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April 28, 2009
U.S. students' skills improving, but racial gap persists
Results of a federal test that has charted student performance in reading and math since the early 1970s were released today. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), sometimes called the Nation’s Report Card, is the only nationally representative, continuing evaluation of the condition of education in the United States. The test is given to 9, 13, and 17-year-olds.
Comparing 2008 test results to 2004 test results, and to the first time the assessment was conducted almost 40 years ago, the National Center for Education Statistics, which oversees the NAEP project, offers these take-aways:
Improvements seen in reading and mathematics. Black students make greater gains from early 1970s than White students. Most racial/ethnic score gaps narrow compared to first assessment. For students whose parents did not finish high school, mathematics scores increase compared to 1978. Percentages of students taking higher-level mathematics increasing.
The national media offers some different interpretations of the same results:
The New York Times: Persistent Racial Gap Seen in Students’ Test Scores
USA Today: U.S. educational skills improve; learning gap stagnates.
The Associated Press: Students show improvement in reading, math.
Education Week: NAEP Scores for 17-Year-Olds Flat Since 1970s.
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February 23, 2009
What's in a name? Feds hoping new moniker will garner support
The New York Times reported yesterday that DC politicians were looking to rename the No Child Left Behind Act. The thinking being a new name will bring a more positive response from Americans.
(As the article reports, wisecracks are plentiful.)
What names would you recommend?
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February 18, 2009
Size of subgroups indicator of NCLB success
We have a story in today’s paper about this study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Kingsbury Center at the Northwest Evaluation Association study of test scores from 18 elementary schools in different states including Texas.
The oversimplified gist of the study was that individual states’ implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act’s provisions vary significantly, and that makes the accountability system confusing to people and creates the illusion of an actual national accountability system. (The Fordham Institute did a similar study in 2007 on the “false impression of success” created by the No Child Left Behind Act.)
But the study also found that a school’s proportion of English-language learning students and special education students matters a lot in Texas under the federal accountability system:
A strong predictor of a school making AYP under Texas’s system is whether it has enough SWDs or LEP students to qualify as a separate subgroup. Every single school with these subgroups failed to make AYP.
That’s every single school among the 18 the study looked at.
Interestingly, the only Austin elementary school that didn’t meet federal standards in 2008 was Norman Elementary School, where African-American students’ struggled in reading.
District administrators told the school board last month that Norman struggled because of, among other things, poorly planned professional development, a lack of common teacher planning time and of classroom instruction monitoring, and few opportunities for parents to get involved at the school.
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October 14, 2008
Ten of 14 Austin high schools fail to meet No Child Left Behind standards
Fewer Texas schools and districts met academic targets established by the No Child Left Behind Act this year than last because of new federal rules requiring special education students to take more difficult standardized tests.
Statewide, a third of Texas’ 1,189 school districts missed federal academic targets, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The Pflugerville school district was the largest of nine Central Texas districts on that list. Last year, one-tenth of school districts statewide missed federal targets.
The Austin school district as a whole met federal standards, but 17 Austin schools failed to do so. Last year, 18 Austin schools failed to meet federal standards, including nine of the district’s then 13 high schools.
Anderson and Bowie were the only Austin high schools to meet federal standards. LBJ High School and the Liberal Arts and Science Academy were not evaluated this year because both are considered new campuses under the federal system.
The federal standards are based on graduation rates for high schools and districts; attendance rates for elementary schools; and participation and passing rates on reading and math state tests, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills standardized test, for grades three to eight and 10.
To meet federal standards this year, schools and districts had to test at least 95 percent of their students. At least 60 percent of the students had to pass the reading test and at least 50 percent had to pass the mathematics exam. High schools and districts had to achieve graduation rates of 70 percent or better for the Class of 2007. Elementary and middle schools were required to achieve at least a 90 percent attendance rate. Schools and districts can also meet federal standards by demonstrating significant improvements in their performances.
The No Child Left Behind Act requires that all students achieve proficiency in reading and math by 2014.
Here’s the list of Austin schools failing to meet “adequate yearly progress” by federal standards:
Austin H S
Johnston H S
Lanier H S
Mccallum H S
Reagan H S
Travis H S
Crockett H S
Garza Independence H S
Akins H S
International H S
Travis County Juvenile Detention
Fulmore M S
Pearce M S
Covington M S
Paredes M S
Norman E S
Click here for the full list of Central Texas results.
Statewide, more schools and districts missed federal standards this year than last, Texas Education Agency officials said, largely because of new federal rules requiring special education students to take more difficult tests than they had in the past.
From TEA:
AUSTIN - Seventy-five percent of Texas schools and 66 percent of school districts met federal Adequate Yearly Progress standards in 2008, the Texas Education Agency reported today.
The federal evaluations are based on:
* graduation rates for high schools and districts;
* attendance rates for elementary schools;
* participation and passing rates on state tests for grades 3-8 and 10.
