Schools in many area districts showed improvement in state school district accountability scores released today, though some districts did not meet growth standards set by the state.
While Columbus has improved overall, and the district did not met the growth standard set by the state Department of Education.
Overall, many state schools still lag behind when compared to the rest of their counterparts nationwide.
“While we certainly would have liked to announce more significant gains, we continue to make sustained incremental progress,” said state Superintendent of Education Tom Burnham.
Under the state’s accountability system, 51 percent of the 152 school districts are successful, high-performing or considered a star district, the highest possible rating. Last year, that figure was 40 percent.
The rest of the school districts are on academic watch or labeled low-performing, at risk of failing or failing.
The seven-level system goes from a star rating for the top schools in the country, down to high performing, successful, academic watch, low performing, at risk of failing, and failing.
Of the state’s individual schools, 58 percent are successful or above. That’s up from 49 percent in 2009.
The system is based on achievement rates on assessment tests, student growth and graduation rates. It also measures districts and individual schools against the rest of the nation.
This is the second year the state has used the model. Previously, Mississippi schools and districts were measured against in-state achievement.
There are only three star school districts in the state, one more than last year. There are 53 star schools, up from 34.
Area schools
The Columbus Municipal School Distract overall received an academic watch rating, which is two ratings above last year’s at risk of failing status.
Some school districts, like Columbus, aren’t performing to a level the education department deems acceptable, and schools that are rated as failing must go through an evaluation process with the state.
The Lowndes County School District improved in almost every area, meeting growth standards and rating as successful this year, up one spot from the academic watch in 2009. The district is also home to the area’s first star school, Caledonia Elementary.
“They were extremely close in years past and this year they made a 200 on the dot, which is what we had to score,” said Superintendent Mike Halford of Caledonia Elementary.
“By and large we’re pleased because we did show growth. Are scores where we would like to be? No. They’re not anywhere close to where we want to be. But we’re slowly moving toward that.”
The LCSD showed growth at all but three schools and have three on academic watch. Only one school, New Hope High School, slipped in the rankings, moving from successful to academic watch.
“We haven’t determined why the Quality Distribution Index dropped (at NHHS). Simply because a student passes a subject area test doesn’t mean they scored proficient. We have to be proficient or advanced to meet the higher levels,” said Halford.
Caledonia High and New Hope Middle schools have maintained their successful rating, and West Lowndes High will stay on academic watch. West Lowndes Middle is also on academic watch, but has gone up two levels from 2009’s at risk of failing status. West Lowndes Elementary was also at risk of failing in 2009, but is now deemed successful. New Hope Elementary and Caledonia Middle are also successful, up from last year’s Academic Watch ratings.
Among individual schools in Columbus, Cook, Fairview, Franklin, Sale and Stokes Beard elementary schools have all been rated successful. Franklin and Sale both moved up from 2009’s Academic Watch ratings, and Stokes Beard, which was at risk of failing last year, was the most improved. Sale and Stokes Beard both implemented extended school-year schedules last year.
Both Hunt Intermediate and Columbus High schools were ranked at risk of failing, and Lee Middle School was ranked academic watch, which is the same as those three were ranked last year.
“We are excited to see gains in student achievement at all of our schools. We are proud of the dedication of our teachers, principals, and staff for their work to improve the quality of education for every child. Our dedicated teachers and administrators in the Columbus School District are diligently continuing the implementation of the state curriculum to prepare our students for success,” said Superintendent Dr. Del Phillips.
Oktibbeha County schools are all below acceptable levels, with only West Oktibbeha County Elementary School meeting growth standards this year. The school is ranked academic watch. Both West Oktibbeha County High School and East Oktibbeha County Elementary School are at risk of failing, and East Oktibbeha County High is failing. Those schools will have to go through the state evaluation process. The district itself is listed as at risk of failing.
Oktibbeha County Superintendent of Education James Covington noted the district, overall, has made improvements since last year when two schools were labeled failing.
Covington noted East Oktibbeha Elementary increased its quality of distribution index by 10 points this year.
“At West Elementary, we increased QDI by 40 points, and that school was failing last year. West High was failing, and they have increased by 19 points,” he said.
East Oktibbeha High’s QDI decreased by 19 points.
“This year it is a failing school, but as a district the district’s QDI increased about 7 points,” Covington added. “We’re still at risk of failing, but we are moving in a positive direction.”
Covington plans to focus on East Oktibbeha High while making improvement efforts across the board.
“We’ve identified the weaknesses at all schools, and we’re going to have professional development at all schools, which will include coaching and mentoring,” he said.
Of state oversight in the school district, he added, “We welcome whoever that’s going to come in and help us to better. The better we do as educators, as professionals, students will benefit.”
Starkville and West Point are both on academic watch and have not met growth standards. Clay County School District, however, has been given a rating of successful, as it was last year.
Starkville schools are doing better than their county counterparts. The district ranked academic watch for the second year in a row despite two schools moving up in rank and two others holding steady at Successful. Ward-Stewart Elementary improved two spots from at risk of failing in 2008-2009 to successful in 2009-2010.
“We missed growth by .03 of a point district wide. That kept us from moving up,” said Superintendent Judy Couey. “Close doesn’t count.”
She pointed out the graduation rate used in calculating growth, listed for Starkville Schools at 60 percent, is actually data from the five-year cohort group beginning with the freshman class of 2003-2004. Couey’s administration had not begun at that point and results reflecting her time as superintendent will not factor in the district’s High School Completion Index until next year.
Couey expressed pride in Ward-Stewart and Armstrong Middle School for improving to successful and academic watch, respectively, after scoring at risk of failing on last year’s MCT. She said teachers and administrators at Ward-Stewart jumped two spots by utilizing existing data for each student to focus instruction.
Starkville High School and Henderson Intermediate School both ranked successful.
While West Point Schools received an overall at risk of failing ranking last year, the district’s South Side Elementary School is ranked successful, and Central School, Fifth Street and West Point High have all improved. The district as a whole is under academic watch.
“All of our buildings went up in the quality distribution index,” West Point School District Superintendent Steve Montgomery said. “We are pleased that all of
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