[Southsider2k12]

The scary thing is that we have yet to see the effects of the new massive class sizes on this scores and graduation rates. Wait until you see what happens to these scores over the next few years. It won't be pretty.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/1...68353067505.txt

Some schools still struggle with AYP


By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 5:26 PM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — Michigan City Area Schools made Adequate Yearly Progress as a whole for 2010, according to federal No Child Left Behind requirements, but half of its schools did not.

“We will find out more on Nov. 23 how we did compared to other districts, but overall I feel that we are making progress on the work we have to do,” said Jan Radford, director of K-12 curriculum. “We’re still far from the goal.”

At Tuesday’s school board meeting, Radford presented the preliminary AYP determinations with the state’s Public Law 221 categories for each school. They are based on average ISTEP math and English/language arts scores from the spring and on improvement from the previous year. AYP also can be met when the number of students not meeting those performance targets is reduced by 10 percent. In addition, schools must meet attendance and graduation targets for all groups of students.

Even though Krueger Middle School and Michigan City High School were put on academic probation again after having made AYP last year, the district had a few small victories to celebrate.

*
For example, Barker Middle School, along with Coolspring, Lake Hills, Pine and Springfield elementaries, all made “exemplary progress.” Five other schools with respectable amounts of improvement in their overall test scores satisfied requirements by making “academic progress.”

However, because Krueger and MCHS received the lowest designation of school improvement, the district will have to hold public hearings on the schools’ lack of improvement and implement improvement plans, Radford said.

“We think that they will probably fall into Year 3 or 4 of PL221 probation,” she said. “That means the state board will likely assign a team to help out and provide recommendations on changes that are needed.”

Under state rules, it wouldn’t be until Year 5 of academic probation that the state could recommend mergers with higher-performing schools or attempt to take over the schools. MCHS had the worst performance scores of all district schools, actually slipping 6 percent overall from last year. Barely more than half of high-schoolers passed ISTEP tests.

At the three Title I schools that failed to make AYP — Marsh, Knapp and Niemann — staff will be required to continue supplemental education services, revise the schools’ improvement plans and provide literacy coaches. Parents must be given the option to transfer their students to another school in the district. Marsh School also must implement at least one of the following corrective actions: replace the principal or appoint an outside mentor, replace relevant staff, hire an English language learner specialist or sufficiently extend the school day or year.

Former Superintendent Michael Harding authorized a staff change at Knapp School in 2008 due to its poor state and federal ratings. Knapp and Niemann are closer to meeting AYP goals now, Radford said, as only targeted subgroups of children are not making progress.

Springfield Elementary students on average performed well and made excellent improvement, Radford said, but didn’t make AYP because special education students’ English/language arts scores did not improve as much as needed.

Public Law 221 Categories

This is the school improvement law for Indiana based on “continuous improvement.”

There are five categories, listed from high to low:

• Exemplary Progress.

• Commendable Progress.

• Academic Progress.

• Academic Watch.

• Academic Probation.

[HIaloha]

The scary thing is that we have yet to see the effects of the new massive class sizes on this scores and graduation rates. Wait until you see what happens to these scores over the next few years. It won't be pretty.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/1...68353067505.txt

almost 1/2 of high school students did not pass ISTEP?? this is sad.