Published: March 26, 2008 12:53 pm            

Greater Clark doesn’t meet benchmarks, superintendent says there’s lots of work to be done

Greater Clark County Schools — and 11 individual schools within the system — failed to make progress required under the No Child Left Behind Act, according to the 2007 Adequate Yearly Progress scores released Tuesday.

The scores show whether or not Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, was made overall and in subgroups that have 30 or more students, such as low income and special education.

If a certain percentage of students don’t show enough improvement, the school fails.

GCCS has failed since the requirements were implemented in 2002.

“We understand that we have a lot of work to do,” Superintendent Tony Bennett said. “We know that there are many areas that we need to address and we are moving aggressively to address those.”

Nearly half of the state’s schools failed to show improvement, according to the Indiana Department of Education. Still, the state’s schools improved overall — with 54 percent passing in 2007 compared to 52 percent in 2006. At the district level, 84 percent of school corporations made AYP in 2007 compared to 79 percent the previous year.

The Greater Clark corporation is now in Improvement Year 4, which has the same requirements as last year, corrective action. Last year, GCCS started curriculum mapping, which met a requirement.

However, if the schools continue to not reach AYP, then the state has the power to remove individual schools from the corporation’s jurisdiction, change governance of schools, abolish or restructure the school corporation and more.

Bennett said the corporation already has made some changes that should yield results in the future.

“Our ultimate goal is to attain excellence for all students,” he said. “That’s one reason we changed our schedule, because we did not see any marked improvement since we’ve been on the block scheduling at Jeffersonville High School. If you’re going to spend that kind of money on something you need to see improvement.”

Bennett said the block scheduling would end for all middle and high schools in the fall.

Another change is the freshman academy at the high school level to help transition students from middle school.

The curriculum mapping that started last year should also help the individual schools, as well as the corporation, meet AYP, according to Bennett.

Bennett is hoping to collaborate with school officials and teachers to come up with a plan to turn the scores around.

“For this superintendent, failure is not an option,” Bennett said. “We will set forth an action plan to address the issues. There will be no option left off the table that may lead to measured and marked improvement and, ultimately, success.”



BREAKING IT DOWN

Clarksville Community School Corp.

• The corporation passed for the second year in a row.

• Clarksville Middle School failed in special education English scores.

• George Rogers Clark, which failed last year, passed.



Greater Clark County Schools

• The corporation has failed since AYP was implemented, from 2002 to 2007.

• The corporation is now moving into the Improvement Year 4, Corrective Action, stage as required by the state.

Last year, while in the Improvement Year 3 stage, GCCS was in the same state, since that is the final action required by Indiana.

GCCS has already implemented curriculum mapping, which satisfied their requirement.

However, if the corporation continues to fail AYP, then the state has the power to remove individual schools from the corporation’s jurisdiction, change governance of schools, abolish or restructure the school corporation and more.

• GCCS had 11 individual schools not reach AYP: Charlestown High, Jeffersonville High, Jonathan Jennings Elementary, New Washington Middle/High, Northaven Elementary, Parkview Middle, Parkwood Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Elementary, River Valley Middle, Riverside Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Elementary.



West Clark Community Schools Corp.

• The corporation made AYP for the second year in a row.

• Three individual schools failed to reach AYP: William W. Borden Elementary, Henryville Jr./Sr. High and Silver Creek Middle schools.

        

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