The Education Department’s annual No Child Left Behind report card shows that some schools across the territory, mostly elementaries, are showing gains in student profiency rates, but officials say that some challenges remain – particularly on the high school level.
According to the results, 17 schools across the territory made their projected Adequate Yearly Progress benchmarks. Those results are based on data compiled from annual V.I. Territorial Assessment of Learning scores, which measure student proficiency in reading and math.
Student scores, along with participation rates and graduation rates for high schools, determine whether each school made its AYP benchmark, according to a release from the Education Department.
According to the report card, participation rate targets for students in third grade through eighth grade is 95 percent, while the reading target is 53.3 percent.
The participation rate target is the same for 11th-graders, while the reading target is 55.6 percent.
The proficiency rate target in math for for students in third grade through eighth grade is 53.8 percent, while the target for 11th-graders is 52 percent.
Attendance was not used as a factor in determining AYP benchmarks this year, according to Education, as the department "experienced some challenges" moving to a new PowerSchool data base system.
The report card shows how various subgroups – categories include black and Hispanic students, along with students with limited English proficiency and students with disabilities – performed against the benchmarks and, across the board, all met the targets for participation.
And while overall proficiency rates in many of the 11th-grade subgroups do not meet the proficiency targets in reading and math, there are categories – particularly students with limited English proficiency – where there are increases.
Students in third grade through eighth grade performed better, with the overall population of students tested meeting math proficiency levels, but performing under the targets set for reading.
For 2012-13, Leonard Dober Elementary, Joseph Sibilly Elementary, Lockhart Elementary, Ulla F. Muller Elementary, Jane E. Tuitt Elementary, Gladys Abraham Elementary, E. Benjamin Oliver Elementary and Charlotte Amalie High School on St. Thomas made their AYP benchmarks, along with both Guy Benjamin and Julius Sprauve schools on St. John and Eulalie Rivera Elementary, Lew Muckle Elementary, Alexander Henderson Elementary, Pearl B. Larsen Elementary, Alfredo Andrews Elementary, Evelyn M. Williams Elementary and Ricardo A. Richards Elementary on St. Croix.
"Looking at the released data, it is clear that there have been some gains overall – particularly in the area of our elementary schools – but we continued to be challenged with our high schools in both the areas of reading and math," Education Commissioner Donna Frett-Gregory said in a statement Thursday.
None of the territory’s middle or junior high schools made their AYP benchmarks, according to the results. Meanwhile, on the high school level, only Charlotte Amalie High School made AYP, leaving behind Ivanna Eudora Kean High and the St. Croix Central High and Educational Complex.
CAHS celebrated its AYP status with a parade Wednesday, with the school’s principal saying later that administrators and staff try out different ways each year of improving student achievement, including using previous years’ data to develop programs that focus on areas in need of improvement.
According to data on the department’s website, overall reading and math scores have dropped on the high school level since 2009, and Frett-Gregory said in her statement that targeted intervention programs are being used for those students in need of "extra academic help."
"On the district level, our superintendents and their teams have also been implementing a number of intervention programs – such as online comprehension programs in reading and math – for students in need of extra academic help, while also working to identify which of those programs work, which ones don’t, and which ones can be maximized to reach as many students as possible," Frett-Gregory added.
"Consultants have also been working with our state and district offices of curriculum and instruction to provide support to those schools in restructuring," she said.
According to Education, 10 of the territory’s schools are in restructuring, meaning they have not made AYP benchmarks for four consecutive years.
Looking ahead, Frett-Gregory cautioned that it might take time for scores to improve as the department continues to work the new federal Common Core State Standards into its curriculum. Department officials have said that the standards are "more rigorous" and will help to make students "college and career ready" by pushing them to perform at their grade levels.
A new online testing system will soon replace the VITAL scores, according to the department, and Frett-Gregory said in her statement Thursday that training the teachers properly will help to eventually push the scores up.
"We realize that the integration of Common Core has been a major paradigm shift for the department and our educators, who have also now become learners themselves as they continue to study and develop the most effective strategies for teaching to the new standards," she said.
"Candidly, it is going to take time for our scores to jump more than what we’re seeing now – but our department is committed to providing as much support as needed and is also looking at how to align our federal and local dollars in an effort to boost professional development and training, along with our student intervention programs," Frett-Gregory explained.
A new teacher evaluation system will also be implemented and will target teachers that are doing well and "those that are in need of more support," she said.
