Nearly Half of Schools in Davidson Meet AYP

By Travis Talent, High Point Enterprise, N.C.

Jul. 24–DAVIDSON COUNTY — Preliminary figures released this week from Davidson County Schools indicate 45.2 percent of schools in that system made Adequate Yearly Progress. The data represents math targets for third through eighth grades and reading targets for all high schools.

In all, 14 of the 31 schools in the system met AYP, down one school from 2006-07. Ten of the 17 schools not meeting AYP missed fewer than two targets. Missing just one target counts as a failure for that school.

Adequate Yearly Progress is a statewide accountability system mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. It requires each state to ensure that all schools and districts make AYP, using standardized test scores as a measuring stick. Schools that consistently fail to make AYP could face mandates to improve student performance.

Including the Early College, 12 elementary schools made AYP, as did one middle school, South Davidson. Wallburg Elementary, Central Davidson Middle, Ledford Middle, North Davidson Middle, South Davidson High and Extended Day all missed by only one target. Hasty Elementary, Tyro Middle, Ledford High and West Davidson High all missed by only two.

“The all-or-nothing aspect is very challenging, not only in our school system, but for every one in the state,” said Sandi Lee, assistant superintendent for the school system.

To compound matters, proficiency targets were raised this year. Math targets alone for grades three through eight were increased nearly 13 percent.

Earlier this week, both Guilford and Randolph county school systems reported drops in AYP.

Lee said a silver lining of the results, which she stressed will not be complete until reading scores come in for elementary and middle schools this fall, is that the system did meet 90 percent of federal goals under the No Child Left Behind Act.

“We are happy about that, but of course with AYP, we are concerned with those scores. We have a lot of challenges,” she said.

In Thomasville City Schools, the challenges may be even more difficult. According to administrators, none of the three schools in that system met AYP. The status for the system’s fourth school, Thomasville Primary, is not yet available as that is a special evaluation school.

“I will say that our goal is to continue to work hard to meet AYP at each of our schools. Meeting AYP expectations is obviously a goal for each of our schools and we will continue to work hard to see that that happens,” said Superintendent Keith Tobin.

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Copyright (c) 2008, High Point Enterprise, N.C.

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