31 County Schools On New "Target" List
posted September 4, 2003
Two Hamilton County schools came off the high priority list, school officials said Thursday.
Results released from the "No Child Left Behind" national effort show Howard Elementary and Howard School of Academics & Technology going off the list.
There were 11 high priority schools in Hamilton County last year.
Calvin Donaldson Elementary is on probation - meaning it must show progress for two years to come off the high priority list.
Chattanooga Middle, Hardy Elementary, Orchard Knob Elementary and Woodmore Elementary are listed as probation improving. They must show progress for one more year to come off the high priority list.
Franklin Middle, Dalewood Middle, East Lake Elementary and Orchard Knob Middle are listed as needed corrective action.
Supt. Jesse Register said state funding will help with improvements needed in the latter group of schools.
There were 31 Hamilton County schools listed as target schools.
Dr. Register said there are 40 federal benchmarks under No Child Left Behind, and a school that falls short on any of the 40 goes on the target list.
Those schools are Battle Academy, Bess T. Shepherd, Brainerd High, 21st Century, Brown Academy, Central High, Normal Park, Chattanooga High, Clifton Hills, Dawn, East Brainerd Elementary, East Lake Academy, East Ridge High, Harrison Elementary, Barger Academy, Howard Elementary, Hixson High, Hixson Middle, Hillcrest Elementary, McBrien Elementary, Howard School of Academics & Technology, Wolftever Creek Elementary, Lakeside Academy, Ooltewah High, Lookout Valley Middle/High, Red Bank High, Soddy-Daisy Middle, Soddy Elementary, Tyner Academy and White Oak Elementary.
Dr. Register said Ooltewah High students have one of the highest performing rates in the state. He said Ooltewah High got on the list solely because 94.1 percent of students took the Algebra 1 Gateway Test instead of the required 95 percent. "Out of 1,700 students, if three more had been present that day they would not have been on the list," Dr. Register said.
He said Lookout Valley got on the list because it had a 92 percent attendance rate for grades 6-8 instead of the necessary 93 percent.
Dr. Register said the new program is beneficial in that it is supplying data he has long sought, including that on different minority groups and the disadvantaged.
"We need to know whether or not we are eliminating the achievement gap for children," he said.
Dr. Register said the program and test results "certainly draw attention to public education - for good or for bad."
He said only 13 school systems in the state demonstrated adequate yearly progress. Hamilton County was not one of those.
For detailed information on the Hamilton County Schools, go to
http://www2.tennessee.gov/k-12/aypglancedist.asp?DN=330
Primer on No Child Left Behind:
The goal of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is to ensure that all students in all schools are academically proficient in math, reading and language arts by 2014. Until that time, schools and districts will be measured on their ability to move toward that goal. In other words, a
school must show every year that a greater percentage of its students meet proficiency standards.
This year, we are establishing a baseline against which to measure progress in the coming years. Schools that are below the federal benchmarks in the first year are called "target
schools."
Schools must meet proficiency benchmarks in nine subgroups, including five race and ethnic
groups; students with disabilities; limited English-proficient students; economically disadvantaged students; and the school as a whole. A school or district that fails to show
progress in the same subgroup for two consecutive years will be labeled "high priority." A
high priority school or district that shows progress for two years in a row will be removed from the high priority list. When a subgroup does not meet federal benchmarks in reading, language arts or math as determined above, but succeeds in boosting the number of proficient
students by 10% or more, the school will be considered to have met standards under a Safe Harbor provision.
K-8 schools will meet federal benchmarks if they demonstrate in all of the subgroups:
• 95% participation rate on all state assessments
• Required proficiency in math as determined by TCAP achievement tests
• Required proficiency in reading/language arts as determined by TCAP achievement
tests and writing assessments
• 93% attendance rate for the school year 9th –12th grade schools will meet federal benchmarks if they demonstrate in all of the subgroups:
• 95% participation rate on all state assessments
• Required proficiency in math Gateway tests
• Required proficiency in reading/language arts as determined by English Gateway tests and writing assessments
• 60% graduation rate for the school year (excluding GED and special education diplomas)
What is a target school?
A target school is a school that missed a federal benchmark in at least one area for the first year. There are no sanctions for target schools.
The Department of Education offers technical assistance to help keep target schools from becoming high priority schools.
What is a high priority school?
A high priority school is a school that has missed the same benchmark for more than one year. There are different levels of high priority
schools: School Improvement, On Notice, Probation, Corrective Action, and Alternative Governance.
What is adequate yearly progress (AYP)?
AYP is a measure of year-over-year student achievement. The goal of No Child Left Behind is for 100% of students to be proficient in reading,
language arts and math by 2014. Standards for AYP are set to ensure that schools reach that goal. This year, a baseline is being established
against which to measure progress in the future.
How is student achievement assessed?
In Tennessee, K-8 students take TCAP achievement tests in math, reading and language arts. In grades 5, 8, and 11, they also take a writing
assessment test. High school students take Gateway exams in math and English. Because we are in the initial stages of implementing No
Child Left Behind, only grades 3, 5, and 8 were used to determine proficiency for this school year. Performance on these assessments is
measured against standards set by the federal government to determine if a school is proficient.
