W.C.H.S. fails to meet AYP
By Olivia Sundeen
Farmer Staff Writer
You win some, you lose some. This appears to be the case after the 2011-2012 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results were released indicating which North Dakota schools had either achieved or failed to meet state standards.
The results show that Watford City Elementary School was able to meet the 2011-2012 requirements as set by the No Child Left Behind Act in regard to Title I.
“The elementary school, since the 2002 inception of the AYP process, has made adequate yearly progress each year,” stated Steve Holen, superintendent of McKenzie County Public School District No. 1.
Unfortunately, Watford City High School was unable to do the same.
“This is the second consecutive year in which the high school did not make AYP,” stated Holen. Since the high school is not a Title I school nor receive Title I funding, there are no further repercussions or requirements in the law other than disseminating the AYP report to parents.”
Because of the No Child Left Behind Act all public schools and districts are mandated to meet state standards and generate an AYP report. The consequences of these reports vary depending on which schools receive Title I funds.
Expanding on that, only schools receiving such funds are applicable for the Title I program improvement. According to federal law, if schools and districts have made AYP for two consecutive years they are to be removed from program improvement status.
Therefore, the high school test scores do affect the district’s AYP status.
“The district did not make AYP for two consecutive years starting in 2008-2009 and thus has been in the school improvement process,” stated Holen. “The school district for 2011-2012 did not make AYP when combining the elementary and high school scores and thus moves to year two of the program improvement process.”
When moving into year two, according to Holen, the school district is required to set aside 10 percent of its Title I funding for district-wide professional development activities. The district must also update and implement its program improvement plan.
“If the district does not make AYP again in the future and move to year three, the Department of Public Instruction will then provide a list of five potential corrective actions to be implemented by the district,” stated Holen. “In year four or five, the district has options under the alternative governance in addressing areas of needed improvement.”
Test results show that the high school did not make AYP in three areas: Reading composite score, Reading -White subgroup, and Mathematics - students with disabilities. The school district as a whole did not make AYP for 2011-2012 in the Reading White subgroup area.
“Beginning the 2013-2014 school year, 100 percent of the students are required to be proficient in reading and mathematics to meet AYP,” stated Holen. “This is an obtainable goal that will push teachers to help motivate students in our district.”