State seeks NCLB option

School district supports pilot ‘growth model'

March 7, 2006

JOEL DAVIDSON\Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has applied to the U.S. Department of Education to pilot an alternative growth model for determining student's academic progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Currently, every school must show that it meets increasingly stiff requirements each year in order to pass the Adequate Yearly Progress report under NCLB. Schools that fail to meet the standards lose federal dollars and are often forced to bus students to schools that do meet AYP. Schools missing AYP for four years running face the prospect of firing teachers, changing curriculum and extending the school year.

Last year, schools had to pass 31 different categories in reading, writing, mathematics and school attendance on test day in order to pass AYP. Statewide, 41 percent of schools (203 of 495) missed the mark. In the Mat-Su, 18 of 37 public schools did not pass AYP.

Under the state's proposed pilot program, however, schools can pass AYP next year by at least showing progress toward becoming proficient even if they miss the federal standards for that year.

The new growth model allows individual schools to receive credit for progress in spite of the fact that they may still be below the current federal expectations.

President George W. Bush signed NCLB into law in 2002 in an effort to bolster what many considered lackluster and declining performances in public schools across the nation. Critics of NCLB, however, claim the law only looks at standardized student test results rather than the progress schools are making.

U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced in mid-November that her agency would approve up to 10 states to pilot growth models next school year. The agency will review state applications, and is expected to respond this spring.

Alaska's growth model is designed to meet federal guidelines for the pilot project. Alaska students who show academic growth and are on track to be proficient in a few years will be included with the proficient students when schools calculate the percentage of students that meets academic targets.

Les Morse, the state's director of accountability and assessment for the Department of Education, said the state has worked to develop a growth-based model since 2000. When the pilot opportunity came along, Alaska was ready to apply, he said.

&#8220We were very poised to do this,” Morse said. &#8220We've been building our assessment system in such a way that we could look at growth for some time.”

The Mat-Su School District, the second largest in the state behind Anchorage, supports the state's application. Connie Lutz, executive director of instruction for the Mat-Su, said the growth model will allow the public to more clearly see if schools are moving toward the goal of being proficient.

&#8220Right now, using the current model, we can't tell if there is any movement for student growth,” she said. &#8220The current model does not acknowledge growth.”

In response to those who might criticize the growth model as an easy out for low performing schools, Morse said he doesn't think the standards will be much easier.

&#8220It does help a few more schools,” he admitted, while adding that the standards are still &#8220pretty high.”

Following a federal requirement for the pilot projects, Alaska will continue using the current method of determining adequate yearly progress. The results from both methods will be reported to the public. If Alaska's pilot is approved, it will be implemented for tests taken this school year.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266 or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.