My child’s school is excellent. Why is it on the list of target schools?
No Child Left Behind has very stringent requirements. If a school fails to meet every requirement in every subgroup – including demonstrating
95% participation on assessments – it fails to meet the federal benchmark and is identified as a target school. That does not mean the school
is not excellent. If, for example, the test was given on a day when many students were out with the flu, it is possible that fewer than 95% of
students took the test, causing the school to miss the benchmark.
How can I find out why my child's school is a target or high priority school?
The State Department of Education Web site includes information on target and high priority schools. For detailed information and At-AGlance
summaries identifying areas in which schools did and did not make federal benchmarks, please visit http://www.state.tn.us/education/.
If this is the first year for implementing NCLB requirements, why was my child’s school on a high priority
list last year?
Tennessee was actually a pioneer in mandating school accountability and has had a system to identify high priority schools since the 2000-
2001 school year. The issue now is that the state program must adapt to the new federally mandated No Child Left Behind criteria. This
year, the state and federal systems are being merged.
What does my child’s school have to do to come off the list?
If a school meets federal benchmarks for two consecutive years in the areas for which it was deficient, it will be considered to be in good
standing.
What is the State Department of Education doing to improve my child's school?
Each year a school does not meet required benchmarks, additional resources are dedicated to helping improve performance. Assistance
includes a range of initiatives, such as deploying Exemplary Educators (master teachers recently retired) to develop corrective action plans,
providing training for teachers and administrators, and placing additional reading specialists in schools.
What is an Exemplary Educator?
Exemplary Educators (EE’s) are the backbone of Tennessee’s efforts to improve teaching and learning. EE’s are veteran teachers selected
and trained by the State Department of Education and assigned to work with high priority schools for the purpose of improving student
achievement.
How can I learn about school choice and supplemental services?
School districts with Title I schools identified as high priority are required to offer school choice and supplemental services. Contact your
school district office for more information. Phone numbers for district offices are available on the State Department of Education Web site
at . You can also find information about supplemental services on the Web site at http://www.k-12.state.tn.us/sde/. You can also find
information about supplemental services on the Web site at http://www.state.tn.us/education/acctsupplemental.htm.
What can I do, as a parent, to help my school improve?
All schools must develop school improvement plans, and schools identified as high priority must revise those plans, with input from parents.
You can contact your school to become a member of the school improvement planning team.
At the heart of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is an assessment and accountability system designed to
identify and assist schools and districts that do not meet standards for student performance.
In 2003, Tennessee merged its accountability system with the federal NCLB requirements. Under the
merged system, schools must show each year that a greater percentage of students are reaching standards
of academic proficiency in math, reading and language arts. The goal of NCLB is for all children in every
school and district to reach academic proficiency in those subjects by 2014.
Schools and districts that fall short of federal benchmarks for academic proficiency for more than one
year in a row will be identified as "high priority." The State Department of Education will identify and
assist high priority schools and districts in an effort to guarantee that every child receives the best possible
education.
Below is a schedule of assistance for a school or district that continually fails to meet federal benchmarks:
What happens to schools
that don’t meet
federal benchmarks ?
YEAR 1: SCHOOLS BECOME “TARGET SCHOOLS.” The first year a school does not
meet federal standards, it is given a warning, and the State Department of Education offers
technical assistance. There are no sanctions at this time, and the school has another year
to demonstrate progress in the low-performing areas.
YEAR 2: SCHOOLS PUT IN “SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT.” If a school does not meet
federal benchmarks for a second consecutive year, it is put in “school improvement,” which
triggers a number of initiatives aimed at raising school performance. At this stage, parents
of students in Title I schools -- schools that receive federal funds -- are offered school choice.
YEAR 3: SCHOOLS PUT “ON NOTICE.” After three years, the state works with the
school district and school staff to develop an intensive improvement plan to channel
additional resources toward improving school performance. Children in Title I schools are
offered supplemental educational services, such as tutoring, at no cost.
YEAR 4: SCHOOLS PUT “ON PROBATION.” If after four years the school has still not
improved, it is put on probation. At this stage, the State Department of Education must take
action such as removing school staff, increasing the length of the school day or year, or
decreasing the authority of local management.
YEAR 5: SCHOOLS PUT IN “CORRECTIVE ACTION.” The school district will prepare
a plan for restructuring the school or district with options including conversion to a charter
school, replacing existing staff, taking over management or contracting with a private
entity to take over management.
YEAR 6: SCHOOLS ENTER “ALTERNATIVE GOVERNANCE.” At this stage, the State
Department of Education will implement the plan devised when the school entered corrective
action.
Officials said the number of schools meeting federal standards in Tennessee
is consistent with other states:
State Meeting Federal
Reporting: Benchmarks:
Alabama 33%
California 55%
Delaware 43%
Florida 13%
Georgia 58%
Tennessee 53%
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