Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
MISD has no plans to appeal federal accountability ratings
The school did not meet the standard because it did not meet the 95 percent attendance threshold.
By Ruth Campbell
Staff Writer
Midland ISD has no plans to appeal ratings its three senior high schools received in national accountability standings released earlier this week.
Adequate Yearly Progress is the federal accountability standard under the No Child Left Behind Act. MISD met federal ratings overall for 2008, but Ector County ISD in Odessa did not.
ECISD Communications Director Mike Adkins said his district only will appeal the “does not meet AYP” rating for Burnet Elementary School. The school did not meet the standard because it had three children absent that day and did not meet the 95 percent attendance threshold.
MISD Communications Director Woodrow Bailey said the district will not appeal missed AYP ratings for Midland, Lee and Coleman high schools.
Two additional subgroups — special education and limited English proficient students — were brought into the mix this year. Preliminary evaluation of TAKS scores predicted what the federal results might be, he said, and initiatives are already in place to provide additional support to those students.
Federal evaluations are based on graduation rates for high schools and districts, attendance rates for elementary schools, and participation and passing rates on state tests for grades three through eight and 10th grade, a Texas Education Agency news release said.
To earn the “meets AYP” rating this year, schools and districts had to test at least 95 percent of students, at least 60 percent had to pass the reading/English language arts state exam and at least 50 percent had to pass the math test.
High schools or districts had to achieve a graduation rate of 70 percent or better for the Class of 2007.
Elementary and middle schools were required to achieve at least a 90 percent attendance rate.
Schools and districts also can meet AYP by demonstrating significant performance improvement, the release said. TEA Spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said the number of districts missing AYP this year was up mainly because of a federal requirement that special education students be tested at grade level. The TAKS alternative and TAKS modified exams also were used for the first time this year.
Bailey said limited-English-proficient students also were added this year. He noted that upwards of 20 students at each high school were in their first year in the United States this year. He said there is support for those students, but it may not have time to take hold before tests are administered.
“Every time the standards are raised, you have to account for some type of dip. That’s just the nature of accountability,” Bailey said, adding that a “large number” of high schools did not meet AYP this year.
Bailey said district officials believe students will respond to new initiatives such as Everyday Math, Connect Mathematics and College Preparatory Mathematics. “It’s not the end of the world,” he said.
Elaine Quesinberry, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, said NCLB standards in each state are not uniform. Everyone gets to accountability in different ways. The law was supposed to be reauthorized in 2007, but Congress did not act, so it will likely have to wait until after the Nov. 4 election.
Nationwide, she said, the percentage of schools making AYP has remained steady at 70 percent since the law was enacted. This year, some schools have reported decreases in those meeting the standard, and others increases.
“Each state has its own accountability plan that they worked with the U.S. Department of Education on to get approval. In the beginning, each state laid out their plan for how AYP is measured and how they would move toward the goal of everyone being proficient (in reading and math) by 2014,” Quesinberry said.
“Because all the plans are so individual to each state, it depends on how the state’s plan is set up. It varies across the board,” she said
Ruth Campbell may be reached at ruth@mrt.com
Around the area
Andrews, Greenwood, Grady, MISD, Stanton, Premier High School and Midland Academy Charter School met AYP.
Big Spring and Ector County ISD missed AYP. Richard Milburn Academy missed the standard based on math performance and graduation rate, the Texas Education Agency Web site said.
On the net:
www.tea.state.tx.us
Adequate Yearly Progress is the federal accountability standard under the No Child Left Behind Act. MISD met federal ratings overall for 2008, but Ector County ISD in Odessa did not.
ECISD Communications Director Mike Adkins said his district only will appeal the “does not meet AYP” rating for Burnet Elementary School. The school did not meet the standard because it had three children absent that day and did not meet the 95 percent attendance threshold.
MISD Communications Director Woodrow Bailey said the district will not appeal missed AYP ratings for Midland, Lee and Coleman high schools.
