VWSD no longer ‘At Risk of Failing’ Swinford: Schools rise two notches
Published 12:00 am Saturday, August 6, 2011
The Vicksburg Warren School District has moved up two notches in its state accountability rating, the superintendent of the 9,000-student district announced Friday at the convocation held before each new school year.
“This district is no longer a district ‘At Risk of Failing,’” said Dr. Elizabeth Duran Swinford to the nearly 1,300 teachers, faculty and staff at the 24th annual event. “We are a district now in ‘Academic Watch.’ I am thrilled with our gains.”
For the past two years, the district has been designated by the Mississippi Department of Education “At Risk of Failing,” the second lowest of seven ratings. The ratings, from best to worst, are “Star School,” “High Performing,” “Successful,” “Academic Watch,” “Low Performing,” “At Risk of Failing” and “Failing.”
MDE determines the ratings through MCT2 tests, given in May to students in third through eighth grades. Also, high school students take subject-area exams administered by the MDE, and those scores affect the ratings. Other factors, including graduation and attendance rates, are also considered.
The results of the MCT2 and subject-area tests were released July 22, and students in the VWSD showed gains.
The MDE ratings are typically released to the general public in September, giving districts time to appeal the findings.
Swinford, in her second year as superintendent, declined to give specific comments until after September. One of her goals when she was hired, she has said, was to see that test scores and the accountability rating were raised.
Swinford in her convocation address Friday did say that none of the VWSD’s schools are “At Risk of Failing.”