Riverside Public Schools Is One Of Five To Get Four Stars

Riverside Public Schools gets four stars from the Nebraska Association of School Boards.

Riverside Public Schools has been named one of only five Nebraska school districts to receive an excellent rating under the AQuESTT accountability system. 

According the to Nebraska Department of Education, the previous system, Nebraska Performance Accountability System (NePAS), relied solely on ranking public school and district performance on state assessments and graduation rates.

AQuESTT, which stands for Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow,
also includes elements of accountability, such as performance on state assessments and graduation, school and district accreditation, college and career ready education, and the effective use of data into a system of school improvement and support.

The new accountability system, Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow (AQuESTT) replaces the old ranking system which was in place in previous years.  While the new system relies primarily on test scores, it also takes into account for growth and improvement in test scores, graduation rates, and the implementation of a district’s programs and practices to boost student achievement.  Scores from all 4 NeSA assessments are combined and averaged to determine the primary rating.  Last spring’s NeSA results revealed that Riverside had 95% of their students proficient in Reading, with many of those students scoring in the top quartile. 

Superintendent Joan Carraher said, "This is indeed a great accomplishment for our staff and students, but it doesn’t come by chance."

Riverside has implemented Reading Mastery (RM) at both elementary sites as well as providing research-based interventions to support struggling readers.  All staff teaching RM have received rigorous training and receive ongoing coaching by the district’s reading coach and RM consultant. 

All Riverside staff is also receiving professional development on research-based teaching practices to ensure student achievement and success. 

Last year, the primary goal was improving student engagement in the classroom, so many strategies are being incorporated in their instruction.  Teachers participate in Learning Walks (visits and observations of other classrooms) to provide support for one another. 

Auburn, Bennington, Elkhorn and Potter-Dix were the other four school districts in the state to receive top recognition.