21 schools make the grade

Aug. 4, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - For the 2005-06 school year, a total of 21 Mat-Su Borough schools met Adequate Yearly Progress standards in reading, writing and mathematics, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The information, which was released in a preliminary report by the district on Wednesday, represents a modest increase in the total number of schools that met AYP. Last year 19 schools reached the mark and 18 failed to do so.

In order for a school to reach AYP this year, 71.48 percent of its students had to show proficiency in reading and writing. Another 57.61 percent of students had to be proficient in mathematics.

All totaled, there were 31 different student and school categories that each school had to meet in order to achieve AYP. Missing even one category meant a school did not meet federal standards.

For instance, some schools, such as Twindly Bridge Charter School, missed AYP because not enough students participated in the standardized tests. At least 95 percent of students in various categories had to participate in the test in order for a school as a whole to pass.

Other schools missed the mark because one or more student subcategory failed to achieve AYP.

Colony Middle School was one of several schools that missed AYP because students with disabilities either failed to meet AYP or not enough took the test.

Glacier View, Mid Valley High and Burchell High all missed AYP because their graduation rates were too low.

Failure to meet AYP results in increasingly stiff penalties from the federal government. Especially affected are Title 1 schools, which receive federal funding to provide free or reduced lunches to low-income students.

Failure of these schools to meet AYP can result in loss of funding or requirements to provide tutoring services or alternative school choices to students who attend their schools.

Houston Middle School, for example, will provide both school choice and supplemental services to students next year.

The state Department of Education and Early Development will release official statewide results Aug. 11.

Contact Joel Davidson at

352-2266 or joel.davidson@

frontiersman.com.