in 5th grade Mathematics (13.33% proficient vs. 36% state average) and 8th grade Mathematics (16.67% proficient vs. 34% state average).
Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending of $11,044 and a low student-teacher ratio of 10:1, the academic challenges persist. This suggests that simply allocating more resources may not be the sole solution, and a deeper examination of how resources are utilized and the effectiveness of instructional practices may be necessary. Additionally, the school serves a population with significant economic disadvantages, with 61.03% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which may have implications for the school's support services and overall approach to addressing the unique needs of its student body.
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