By Eileen Oldfield Staff Writer
A completed standardized testing score assessment moved Weston Elementary School from a failing designation to a passing one under the No Child Left Behind law specifications, Superintendent Donald Burkhardt said Jan. 23.
”It’s extremely frustrating to have a school that passed reported as failing,” said Dr. Burkhardt. “I’m glad that the results finally show that.”
No Child Left Behind classifications released in September initially named Weston School as a “failing school” after the economically disadvantaged students’ subgroup missed the 75 percent proficient or advance proficient score required for an Adequate Yearly Progress rating. According to the initial report, the subgroup received a 53.8 Language Arts and Literacy score on the exam.
The subgroup includes several Special Education students who take alternate proficiency exams, which take longer to evaluate and score, rather than the standardized tests included in the preliminary score report. The absence of those scores resulted in a preliminary failing designation for Weston School.
”I think the teachers and staff at Weston school care about the kids,” said Dr. Burkhardt. “I wish the state would not report incomplete scores.”
Alexander Batcho Intermediate School’s failing designation, received after seventh and eighth grade special education students missed passing designations in the math section of their tests, did not change, Dr. Burkhardt said.
The NCLB Act sets requirements for schools to improve students’ standardized test scores, with breakdowns by gender, special needs, economic, and language background.
Failure to meet the required gains can result in penalties for the district. The law is up for reapproval this year.
