11 WCPSS Schools Earn State Recognition as Schools of Excellence
November 1, 2006 - The Wake County Public School System had 59 schools recognized as Schools of Excellence or Schools of Distinction, according to the preliminary results of the 2005-06 state ABCs of Public Education released today.The WCPSS results were remarkable in light of changes made by the state that improved the accountability system setting standards higher for both growth and performance and causing a significant drop in the number of schools across the state earning recognition.
"We support challenging students and raising standards," said Superintendent Del Burns. "Our teachers will work to help students meet the new standards established by the state while preparing all of our students for the challenges we face in a global economy."
Parents will be receiving a letter from their school explaining the changing standards, and later, a letter from the school system describing their students performance on state testing.
Schools of Excellence
Ten WCPSS schools were recognized as Honor Schools of Excellence. The ten
schools included Baucom, Brassfield, Cedar Fork, Davis Drive, Green Hope,
Highcroft and Oak Grove elementary schools; Davis Drive and Salem middle
schools; and Green Hope High School.
In order to achieve Honor School of Excellence standards, the ten schools had ABCs performance composite scores above 90 percent; made Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal No Child Left Behind Act and met their state-specified expected growth standards.
Morrisville Elementary was recognized as a School of Excellence. In order to achieve School of Excellence standards, Morrisville had ABCs performance composite scores above 90 percent and met their state-specified expected growth standards.
WCPSS had 11 of the 69 schools in the state recognized as Honor Schools of Excellence or Schools of Excellence.
WCPSS Principals on School Success
Cedar Fork Principal Kathy Marynak said the school's success was the result
of a tremendous amount of hard work from staff.
"Grade level teams have worked together so well," said Marynak. "They have analyzed common student assessments and then focused on how to help students who need extra support. They have also worked hard to create challenging lessons for all students, including as many Level 4 opportunities as possible. This takes so much work on the part of the teachers, and I am so proud of them."
Brassfield Principal Pamela Kinsey-Barker said there is strong commitment both at home and at school in support of learning.
"The students arrive at school ready to learn, and our teachers work hard every day to follow the NC Standard Course of Study," said Kinsey-Barker. "Last year K-5 followed the WCPSS scope and sequence recommended in math with the Trailblazers adoption and used WCPSS literacy assessments and profile cards to monitor their students in reading."
Baucom Principal Ve-Lecia Council said the school has been successful because teachers stayed focused on teaching and learning for all students.
"Baucom has a faculty and staff that are dedicated and determined to meet the needs of each individual student," said Council. "We are fortunate to have parents that are supportive and involved in their child's academics. We are also thankful to have a community that has embraced and supported us in enriching our students' lives academically, socially, and emotionally so they may be able to function successfully in a global society."
Schools of Distinction
WCPSS had 48 Schools of Distinction. These schools had at least 80 percent
of their students perform at or above grade level and met expected or high
growth.
The elementary schools honored as Schools of Distinction include Adams, Apex, Cary, Combs, Dillard Drive, Farmington Woods, Fuller, Hilburn Drive, Holly Springs, Hunter, Lacy, Lead Mine, Leesville Road, Lockhart, North Ridge, Olds, Olive Chapel, Penny Road, Pleasant Union, Rand Road, Root, Salem, Stough, Timber Drive, Turner Creek, Wake Forest, Wakefield, Washington, Weatherstone, West Lake and Willow Springs.
The middle schools honored were Apex, Dillard Drive, Durant Road, Heritage, Leesville Road, Ligon, Lufkin Road, Martin, Wakefield, West Cary and West Lake.
The high schools honored were Apex, Athens Drive, Broughton, Cary, Leesville, and Wakefield.
Schools of Progress
Wake County had 48 schools recognized as Schools of Progress. These schools
had between 60 and 80 percent of their students scoring at or above grade
level and met expected or high growth.
The elementary schools recognized include Baileywick, Ballentine, Briarcliff, Brooks, Carver, Conn, Creech Road, Douglas, Forestville Road, Fox Road, Fuquay-Varina, Green, Heritage, Hodge Road, Holly Ridge, Joyner, Knightdale, Lincoln Heights, Lynn Road, Partnership, Reedy Creek, Underwood, Vandora Springs, Wakelon, Wildwood Forest, Wiley, Yates Mill, York and Zebulon.
The middle schools recognized include Carnage, Centennial Campus, Daniels, East Garner, East Millbrook, East Wake, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Ridge, North Garner, Reedy Creek, Wake Forest-Rolesville, West Millbrook and Zebulon.
The high schools recognized include East Wake School of Health Sciences, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Millbrook, Sanderson and Wake Forest-Rolesville.
New in 2006
The state made many changes to the ABCs accountability model in 2006. The
changes included:
· new formulas for calculating growth;
· new math End-of-Grade assessments that align to the latest curriculum
revisions; and
· addition of writing assessments results for 4th-, 7th and 10th
grade in the performance composite.
In the Spring of 2006, students in elementary and middle schools across the state took a new End-of-Grade math test for the first time. This new math test was designed by the state so that it would be much harder to pass than the old test, which had been used since 2001. On the old math test, about 90 percent of students statewide got at least a Level III score, which is the state's definition of "passing". In order to push students and schools to do better, the state decided to set the statewide passing rate on this new test at about 65 percent.
