Schools
Tucker Schools Battle No Child Left Behind
Several Tucker public feeder schools are in Needs Improvement status but are not among the 22 DeKalb schools having to offer transfers.
On July 29, Tucker Patch reviewed Tucker public feeder schools and their performances on the state standardized test called the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test. The CRCT (grades 3-8) and the Georgia High School Graduation Test, among other factors, are used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress at public schools.
AYP grew out of the federal 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. That legislation, now highly controversial, mandated that all students in public schools shall be proficient in English-language arts and mathematics by 2014. If a school fails to meet AYP over a long period the consequences can be severe.
How do Tucker feeder schools measure up to this pressure? The test results for 2010-11 were recently released by the Georgia Department of Education. Schools must pass performance measures for test participation, standardized English-language arts test, standardized mathematics test and a second indicator relative to the student body.
Find out what's happening in Tuckerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Tucker High School
Tucker High passed eight of nine performance categories but its economically disadvantaged students, essentially students getting free or reduced price lunches, had difficulty with the English-language arts test. The school did not meet AYP and is considered a Needs Improvement school that offers tutoring.
Find out what's happening in Tuckerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Tucker Middle School
Tucker Middle passed 12 of 16 performance categories, but its black, Hispanic and disabled students did not meet AYP’s academic performance standards, especially in mathematics. In math, the NCLB passing rate was raised from 67.6 percent in 2010 to 75.7 percent in 2011. Because the school met AYP last year, it is not currently considered a Needs Improvement school.
Brockett Elementary School
Brockett met all performance categories and is considered an AYP school.
Idlewood Elementary School
Idlewood passed six of 10 performance categories, but its high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (429 out of 473 total students) struggled with the two tests, especially mathematics. The school did not meet AYP and is considered a Needs Improvement school that offers tutoring.
Livsey Elementary School
Livsey met all performance categories and is considered an AYP school.
Midvale Elementary School
Midvale passed nine of 10 performance categories, but its economically disadvantaged students did not meet the performance measurement for Mathematics. Midvale, like Tucker Middle, had to contend with the passing measure for mathematics going up to 75.7 percent in 2011. Because Midvale met AYP last year, it is not currently considered a Needs Improvement school.
Smoke Rise Elementary School
Smoke Rise met all performance categories and is considered an AYP school.
Fortunately, none of Tucker’s public feeder Needs Improvement schools are at the point where transfers will be required. In DeKalb, 22 county schools had to offer the option to parents to transfer their children to 10 receiving schools.
A backlash is developing against the 2014 NCLB’s “all students must pass” requirement. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been vocal about the need for more NCLB flexibility. In addition, the Huffington Post reported on Aug. 4 that Georgia Schools Superintendent John Barge will send a NCLB waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education in September.
For further information, visit the Georgia Department of Education at:
http://gadoe.org/ayp2011.aspx and DeKalb County at:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/school-improvement/public-school-choice/enrollment