11 schools fail AYP goals
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Douglas County was below the overall state average, which showed nearly 80 percent of schools making AYP this year, a significant increase from last year, according to data released Tuesday by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE).
Twenty of Douglas County’s 31 schools made AYP this year, and 11 schools did not meet the goals. Last year, 24 county schools made AYP and seven missed the goal.
As occurred last year, the Douglas County system as a whole didn’t meet the standards.
Dave Whitfield, Douglas County School System chief of staff, said the middle schools need to do more work in the subgroups that are calculated in the scoring, including special education, ethnic backgrounds and socio-economic classifications.
“We also have to do a better job in math,” Whitfield said. “The new math curriculum is a challenge. We’ve made some improvements, with an almost 4 percent gain in second and third grad math and 5 percent in fifth grade math.”
The schools failing to make AYP this year included Beulah Elementary, Chapel Hill High, Chestnut Log Middle, Douglas County High, Factory Shoals Middle, Fairplay Middle, Lithia Springs High, Stewart Middle, Sweetwater Elementary, Turner Middle and Yeager Middle.
The only school which failed to make AYP last year, but succeeded this year was Alexander High.
Nine Douglas County schools were placed in the Needs Improvement List, meaning that they’ve failed to meet AYP for two or more consecutive years. These include Chestnut Log Middle, Chapel Hill High, Lithia Springs High, Douglas County High, Turner Middle, Stewart Middle, Yeager Middle, Fairplay Middle and Factory Shoals Middle.
Schools can be removed from the Needs Improvement List if they make AYP two consecutive years. Stewart Middle made AYP last year and administrators there were hoping to get the needed second year this time that would have taken them off the list.
Schools on the Needs Improvement List must offer special tutoring for struggling students and give parents the option to send their children to another, higher performing school.
Elementary and middle school AYP measurements are based on state Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) scores in math, language arts and attendance rates.
The high school AYP score is based on math, language arts and graduation rates.
Whitfield said the school system will target AYP improvement with an approach that works with each individual student.
“Each school will get a list of students who didn’t meet the goals and develop an individual plan for each of them,” he said.
SOME SCHOOLS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS
SOME KIDS ARE SMARTER THAN OTHERS
SOME PARENTS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS
IF YOUR CHILD IS FAILING DONT BLAME THE SCHOOL BLAME YOU AND YOUR CHILD. A TEACHER CAN NOT FAIL A PASSING CHILD GET IN YOUR CHILDS LIFE, MAKE THEM WANT TO BETTER THAN YOU, MAKE THEM SEE YOU HAVE TO WORK TO BE GOOD AT ANY THING,AND YOU HAVE TO WORK TO HAVE SOMETHING, AND MABY JUST MABY WE CAN SAVE THE FUTURE OH YEA ITS NOT THE TEACHERS JOB TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN IT'S YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!
#1-Be involved in your child's education, no matter what their age. That doesn't just mean "what did you do in school today". It means going through their bookbag to see what has been sent home by the teacher(s), emailing the teacher(s), checking the school's website for important testing dates, activities,etc. #2-Unless you are taking an active part in your child's education, then don't complain that a) you didn't know that your child had a state-mandated test and had to be at school that day, or b)that you didn't know that the school offered free tutoring for struggling students or c)that your kid doesn't get to participate in sports unless they ARE passing their classes. #3-And guess what....it shouldn't matter if your child is black, white, purple, green, or blue. Teachers see the potential to educate a potential contributing member of society should that individual show the desire to become one. #4-Unless you have been in your child's class, once again, no matter if it's an elementary class, middle school, or high school, you wouldn't know of the amazing people who are doing their very best to educate your children. Show some respect. If you don't give the teachers or administrators respect, than your child won't either. #5-And last but not least....BE A PARENT! Quit trying to use the school system as a scapegoat for your child's failures. If a child wants to learn, they will learn, no matter what school they are at. It's the parent's responsibility to set an example if they want their children to be successful in life.
As far as your comment about being a racist is also quite revealing, when all else fails, play the race card. It is a fact that in ANY school where the free/reduced lunch numbers go up...tests scores go down. No mention of a race or creed there; however, you were kind enough to point it out. Maybe what really needs to stop is the whole sense of "entitlement" that people seem to thrive on.
In the past I have attended many PTO meetings whose attendance rates show a huge absence of parental involvement in this county. Get involved in your Childs life. We all work and we are all tired in the evenings so that is no excuse not to help your child when they begin to struggle. Your child’s education is YOUR responsibility.
"Mr. Whitefield….students learn better when their teachers look like them and have similar experiences."
I don't even know what that statement is supposed to mean. Everywhere you go in life you will meet people who are not like you. You need to adapt to your environment and make it work for you. Requiring people to look and act a certain way in order to learn from them only inhibits your Childs potential to succeed in all situations.
Is there room for improvment? Yes, but I don't feel the entire blame can be laid at the steps of the DCSS.
If you want to see scores improve, tell your reps you want limits on section 8 housing in this county.