Friday, August 8, 2003
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Friday, August 8, 2003 |
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Coweta IDs 'needs improvement' schools Coweta County Schools received the long-awaited list of test scores for the 2002-03 school year Wednesday. All school listed in the report showed an overall jump in performance. Four Coweta schools were listed as "needs improvement" schools under the Federal No Child Left Behind Act. Elm Street Elementary which was designated as a "needs improvement" school last year posted significant gains in test scores that removed them from the list entirely. Jefferson Parkway Elementary, Newnan Crossing Elementary, Evans Middle School and Smokey Road Middle School were announced as the four "needs improvement" schools for Coweta County. Although the four schools overall actually met or exceeded state standards and posted higher test scores for the 2002-2003 school year, data showed that some subgroups in each grade level did not meet minimal testing criteria under the state standards. Provisions for optional school choice from the two elementary schools will be announced Monday, following verification of state data and designation of alternate school sites if necessary. "The good news is that all four of these schools scored very well in terms of academic performance, and we are very proud of the faculties' hard work," said Superintendent Peggy Connell. "All of our schools and the school system takes very seriously the requirements mandated under No Child Left Behind. It shouldn't be lost on the community that these schools are performing very well overall." Under the No Child Left Behind Act, schools are designated as "needs improvement" if they do not make adequate yearly progress on a number of indicators for two subsequent years. Fourth-grade scores from the state's Criterion Reference Competency Test were used in making this year's determinations. Schools must show overall improvement in students meeting or exceeding minimal requirements on the test, and must have a 95 percent testing participation rates, among other criteria. The criteria are applied to the school's total population and then examined by subgroupings within the schools. An analysis of the data received from the state shows: On this year's "needs improvement" list, all four Coweta County schools met the academic requirements under the state's criteria for the No Child Left Behind act. At Newnan Crossing Elementary School, the state's data showed that the school did not meet the 95 percent minimum participation rate for African-American students which led to a designation of "needs improvement" for the school. At Jefferson Parkway, the state's data showed that the school did not meet the 95 percent minimum participation rate overall, with the largest concentration in the school's special education subgroup. At Smokey Road Middle School, the state's data showed that school did not meet the 95 percent minimum participation rate for special education students, and minimal gains in test scores were not made within the African-American subgroup. At Evans Middle School, the state's data showed that the school did not meet the 95 percent minimum participation rate for special education students were not tested. According to state requirements, Evans Middle and Smokey Road Middle Schools will not be required to offer optional transfers to other county schools. Jefferson Parkway and Newnan Crossing Elementary Schools will need to offer optional transfers to at least two schools not on the needs improvement list, according to regulations under the No Child Left Behind Act. However, schools are currently verifying the data presented by the state, and the school system plans to challenge the data concerning Newnan Crossing and Jefferson Parkway. Whether or not limited school choice will be offered at the two schools, and where the transfer options will be offered, will be announced Monday. The school system is in the process of identifying transfer sites.
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