This year to earn a label called “Meets AYP,” the schools and districts had to test at least 95 percent of their students and at least 60 percent of the students had to pass the reading/English language arts state exam and at least 50 percent had to pass the mathematics exam. High schools or districts had to achieve a graduation rate of 70 percent or better for the Class of 2007. Elementary and middle schools were required to achieve at least a 90 percent attendance rate. Schools and districts can also meet AYP by demonstrating significant performance improvement.
The tests used to determine the federal evaluations are the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), which 90 percent of the students in these grades take, and three new variations of TAKS that are used for students with disabilities.
One new exam called the TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt), which is given to students who have significant cognitive disabilities, was included in the AYP calculations last year. Used in the calculations for the first time this year are TAKS (Accommodated) and TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M).
TAKS (Accommodated) is an on-grade level TAKS that contains some modifications, such as the elimination of field test items. Most students with disabilities who need some testing modifications take TAKS (Accommodated). TAKS-M, which is also an on-grade level test, has additional modifications such as fewer items and fewer answer choices.
“School districts have responded to the new federal requirements by significantly increasing the number of students with disabilities assessed on grade level. However, it will take districts some time to fully address the increasing expectations of these new state assessments for students with disabilities,” said Commissioner of Education Robert Scott.
The new tests caused fewer schools and districts to earn a “Meets AYP” label for 2008. This year, 75 percent or 6,122 schools met AYP, compared to 80 percent or 6,447 campuses in 2007. Sixty-six percent or 816 districts earned a “Meets AYP” evaluation today, compared to 1,069 districts or 87 percent in 2007.
Check back later today, or read tomorrow’s paper, for more information on and analysis of Central Texas schools’ AYP results this year.
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Pflugerville schools, district miss federal targets
The Pflugerville school district and seven Pflugerville secondary schools failed to meet federal standards set by the No Child Left Behind act, district officials announced today.
Connally, Hendrickson and Pflugerville high schools, and Dessau, Park Crest, Pflugerville and Westview middle schools did not make “adequate yearly progress” as set out under federal rules.
Officials said the district as a whole missed standard because of scores from special education students, who were required for the first time in 2008 to take more difficult standardized tests.
Statewide results are expected to be released today. Check homeroom for more details.
Here is a copy of the Pflugerville school district’s release:
Pflugerville ISD Releases Federal Accountability Ratings
Pflugerville ISD today announced District results for which campuses met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind education law, with 18 of 25 campuses meeting the accountability standards.
Under the annual accountability provisions, all public school campuses and school districts are required to meet AYP criteria on up to 29 indicators that measure performance and participation in reading/language arts and mathematics, as determined by state assessments in grades 3-8 and grade 10. In Texas, student performance on the annual Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is used to determine whether a school or district has achieved adequate yearly progress. Graduation rates and attendance rates are also utilized as AYP performance measures.
Kelly Lane Middle School and each of the District’s 17 elementary campuses met AYP. Connally, Hendrickson and Pflugerville high schools, and Dessau, Park Crest, Pflugerville and Westview middle schools missed AYP.
Pflugerville ISD missed AYP for the first time since No Child Left Behind went into effect in 2002. The achievement of the special education student group in reading and math was below the performance standard necessary to meet AYP.
Two new assessments were introduced this year specifically designed for students served by special education: TAKS-Accommodated and TAKS-Modified.
“We are dealing with the challenge of becoming familiar with the new assessments and with the state transitioning to assessing special education students at their enrolled grade level rather than their instructional level, as has been the practice in previous years,” Chief Academic Officer Keith McBurnett said. “You can be certain that we will continue to work within the various accountability systems to which we are held accountable, but we know that our true success rests in our promise to do what is best for each child.”
Under the different federal and state accountability systems, it is possible for a campus or district to be rated poorly in one system and not the other.
“Every school in PISD is rated Academically Acceptable by the state accountability standards. It doesn’t seem to make sense that a campus could be Academically Acceptable, but miss AYP in the same year,” Superintendent of Schools Charles Dupre said. “That is why our Board of Trustees and District leadership team recently met with our elected state representatives to share our concerns about having two incongruent accountability systems.”
“Since adopting a new District brand - Each Child. Their Future. Our World. - in 2007, PISD has aggressively addressed the issue of improved student achievement for all students. Through a continuous improvement approach, the District has designed and implemented an aligned K-12 curriculum, deployed the use of research based instructional strategies District-wide, integrated the use of intervention strategies designed to diagnose and specifically address the unique learning needs of each student.
“We are committed to transforming PISD into a District in which every student is successful,” Dupre said. “Our hard-working teachers, principals and staff have accomplished a great deal in a very short time, but we are all aware of the work that is ahead of us. Together with parents and community partnerships, we will continue to learn and grow as a District.”
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October 8, 2008
Austin schools to withhold federal ratings until state release
The Austin school district has postponed the release of its schools’ ratings under the federal accountability system until the Texas Education Agency straightens out a test processing issue and releases results for the entire state.
Austin district spokeswoman Roxanne Evans said that the district wanted to make sure Austin’s information is correct before releasing it publicly. (Leander announced its federal ratings Tuesday.)
