State Standards of Excellence Met

By George Diepenbrock, Journal-World, Lawrence, Kan.

Oct. 9–Several Lawrence schools achieved excellence last year in the state’s eyes.

“This, I think, is as a state what we have decided is excellence, and it is recognizing our schools as having attained that, irregardless of what has been layered upon it from Washington with this No Child Left Behind,” said Scott Morgan, a Lawrence school board member.

In reading and math, 11 elementary schools and both high schools earned Standard of Excellence awards on the spring state assessment tests overall in both reading and math. Southwest Junior High and the Lawrence Virtual School earned awards overall in reading.

All of those schools also achieved awards in certain grade levels. West Junior High School and three other elementary schools also won excellence awards at certain grade levels. Board members heard the report during Monday’s meeting.

To achieve the awards, schools mainly must have a certain percentage of students achieve exemplary scores and have a limited percentage of students on academic warning. The percentages vary based on grade levels; third- through eighth-graders and 11th-grade students were tested.

In addition to other requirements, a school must meet its overall Adequate Yearly Progress testing targets, set forth by the federal No Child Left Behind law.

“It goes hand-in-hand. The kids are producing work that our teachers are guiding them through,” said Elias Espinoza, principal at Wakarusa Valley School.

Administrators also said the excellence awards would give a boost to their teachers, students and parents.

“We’re working really hard to continue that (reading success) and to help them become strong readers within the various content areas,” said Trish Bransky, principal at Southwest Junior High School.

The Kansas State Board of Education is scheduled to release the preliminary 2006-2007 state report card this week.

In Lawrence, the elementary schools and Free State High School met AYP standards, but all four junior high schools and Lawrence High School did not meet the target in at least one area or subgroup of students.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Journal-World, Lawrence, Kan.

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