3 Schools Cut Reform Program — America’s Choice Not Worth Cost, Say Officials

The America’s Choice school reform program has been dropped at three DeSoto County schools because test score results failed to justify the cost, school officials said Monday.

The program cost about $435,000 last year, including $210,000 in state funds, and student test scores recently received did not reflect a significant improvement, Dr. Edith Robinson, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, told school board members.

Also, she said state funding was being reduced to $35,000 per school this year , and the school district would have to pick up the additional costs if it continued the program.

“I think it is a good program but for us, we felt we wanted to go in a different direction,” Robinson said.

She said the district will work with a consultant on an approach to improving achievement.

The program, which has a major focus on standards and writing skills, was used last year at Oak Grove Central and Hernando elementary schools and Horn Lake Intermediate School. None of the schools was rated as under-performing under the state’s testing program but they were lower than some other schools.

Oak Grove Central was a level 3 school last year. The state performance ratings range from 1 to 5, with five being the highest.

“America’s Choice is designed to take Level 1 schools and make them level 3 schools,” said Ken Reid, assistant superintendent for business and technology. “We want something that will take level 3 schools and make them level 5s.”

He said the state doesn’t send test results to school districts until July, which gives district’s little planning time in developing approaches.

The DeSoto officials said the state last year recommended use of America’s Choice.

Also on Monday, Supt. Milton Kuykendall said the district has moved close to its goal of reducing teacher turnover below 10 percent. The turnover, from retirements, resignations and other reasons, was 10.1 percent from last year to this year, compared with 13 percent the previous year. The rate has been 15 percent or higher in the past.

The number of teachers who left dropped from 174 last year to 148 this year.

Kuykendall said the latest report is “very good.”

– Jimmie Covington: (901) 333-2010