| by T.W. Budig ECM Capitol reporter About half of 2,300 Minnesota schools made average yearly progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) this year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education today (Monday, Aug. 10). Some 1,066 schools made average yearly progress (AYP), while 1,048 schools did not. The percent of schools making AYP increased by about eight percent, but the education department ascribes to hike to the addition of schools to the count. “Bottom line we have about half of our schools that have made AYP and half that have not,” said Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren, who expressed no surprise over the numbers. The commissioner explained that because of how the department interprets federal law, this year it added specialized schools, such as special education centers and K-2 schools, to the broader AYP count. This was done so, Seagren said, out of a desire for accountability. Some 189 Minnesota schools were not included in the AYP calculation, having insufficient data, according to the department. One possible reason for having insufficient data, Seagren explained, could be having too small subgroup or “cell” sizes. Total efficiency by 2014 Under the federal law, AYP measures not only the school but subgroups within — racial, ethnic, the poor — against increasing academic standards with the idea of achieving total efficiency by 2014. NCLB has always had its critics. Charles Kyte, of the Minnesota Association of School Administration, opined NCLB has been “significantly damaging” to the reputation of Minnesota schools by casting a false light. “You sort of hit a plateau,” said Kyte of the number of schools achieving AYP. “And I think we did,” he said. One bright spot Seagren sees in the new numbers is that 30 more high schools made AYP than last year. But of 283 schools on the list of schools needing improvement, while 31 made AYP this year, 252 did not. Seagren believes over time more of these schools will be successful. “I think we are seeing that. But it’s hard work,” she said. NCLB to be put on steroids Seagren expects Congress to make changes to NCLB when it up the initiative. “I kind of call it that No Child Left Behind is going to be put on steroids,” she said. In deciphering signals out of Washington and in talking with commissioners in other states, Seagren expects Congress to focus the law even tighter on closing the achievement gap, among other changes Minnesota has some of the most glaring gaps between white students and students of color in the country. The philosophy behind NCLB is exactly right, said Seagren, but its implementation is flawed. “Does it need to be fixed — yes,” she said. Wants NCLB more rewards based Kyte hopes for a NCLB that is more rewards based than punitive, providing more flexibility, better funding. Kyte said state educators plan to meet with Rep. John Kline, R-Lakeville, Republican ranking member on the House Education and Workforce Committee, and Sen. Al Franken, D-Minneapolis, who also serves on an education committee, to discuss NCLB. Although Kline was unavailable for comment, his office issued a statement: “While its overall goal of ensuring children are not systematically left behind in our nation’s schools is right on target, the heavy-handed involvement of the federal government in administering the program has tied the hands of local schools and districts and prevented them from making the targeted decisions necessary to address their specific challenges,” said Kline. Kline does not expect the education committee to take up NCLB this year. In addition to reexamining NCLB, Kline calls for improving school leadership, better teacher training, the implementation of a teacher performance-pay system. “The point is that there is no single, one-size-fits-all strategy,” said Kline. “What works in Lakeville, Minnesota may not work in Los Angeles, California or Louisville, Kentucky,” he said. Bar gets higher each year In 2008, some 937 Minnesota schools failed to make AYP - the bar gets higher each year under NCLB - while 983 schools cleared the hurl. The year before some 729 Minnesota schools failed to meet AYP, an increase of 246 schools over the previous year. According to the education department, in 2009 statewide of 443 high schools, 242 made AYP while 199 did not. Of 235 junior/middle schools, 79 made AYP while 156 did not. And of 935 elementary school statewide, 523 made AYP this year while 407 did not. Under NCLB, a school repeatedly failing to meet AYP could face eventual restructuring. An often-cited 2004 legislative auditor’s report predicted more than 80 percent of Minnesota schools would not meet AYP by 2014. |
