Study finds trailer classrooms impair learning in schools

Buildings in the Columbia Public School District are in pretty good shape, but the learning environments are “impaired” because of crowding and the use of temporary, or trailer, classrooms, according to an educational adequacy study that will be presented to the Columbia School Board tonight.

The board will hear about the study from Jacque Cowherd, the district’s deputy superintendent for administration. The study, conducted last winter and spring, comes from the district’s Long Range Facilities Planning Committee and is part of their larger project to chart the district’s path in the coming decade and beyond.

Cowherd’s report is meant to apprise the board of the committee’s progress; no action will be taken.

“We are just going to give them an overview of what the findings seem to be,” Cowherd said. “This will start to pull things together for them to prepare (board members) for the drafted plan in the future.”

As part of that, the board will hear about the costs of remodeling versus replacing school buildings.

Also at the meeting, Superintendent Phyllis Chase will talk about enrollment and finances. The district’s head count as of Sept. 27 is 17,237 students.

Sally Beth Lyon, director of research, assessment and accountability, will tell the board about the district’s Great Expectations Committee, which is creating a “second-generation” accountability system to measure academic success.

The accountability system will not replace other tests such as the Missouri Assessment Program, she said. Rather, it is meant to be a broader measure of “indicators” such as achievement tests like MAP and attendance.

The board will also consider approval of student transportation routes. The board looks at the routes twice a year.