Mixed AYP results for schools across the east

GREENVILLE, N.C.- Parents use the AYP report to see how their child's school compares to other public schools in academic progress. 

No Child Left Behind legislation divides students into sub-groups.  Every year they're expected to meet specific targets showing Adequate Yearly Progress. 

If a group of students in a school fails to meet just one target--the school doesn't pass. 

The AYP looks at progress in attendance and graduation rates, and proficiency in reading, language arts and math for the following sub-groups:

The School as a Whole, Ethnicity- White, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, and Multiracial-Economically Disadvantaged Groups, Limited English Proficient Students, and Students With Disabilities.

Only four of 14 Beaufort County schools meet all of their target goals to make AYP this year.

"This is a decline from last year when we had eight to make it but our successes are big successes,” said Sarah Hodges from Beaufort County schools.  She says the AYP scores never stand alone.  Educators will compare this year’s results to years past.

"It's hard to deem a school a success or failure by one marker so we know we have work to do and this will definitely help us get in the right direction to help us identify some of our concerns and identify solutions to them,” said Hodges. 

In Pitt County, only eight of 35 schools made AYP, but the county saw a nearly 7% increase in graduation rates.

"While I wish we had made, had more schools make AYP because of the sanctions that come along with it, I'm very pleased with the outcomes overall,” said Dr. Beverly Reep, Superintendent for Pitt County Schools. 

When schools release the final results, some parents may have the option to move their child to a higher-performing school or seek tutoring.

"We ask them to work with us, ask us the questions they have, use this time as a time to get involved if they're not already,” said Hodges.  “We want them to be a part of the progression of this and we're going to work together with them.  But we want parents to trust that we see the problems, that we're identifying them, and we're identifying solutions.”

This is just the preliminary report.  Final results should be released on August 5^th, in time for the State Board of Education meeting.

Three high schools in Pitt County have the distinction of being designated as low performing schools.

It's certainly not a label they want.

Then again, they admit they have problems to fix.

They're among 25 schools in the state getting millions of dollars from the federal government to follow a model that transforms the school.

Farmville Central High School needs to do more than clean the trophy case to take off the tarnish that goes along with being a low performing school.

"Low performing is obviously a very negative title," said Farmville Central High School Principal Chris Moxley.

Farmville Central plans to change that along with North Pitt and South Central High Schools.

All three Pitt County programs will get federal school improvement grants worth more than $8 million combined over three years.

They qualified for regularly having low test scores and graduation rates less than 60 percent.

A problem largely blamed on students who fall behind because they don't go to school.

Some money will be spent to hire people directly responsible for getting students in the classroom. 

"We won't be dragging them to school.  But, no, we're gonna be engaging with the parents,” said John Coleman, administrator of the school improvement grant for Pitt County Schools.  “We're gonna be engaging with the students.  We hope to be able to council and work with the families so that they, they raise their expectation."

There will also be a higher bar for teachers.

More faculty will be added for special instruction, including the possibility of extra class time to help lagging students catch up to their peers.

Teachers’ jobs could be on the line under pressure to perform

"There's gonna be a real expectation for teachers to measure up in a variety of ways," Moxley said.

Technology is also part of the equation.

Students will likely get their hands on new equipment like computers or mobile technology.

"The kids like it and it keeps them engaged," Moxley said.

Engagement is central to the plan by integrating faculty, students, parents and the community at large.

"It's not about building a better mousetrap," Moxley said.

"It's taking what we know works, doing a better job with it,” Coleman said.

All three schools have to show improvement to get money for the subsequent two years.

In fact, they already have before getting any money.

All topped the 60 percent graduation rate threshold last year.

It's not clear if they'd qualify for the grants with these results.

Now, the challenges for student performance get tougher from here for everyone.

The targets for students to reach grade level in reading and math take a big jump next year.