NB schools flagged on state progress list

By T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
Although preliminary data show 259 Minnesota schools failing to make adequate yearly progress as defined in the stateís No Child Left Behind plan, Education Commissioner Cheri Pierson Yecke is upbeat.
ìI think overall this a good story,î said Yecke, speaking Monday (July 7) as preliminary data was released.
ìI think this is very good news,î she said.
Federal officials approved the stateís No Child Left Behind implementation plan last month.
One change state officials sought from the feds was larger a ìcellî size for special education students as to have their test scores counted in the schoolís academic proficiency.
The federal government placed the cell size special education students at 20. But state officials successfully argued to have the number doubled to 40.
The No Child Left Behind Act requires school districts to break down their data into nine different student subgroups ó cells.
The cells include: all students, limited English proficient, free and reduced price lunch, special education, white, black, Asian Pacific Islander, American Indian and Hispanic.
Out of the 259 schools deemed lagging ó school districts have 30 days to appeal the determination ó some 131 were elementary schools.
These schools drew red flags on student participation and performance on state third- and fifth- grade math and reading tests.
Adequate participation requires 95 percent of students having been tested.
Geographically, 75 of the elementary schools flagged are located within the seven-county metro area.
Fifty-six of the schools are located in Greater Minnesota.
About 60 percent of the 131 flagged elementary schools were identified in only one or two cells. Free and reduced price lunch students ó kids from poor families ó were largest group among the schools deemed needing improvement.
They were identified in 74 percent of the elementary schools listed.
The 128 secondary schools listed were evaluated this year solely on average daily attendance and graduation rates.
ìNext year theyíll be looking at academic components with high schools and middle schools and that may add to the numbers,î said Yecke.
A positive trend Yecke sees is the number of previously cited elementary schools holding their own over the past year.
Because of poor yearly progress, 57 elementary schools were required to provide public school choice for their students ñ not a big deal in Minnesota with open enrollment, Yecke noted.
Still, this year shows 27 of these elementary schools making adequate yearly progress and no longer identified as needing assistance.
Yet 18 of these elementary schools continued to fail to meet adequately yearly progress and now must offer students tutoring services.
Under the federal law, schools need to be restructured after five years of subpar performance.
But the sanctions only apply to Title I schools.
Yecke counsels parents with children in listed schools to call the building principal and ask why the school is having problems and whatís being done.
Local school districts with schools listed as not making adequately yearly progress include:
ïCambridge-Isanti: two schools listed.
ïNorth Branch: school and program listed.
ïPrinceton: North Elementary listed.

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