remarkable turnaround as district superintendent. “We were very intentional about putting the words ‘leading district’ in our vision. Historically, the School District of Superior has been a leader across the state of Wisconsin when it comes to implementing best practices and making significant gains in different areas like our graduation rates.” In a city of 26,423 residents where 45.8% of the district’s 3,900 students qualify as economically disadvantaged, Superior has become Wisconsin’s 23rd largest school district and one of Douglas County’s major employers. Dr. Starzecki emphasizes that success stems from the district’s core mission: “Ensuring a superior experience, empowering every student for life.” The district’s approach centers on measurable outcomes rather than aspirational language. During the 2017-18 school year, where once only one Superior school earned “exceeding” status on Wisconsin’s state report card, at least four schools now consistently achieve this rating. The dramatic shift positions Superior as a case study in systematic educational reform, proving how focused leadership and community engagement can reverse decades of underperformance in public education. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CLOSING GAPS Wisconsin’s educational landscape reveals distinct disparities, with less than half of students meeting proficiency standards in math and reading statewide. Superior’s journey to educational leader illustrates how targeted interventions can transform student outcomes across demographic lines. When Dr. Starzecki arrived seven years ago, the district faced multiple challenges. “We were some of the lowest in the state of Wisconsin, and in the last seven years, we are now at 98% graduation rates, and we’ve sustained that over multiple years,” she explains.“We are now well above the state average when we look at our graduation rates.” The transformation also addressed Wisconsin’s persistent achievement gaps. Dr. Starzecki’s team focused specifically on historically underserved populations. “We’ve looked at increasing our achievement rates by specifically looking at students with disabilities and students living in poverty and students of color, and what are some of the barriers they’re experiencing,” she says. “How do we remove some of those barriers and what are some strategies we need to do to increase engagement?” Attendance became a crucial lever for change. The district’s middle school experienced chronic truancy rates that undermined learning across all student groups. “We’ve dropped significantly at our middle school with chronic truancy, which is obviously an 341 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08 SCHOOL DISTRICT OF SUPERIOR
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