Even though three local schools and both the Rome and Floyd County systems did not meet progress requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, school officials said the report released Friday is still a positive one.
“I think our system has done exceptionally well,” said Lynn Plunkett, Floyd County Schools superintendent. “Since the implementation of NCLB, 97 percent of the time we have made AYP (adequate yearly progress). For a school system our size and for some of the challenges our students have, that is positive.”
In Rome, neither Main Elementary nor West Central Elementary made AYP. Coosa High School did not meet standards in Floyd County.
“We are already discussing how to improve these things,” said Coosa Principal Sam Sprewell. “It’s the first time since I’ve been here that we didn’t meet a portion of the AYP requirements. We passed all of it last year.”
Sprewell said one of the positive results of working to meet AYP standards has been improving graduation rates at Coosa, which jumped from 67 percent to 73 percent last year.
“While Coosa High School did miss AYP in one subgroup , it would be a misnomer to categorize the school as a failure,” said Jeff McDaniel, executive director of school improvement at Floyd County Schools.
Economically disadvantage students at Coosa failed to meet academic standards.
Administrators at Rome City Schools were surprised West Central Elementary did not meet AYP requirements. Superintendent Gayland Cooper signed a report earlier this month that indicated the school had made it.
“I think the first report that I signed off on had an error,” said Cooper. “This report that the GaDOE released and the first report are not congruent.”
At West Central, the state reported that students with disabilities had trouble with the math portion of the CRCT.
At Main, blacks and economically disadvantaged students failed to meet math standards.
Cooper said students from both elementary schools went to summer school and retook the CRCT. After new retest scores have been incorporated, the current AYP results may be reversed.
“The kids did a good job. They came to summer school and worked hard and they tested out,” said Cooper.
On the system level, there are 100 individual indicators a system must meet to make AYP. Indicators include CRCT and Georgia High School Graduation Test scores and participation, graduation rates and attendance.
Systemwide, Rome students with limited knowledge of English did not meet AYP in mathematics.
In Floyd County, students with disabilities struggled in math on the CRCT and language arts on the graduation test.
Economically disadvantaged students didn’t meet standards on the math and language arts portions of the graduation test.
“Overall, we’re still looking at this as a positive report,” said McDaniel. “You have to miss AYP indicators in the same subject areas for two consecutive years before the school system faces restrictions. We currently have no schools in the needs improvement category.”
He also said absentees have dropped as the system works to meet the standards.
During the past four years, absenteeism has not reached 7 percent. In previous years it was reported at close to 30 percent, he said.
No schools in Rome and Floyd County are on the needs-improvment list, when sanctions, like offering transportation for some students to other schools, are imposed.
Other area school systems that did not meet AYP were Gordon County, Walker County, Chattooga County, Catoosa County, Bartow County and Polk County.
In Gordon County, Calhoun City Schools achieved AYP as a system.
In Polk, eight of 11 schools failed to meet the benchmarks.
Only a few area school systems had all their schools meet AYP. Those were Chickamauga, Trion and Cartersville city schools.
The number of Georgia public schools meeting federal No Child Left Behind requirements plummeted this year after thousands of students failed state math tests.
Data released by the GDOE on Friday show just 69 percent of schools made AYP compared to about 82 percent last year. It’s the lowest AYP rate for Georgia in four years.
State schools Superintendent Kathy Cox said she expected the results because of the state’s tougher math curriculum, more rigorous tests and heightened requirements for high school students.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Floyd County Schools AYP reports
Floyd County School system Alto Park Elementary Armuchee Elementary Armuchee High Armuchee Middle Cave Spring Elementary Coosa High Coosa Middle Garden Lakes Elementary Glenwood Primary Johnson Elementary McHenry Primary Midway Primary Model High Model Elementary Model Middle Pepperell High Pepperell Elementary Pepperell Middle Pepperell Primary
Rome City Schools AYP reports
Rome City School system Anna K. Davie Elementary East Central Elementary Elm Street Elementary Main Elementary North Heights Elementary Rome High Rome Middle Southeast Elementary West Central Elementary West End Elementary
Area school system AYP reports
Rome City Schools - 2 of 10 did not meet AYP Floyd County Schools - 1 of 19 did not meet AYP Gordon County Schools - 2 of 11 did not meet AYP Calhoun City Schools - 1 of 4 did not meet AYP Walker County Schools - 3 of 14 did not meet AYP Chickamauga City Schools - All 3 schools met AYP Chattooga County Schools - 4 of 6 schools did not meet AYP Trion City Schools - All 3 schools met AYP Catoosa County Schools - 6 of 15 did not meet AYP Bartow County Schools - 3 of 19 did not meet AYP Cartersville City Schools - All 4 schools met AYP Polk County Schools - 8 of 11 schools did not meet AYP