Two additional subgroups — special education and limited English proficient students — were brought into the mix this year. Preliminary evaluation of TAKS scores predicted what the federal results might be, he said, and initiatives are already in place to provide additional support to those students.
Federal evaluations are based on graduation rates for high schools and districts, attendance rates for elementary schools, and participation and passing rates on state tests for grades three through eight and 10th grade, a Texas Education Agency news release said.
To earn the “meets AYP” rating this year, schools and districts had to test at least 95 percent of students, at least 60 percent had to pass the reading/English language arts state exam and at least 50 percent had to pass the math test.
High schools or districts had to achieve a graduation rate of 70 percent or better for the Class of 2007.
Elementary and middle schools were required to achieve at least a 90 percent attendance rate.
Schools and districts also can meet AYP by demonstrating significant performance improvement, the release said. TEA Spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said the number of districts missing AYP this year was up mainly because of a federal requirement that special education students be tested at grade level. The TAKS alternative and TAKS modified exams also were used for the first time this year.
Bailey said limited-English-proficient students also were added this year. He noted that upwards of 20 students at each high school were in their first year in the United States this year. He said there is support for those students, but it may not have time to take hold before tests are administered.
“Every time the standards are raised, you have to account for some type of dip. That’s just the nature of accountability,” Bailey said, adding that a “large number” of high schools did not meet AYP this year.
Bailey said district officials believe students will respond to new initiatives such as Everyday Math, Connect Mathematics and College Preparatory Mathematics. “It’s not the end of the world,” he said.
Elaine Quesinberry, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, said NCLB standards in each state are not uniform. Everyone gets to accountability in different ways. The law was supposed to be reauthorized in 2007, but Congress did not act, so it will likely have to wait until after the Nov. 4 election.
Nationwide, she said, the percentage of schools making AYP has remained steady at 70 percent since the law was enacted. This year, some schools have reported decreases in those meeting the standard, and others increases.
“Each state has its own accountability plan that they worked with the U.S. Department of Education on to get approval. In the beginning, each state laid out their plan for how AYP is measured and how they would move toward the goal of everyone being proficient (in reading and math) by 2014,” Quesinberry said.
“Because all the plans are so individual to each state, it depends on how the state’s plan is set up. It varies across the board,” she said
Ruth Campbell may be reached at ruth@mrt.com
Around the area
Andrews, Greenwood, Grady, MISD, Stanton, Premier High School and Midland Academy Charter School met AYP.
Big Spring and Ector County ISD missed AYP. Richard Milburn Academy missed the standard based on math performance and graduation rate, the Texas Education Agency Web site said.
On the net:
www.tea.state.tx.us
 |
 |
|
| Christmas for our Troops aims to send 1,000 boxes | First time in 14 months ... Oil closes below $75 as OPEC cuts demand forecast (updated 4 p.m.) |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of mywesttexas.com.
the-eurasianearthlink.net wrote on Oct 16, 2008 12:07 PM:
" If my memory is correct, on the 3:40 pm October 15 copy, there were 6 comments on this same title. Now the 6 comments were removed and 4 copies of this same title are displayed namely 1 in the morning of 10/15 1 at 3:40 pm 10/15 1 at 10 pm 10/15 and 1 at 10/16 .
So, not only do these government officials issue press releases without once all these years even responding to commenters NOR PERHAPS EVEN READING THESE RESPONSES OF PEOPLE TO THEIR PRESS RELEASES but even the comments of people are being removed?deleted while the reporters make several publications at different hours of the same news in triplicate and quadruple???? "
So, not only do these government officials issue press releases without once all these years even responding to commenters NOR PERHAPS EVEN READING THESE RESPONSES OF PEOPLE TO THEIR PRESS RELEASES but even the comments of people are being removed?deleted while the reporters make several publications at different hours of the same news in triplicate and quadruple???? "
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, however we reserve the right to delete any post we see that may be considered slanderous, excessive and/or foul language, or any post that we may deem inappropriate.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
News
Sports
Business
Entertain
Life
the-eurasianearthlink.net wrote on Oct 16, 2008 7:28 AM: