Aberdeen, S.D., School District Makes Grade

Aug. 9–The government has given the Aberdeen school district very good grades for the 2004-05 school year.

The district met No Child Left Behind requirements, which means its students showed at least a 10 percent improvement over 2003-04 in math and reading scores. It also met other federal NCLB requirements, such as attendance and graduation rates.

NCLB data compiled by the state currently shows that Aberdeen made adequate yearly progress in 402 of 406 NCLB subgroup categories. The district expects the record will soon show it fulfilled all 406 because the four areas of non-compliance are mistakes.

For example, the state data says the high school graduation rate of zero percent at the New Beginnings Center in Aberdeen does not meet expectations. However, no seniors take classes at the center, so a graduation rate is irrelevant, Becky Guffin told the school board on Monday night. She is the district’s director of educational services.

New Beginnings, operated by Lutheran Social Services, is a residential treatment facility for youths. The district has a contract to provide education at the center.

The district will appeal the New Beginnings glitch and three other coding errors, with an expectation of ending up in 100 percent compliance.

“This is a such a great way to start the new school year,” Guffin told the school board on Monday night. “This shows we can do this.”

“It’s absolutely phenomenal,” said Superintendent Gary Harms. He praised teachers, parents and students for the accomplishment.

“I am absolutely so proud of our district for this,” said board President Brad Olson.

For 2003-04, the district did not make adequate yearly progress in nine NCLB areas. The more significant downfalls last year were math and reading scores at Holgate and Simmons middle schools and at Central High School. All of these scores were adequate in 2004-05.

These three schools were, in NCLB jargon, “placed on improvement” last year. They will continue to be on improvement for 2004-05 because schools must make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years before being taken off the list.

The Department of Education has embargoed statewide NCLB results until Wednesday, but gave school boards permission to release individual district results on Monday or today.

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