The results of this are that (a) the release of the scores had to be delayed, and (b) that students statewide did not do nearly as well on this new math test as they had been used to doing on the old one. The lower passing rate on this new test also means that many elementary and middle schools which had met the state's "Adequate Yearly Progress" (or "AYP") standard in past years will not do so in 2006.
Results reported by the state show that students in Wake County did better on this new math test than students in other parts of the state. The passing rate on this new test in Wake County was about 74 percent, which is anticipated to be 9-10 percentage points higher than the statewide passing rate.
73.4 percent of WCPSS students scored grade level or higher on the math End-of-Grade testing. 90.7 percent of Asian students, 87.9 percent of white students, 73.4 percent of multi-racial students, 68.9 percent of American Indian students, 54.6 percent of Hispanic students and 48.4 percent of black students scored grade level or higher on the math EOG.
Meeting Growth Standards
Under the more stringent standards implemented for the first time in 2005-06,
WCPSS had 32 schools achieving high growth.
The elementary schools achieving high growth include Apex, Baucom, Brassfield, Cedar Fork Davis Drive, Highcroft, Lacy, Lynn Road, Partnership, Salem, Stough, Wildwood Forest, Willow Springs and York.
The middle schools achieving high growth include Apex, Davis Drive, Dillard Drive, Durant Road, Heritage, Leesville Road, Lufkin Road, Reedy Creek, River Oaks, Salem, Wakefield, West Cary and West Lake
The high schools achieving high growth include Apex, Athens Drive, Fuquay-Varina, Green Hope and Wake Forest-Rolesville.
110 of the 138 WCPSS schools achieved high or expected growth for 2005-06. In the previous year, 112 WCPSS schools achieved at least expected growth, and 57 of those also achieved high growth.
WCPSS Compared with North Carolina Schools
80 percent of WCPSS schools achieved at least expected growth with 23 percent
achieving high growth and 57 percent making expected growth. 54 percent
of all North Carolina schools achieved at least expected growth with 11
percent achieving high growth and 43 percent making expected growth.
54 percent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools achieved at least expected growth with 11 percent achieving high growth and 43 percent making expected growth. 50 percent of Durham schools achieved at least expected growth with none achieving high growth and 50 percent making expected growth. 45 percent of Guilford schools achieved at least expected growth with 9 percent achieving high growth and 36 percent making expected growth. 30 percent of Forsyth schools achieved at least expected growth with 7 percent achieving high growth and 23 percent making expected growth.
Meeting Annual Yearly Progress Standards
The two WCPSS schools in school improvement last year, Hodge Road and Lynn
Road elementary schools, both met all of their AYP targets for 2005-06.
By meeting their AYP targets for two consecutive years, Lynn Road is no
longer identified for school improvement. Hodge Road needs to make AYP again
next year to exit school improvement.
One additional WCPSS Title I school - Powell Elementary - has been identified for school improvement based on the 2005-06 AYP results. If a Title I school does not make AYP for two years in a row in the same subject, the school enters school improvement status. At that point the school must offer all students the option to transfer to another school.
The AYP passing rate targets apply to defined student subgroups. In order to qualify as a subgroup, there must be at least 40 students identified under one of nine separate categories: White, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Multiracial, Limited English Proficiency, Economically Disadvantaged and Students with Disabilities. The school itself must also meet the target as a whole in order to meet the goal.
Of the 138 schools scored under NCLB in 2005-06, 65 achieved the goal of 100 percent across multiple student group targets, and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction is resolving issues at one other school. An additional 40 schools missed only one or two targets. In 2004-05, of the 132 schools scored under the legislation, 83 achieved the goal of 100 percent, with another 27 schools missing only one or two targets. The lower number of schools in WCPSS making AYP in 2005-06 is due in part to the more difficult math test that was implemented last year in elementary and middle schools.
The ABCs of Public Education
The ABCs of Public Education is the state accountability program designed
to improve student achievement, reward excellence, and provide assistance
to schools that need extra help. This is the tenth year the state has reported
on schools with grades 3-8 and the ninth year for high schools.
The ABCs program focuses primarily on average growth shown by groups of students on state End-of-Grade testing in reading and mathematics and End-of-Course testing for high schools across eight different subjects. In elementary and middle schools, test results for students at the end of one year are compared to those same students' scores at the end of the prior year. In high schools, students' End-of-Course test results are compared to those same students' prior scores on selected End-of-Grade or other End-of-Course tests. In both cases, the growth results for schools are based on the extent to which students meet their individual growth projections on those tests. Changes to the growth model being implemented for the first time this year has resulted in fewer schools statewide meeting the high growth standard than in previous years.
Since 1996-97, schools achieving high growth receive incentive bonuses equivalent to $1,500 per certified teacher and $500 per teacher assistant. Bonuses for schools meeting expected growth are equivalent to $750 per certified teacher and $375 per teacher assistant.
No Child Left Behind, the federal education law, requires an additional measure of school quality called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). AYP, which is included in the 2005 ABCs Accountability Report, focuses on subgroups of students with a goal of closing achievement gaps. It does not affect incentive awards for 2005-06.
You may find school-by-school ABCs results at http://www.wcpss.net/test-scores/nc-abcs/. You may find school-by-school AYP results at http://www.wcpss.net/test-scores/ayp/. WCPSS will perform a detailed analysis of these data over the coming weeks.
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