Most schools successful’; some better

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 5, 2003

[09/05/03] Most public schools here are ranked “successful” in increasing student knowledge, and three were given exemplary rankings, the state Department of Education said in releasing a new round of accountability information Thursday.

“We’re happy to receive our test results and see that all of our schools are successful or above,” said James Price, superintendent of the Vicksburg Warren School District. “And now that we finally know what our results are we can work toward strengthening those areas of weakness and capitalizing on those areas of strength.”

As part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, students were tested in reading and math. To pass, schools must show improvement year-to-year.

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Bowmar Magnet Elementary, Dana Road Elementary and Warrenton Elementary schools achieved a Level 4, or exemplary status, according to information released Thursday.

“I’m thrilled that the parents, students, faculty and staff of those three schools have proven themselves to be exemplary in this testing process,” Price said. “We look forward to many more great things coming from these facilities.”

Principals of the schools credited instructors.

“I attribute that to the hard work and dedication of our teachers,” said Mary Hodges, Warrenton Elementary School principal who replaced Medric Faulkner when he retired. “Our teachers had the support of Mr. Faulkner,” she said. “He allowed them to teach.”

Bowmar principal Barbara Burns said she was proud of the teachers as well.

“God Bless the teachers,” she said. “We are so happy and proud. There was a lot of hard work and commitment to the kids and to Bowmar’s vision.”

The remaining 10 schools in the VWSD were ranked at Level 3, or successful, classifications.

The other levels are 1, low-performing; 2, under-achieving; and the highest, level 5, superior-performing.

The federal adequate yearly progress standards are judged in reading and language arts tests, math tests and other academic indicators, which are based on 95 percent of students taking the tests. In high schools, the graduation percentage is also figured in as other academic indicators.

Beechwood Elementary, Vicksburg Intermediate, Warren Central Intermediate, Vicksburg High School and Vicksburg Junior High School did not meet federal adequate yearly progress standards in the other academic indicators category and thus did not meet the state’s growth status. However, the schools are still considered “successful.”

Warren Central High School did not meet the federal standards in the reading section of the tests, but met the state’s growth status.

All other schools in the district met the federal requirements.

Dana Road and Warrenton Elementary schools exceeded the growth status required by the state. The achievement level was a 3 at both of the schools, but because the schools exceeded in meeting the status, a school performance classification was a Level 4.

Bowmar Elementary School received a Level 4 because the achievement level was a 4 and the school met the growth status.

The classifications were based on the Mississippi Curriculum Tests given to students in third through seventh grades and subject area tests given to students enrolled in Algebra 1, Biology 1, U.S. history and English 2.

The classifications are based on meeting an annual growth expectation as well as the percent of students who are achieving at certain levels. Growth expectations are established by testing students annually and following their progress.

The No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President Bush in 2002, requires states to set goals based on student achievement data that required all students to be proficient in reading and math by the 2013-2014 school year.

Under the NCLB, white, black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic, those with limited English, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students. These subgroups must meet expectations for a school to meet adequate yearly progress.

Subgroup results will be released along with school and district report cards a week from today.