Niagara County Schools Are Closing the Gap ; 39 Are Designated ‘High-Performing’
By Paul Westmoore
What used to be somewhat of a rarity now seems to be more commonplace for many Niagara County schools as they improve annually in student performance.
More and more schools from the county’s 10 public school districts are being designated as “high-performing, gap-closing schools” under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Thirty-nine of those schools were placed on that list this week, based on 2005-06 student performance.
Niagara Falls High School and Niagara Middle School received that designation for the first time.
And for the third straight year, Lockport High School got the honor.
They were among 1,664 schools given that designation Wednesday by State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills. About 3,505 schools were eligible for the recognition, and 48 percent improved enough to receive it, Mills said.
To be eligible, schools must have “a minimum of 30 continuously enrolled students in at least three of four accountability groups: racial-ethnic, low income, limited English proficiency and students with disabilities.
Schools that do not have those demographics are not eligible.
For Niagara Falls High School Principal Mark Laurrie, the designation is special because his school has one of the most diverse student populations in Western New York and has had some difficult problems to overcome.
“Two years ago, we were listed as a school in need of improvement because we did not meet the state’s benchmarks, particularly in regards to special education. . . . We have about 400 special- education students.
“We’ve managed to get them to reach a certain proficiency in English language arts and mathematics, have improved graduation rates and our students have made adequate yearly progress [and have done better each year],” he said. “So, we were taken off the ‘in need of improvement list.’ “
The following Niagara County schools made the list:
*Wilson Central School District: W.H. Stevenson and Thomas Marks elementary schools, and Wilson High School.
*Starpoint Central: Starpoint Intermediate and Starpoint Middle schools.
*Royalton-Hartland Central: Royalton-Hartland Elementary and Royalton-Hartland High schools.
*Niagara-Wheatfield Central: West Street, Errick Road and Colonial Village elementary schools, Edward Town Middle School and Niagara-Wheatfield Senior High School.
*Lewiston-Porter Central: Lewiston-Porter Intermediate Education Center and Lewiston-Porter Middle School.
*Barker Central: Pratt Elementary School and Barker Middle School.
*Newfane Central: Newfane Elementary, Intermediate, Middle and Senior High schools.
*North Tonawanda School District: Drake, Gilmore, Meadow and Spruce elementary schools, and North Tonawanda High School.
*Lockport City School District: Anna Merritt, Dewitt Clinton, John Pound, Roy B. Kelley and Washington Hunt elementary schools, and Lockport High School.
*Niagara Falls School District: 60th, 66th, 79th and Niagara street elementary schools, Geraldine J. Mann Elementary School, Henry J. Kalfas Magnet School, Niagara Middle School and Niagara Falls High School.
e-mail: pwestmoore@buffnews.com
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