Throughout the summer, former teachers repeatedly raised concerns about South Summit School District leadership and a program meant to simplify the student assessment process.
Current and former employees have worried about the Performance Matters platform implemented at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
In February, teachers co-wrote a formal, anonymous letter expressing concerns about the initiative, saying it’s not effective for assessing student performance in every subject.
“Teaching is a complex and professional practice, and effective assessment varies by subject area, course, and student population,” they wrote. “A single mandated platform does not reflect this reality and, in our view, undermines professional judgment while limiting instructional flexibility.”
An employee who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation said the program can’t accurately measure student progress. That’s because kids can take the assessments up to three times and get better scores by memorizing answers.
Superintendent Greg Maughan wrote a two-page email response to the letter outlining why the initiative would continue and said leadership would “refine support where needed.”
Maughan told KPCW that Performance Matters is used to create assessments and meant to improve student test scores.
“We know that our students have been underperforming for, you know, over a decade, and so we're making moves to change our trajectory,” Maughan said. “We've always been willing to openly admit that Performance Matters isn't necessarily perfect.”
Teacher Aaron Tillet retired this summer after 24 years with the district. He said Maughan’s email was just one instance of district leadership being “cold and aloof.”
“You can't go talk to anybody there at the district and feel like, you know, number one that they'll even listen to you, and number two then leave wondering do you have a target on your back now,” Tillet said.
He said there’s growing unrest among district staff and teachers. The anonymous employee agreed, saying they were afraid of retribution for speaking up.
Maughan said he never met with Tillet and he can’t think of any examples of retribution or retaliation in the district. He also said employees may be misinterpreting fear for discomfort.
“It's important just to note that when we're increasing expectations and accountability, it can be uncomfortable,” he said. “I expect teachers to know where students are at in their class, you know, relative to their standards. I think parents expect that. I know our school board does.”
The district also added three instructional coaches in 2023 to help educators teach more effectively. Teachers said the coaches haven’t been effective in helping implement Performance Matters.
The board addressed another concern Monday that former teacher Jerry Parker raised against the superintendent.
Parker taught at South Summit High School for over 15 years and left the district in 2016. On multiple occasions, he told the board Maughan was storing his personal belongings — including a boat, car and trailer — in a district 5-bay shed for five years. This use of property, he said, goes against district policy.
A statement shared by Board President Matt Weller Sept. 14 said previous board leadership allowed Maughan to store his property there.
“Based on the review, a majority of the board has concluded that the circumstances do not warrant disciplinary or other corrective action against the superintendent,” Weller said.
Board member Dan Eckert was board president in 2021 when Maughan was first hired and started storing his belongings on district property. Eckert told KPCW he never permitted Maughan to store personal property there.
Maughan refutes the claim; he removed his belongings this summer.
Weller said the district “will review its policy and practices so that future arrangements of this nature are addressed through a clear and more formal process.”
Parker felt leadership’s response to all these concerns was inadequate.
