The Escanaba School Board on Monday reviewed district-wide student data comparing proficiency levels and graduate statistics from pre-COVID (2018-2019) to the most recent complete academic year (2024-2025). In this photo, Superintendent Coby Fletcher presents data regarding Escanaba Area Public School's proficiency levels in various subjects. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

ESCANABA – The Escanaba School Board on Monday analyzed the district’s academic achievement in student data comparing pre-COVID statistics to last year’s data — showing a marked improvement.

Superintendent Coby Fletcher presented on the data collected in Escanaba Area Public Schools (EAPS) from 2018 to 2019, which is considered pre-COVID, to district-wide performance during the most recently completed school year (2024 to 2025).

“In general, the most direct correlation to student achievement is family income. It’s one of the toughest challenges that we face in public education,” said Fletcher. “One of the neat things about our district is that we perform way better than just data and statistics say that we should.”

Before discussing EAPS’ proficiency growth, Fletcher established baseline statistics for the board.

According to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau from 2019 to 2023, the median family income in Escanaba is $40,169, compared to $71,149 in the state of Michigan. Fletcher remarked the percentage of EAPS households with children below the poverty line is 16%.

The percentage of economically disadvantaged students in Michigan is 55%, according to MI School Data.

According to Fletcher’s presentation with data sourced from Navigator Analytics, EAPS students’ proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) grew from 45% to 50% from pre-COVID to the last academic year. The percentage for ELA proficiency in EAPS’ peer group, or other schools in Michigan similar to EAPS’ demographics, decreased from 45% to 41%.

“We surpassed pre-COVID levels,” noted Fletcher. We’re doing better today than we were pre-Covid.”

The same goes for math, science and social studies. Each subject saw proficiency increases district-wide, with the largest proficiency increase being in social studies which grew from 24% to 48%. EAPS’ peer group’s proficiency in the subject increased from 28% to 36%, with social studies proficiency in the state increasing from 30% to 40%.

“Overcoming these trends takes a ton of effort,” said Fletcher. “What this demonstrates to you is the value our community places on education, the hard work that our staff is doing with our kids and the hard work that, in turn, our kids are putting into it.”

The school also recently received the class of 2019’s four-year college degree completion rates within a six-year window after high school graduation, which point to high academic achievement in the district’s graduates.

In other business Monday, the board:

– Viewed a presentation by Lemmer Elementary School’s Principal Paulette Wickham showcasing each classroom’s activities throughout the year.

– Discussed updates to the district’s strategic planning agenda through the Schlechty Center, a private, non-profit organization that partners with districts and superintendents. The strategic planning involves setting long-term goals for the district, creating action plans and defining priorities using input from 25-30 people including employees, board members, parents, students and community members. The timeline begins in late February with the larger group convening, and the board will formally adopt goals, missions, values and the strategic plan in late April of this year.

– Approved a bid from Roy Ness Contracting & Sales Inc. in the amount of $432,000 to renovate kitchen service lines in the main kitchen/serving area at the Escanaba Junior/Senior High School. The board also approved a bid from Great Lakes Hotel Supply Company, based in Southfield, Mich., in the amount of roughly $269,000 to install new kitchen service line equipment in that same area.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.