As a story in today’s paper reports, the TEA had planned to release the statewide results today, but announced Tuesday afternoon that they were postponing that release until the afternoon of Oct. 14:
The public release of the preliminary 2008 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results has been delayed until the afternoon of Oct. 14, due to a processing issue with a small number of students tested on the reading and mathematics TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M) tests in grades 4 and 7 only.
The TAKS-M results for these students were accurately reported to districts in May; however, the final student data file provided to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in June did not include these results. The delayed release will ensure that TEA has sufficient time to process updated information from the test contractor that will include the results of all students tested on TAKS-M in spring 2008.
It is anticipated that the AYP status for only a few districts and campuses will be affected.
Due to the revised release schedule, the deadline for submitting an AYP appeal has been extended from Oct. 17 to Oct. 24 for all districts.
Photo courtesy of COCOEN daily photos.
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September 26, 2008
State extends drop-out enrollment deadline because of Ike
The Texas Education Agency has extended the deadline by which schools must re-enroll dropouts or risk having them negatively affect the school’s accountability rating. As we reported Thursday, the deadline was originally Sept. 26.
But in letter dated Thursday, TEA said that they’re extending the deadline to Friday, October 24 statewide because of Hurricane Ike, “to accommodate both the closing of some districts and the enrollment of students displaced as a result of the hurricane into other Texas public schools throughout the state.”
Coincidentally, the extension will also help districts throughout Texas who are trying harder than ever this year to re-enroll dropouts because of a new, more inclusive definition of what exactly a drop-out is.
If Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott, right, had not given school districts a pass this past school year on using the new definition, many districts, including Round Rock, Leander, and Bastrop, would have received unacceptable ratings.
The commissioner has said he won’t give anyone a pass on the dropout rate standard this current school year. So some districts are scouring the streets for dropouts this year, or, as TEA puts it increasing “their community-wide efforts this year to ensure parents and students are aware of the importance of returning to school at the beginning of the year.”
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August 1, 2008
More Texas schools receive top ratings under state accountability system
More schools statewide received top ratings under the state’s school accountability system this year than last, according to preliminary ratings released today.
The annual ratings — exemplary, the highest rating; recognized; academically acceptable; and academically unacceptable — are given to campuses and districts based on student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills as well as graduation and dropout rates. Friday’s results were preliminary; campuses and school districts can appeal the ratings. Final ratings will be release in October.
Statewide, about 46 percent of schools were exemplary or recognized this year, compared with about 37 percent last year. And 2.6 percent of schools were unacceptable this year, compared with 3.4 percent last year. Schools that are repeatedly rated unacceptable are subject to sanctions ranging from hiring private tutors to closure.
The state accountability system is distinct from the federal accountability system established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The federal ratings are expected to be released later this month.
In Austin, 15 campuses were rated exemplary, up from seven last year; 19 Austin schools earned recognized ratings this year, up from 18 last year. This year’s ratings move the district closer to its goal of having more recognized or exemplary campuses by 2010.
UPDATED:
For a searchable statewide database of public and charter school campuses and their ratings, click here.
For a PDF list of Austin schools and their ratings, click here.
However, more Austin schools were rated unacceptable this year than last. Eleven Austin schools were rated unacceptable, including Pearce and Garcia middle schools and Reagan, Crockett and Johnston high schools. Last year, Austin had nine schools that were rated unacceptable.
State Education Commissioner Robert Scott ordered Johnston closed in June after it failed to meet state standards for the fifth year in a row. The Austin school district plans to open a traditional high school with a new, yet-to-be determined name, a new, yet-to-be-determined principal and mostly new staff members on the Johnston campus in the coming school year.
Pearce, which earned an unacceptable rating for the fourth straight year is currently entering the second year of a campus overhaul which included a new principal and many new teachers. Though student performance improved significantly in the past year, Pearce still missed state standards in areas including the percentage of seventh graders passing the writing TAKS and the percentage of eighth graders passing the science TAKS, according to preliminary results.
In the coming school year, the district will funnel more resources to Pearce, including four master teachers who will receive $12,000 stipends on top of their base salary, additional teachers and teacher assistants, more teacher training, and hiring private tutors for Pearce students.
Austin’s LBJ High School was rated acceptable this year, the first year that the comprehensive high school’s performance was judged separately from the performance of the magnet Liberal Arts and Science Academy on the LBJ campus. The magnet school received an exemplary rating this year.
UPDATED:
The Austin school district put out this comparison of 2007 and 2008 school ratings that shows the percentages of schools in each categories, which schools moved up and which moved down.
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June 24, 2008
Student test performance up, according to new national report
Student achievement on math and reading is increasing and the gap in performance, particularly for African American and low income students, has narrowed in most states since the No Child Left Behind Act, enacted in 2002, a report released this morning said.
The report, released by the Center on Education Policy, an independent non-profit Washington D.C.-based research organization, stopped short of crediting the program for the change since many programs have been undertaken to raise achievement and since all public school students have been affected by the act, there is no control group to compare them to.
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