Local and state SPS at an all-time high

The state and Tri-parish school systems set all-time highs on school quality measures, but still did not meet the 10-year target goals, according to the Louisiana Department of Education.

The department released state and district results of the 2009 School Performance Scores (SPS) and graduation rates last week.

The SPS is calculated using student standardized test scores, attendance, dropouts and high school graduation rates.

Lafourche and St. Mary parish public schools exceeded the state’s 91.0 SPS average with 91.7 and 91.5 scores respectively. Terrebonne Parish schools were about a point behind at 90.1.

“We have constantly strived to not only beat the state average but we want our schools to show continuous growth,” said Floyd Benoit, Lafourche school system spokesman. “It appears from early evaluation of the School Performance Scores for Lafourche that we have achieved those goals.”

“I am thoroughly convinced that we are on the proper course instructionally to sustain academic momentum in the imminent future,” said Dr. David Aguillard, St. Mary Parish Schools superintendent.

Lafourche’s score was 3.9 points higher than last year. That ranked the school system 32nd among the state’s 70 school districts and 35th in growth rate.

St. Mary schools were up 5.1 points form 2008, placing 34th in the state and 20th in growth. Terrebonne’s SPS was 5.7 points more than a year ago, ranking it 37th in the state and 17th in growth.

“What is encouraging is our growth was significantly higher than that of the state (4.7 points) as a whole,” said Philip Martin, Terrebonne Parish schools superintendent. “We’re on the right path, heading in the right direction, but we’re not there. We’re getting there. The anticipation is we will be there within two years.”

The state set a 10-year target of a 100 SPS, meaning a majority of students perform at or above “basic” level, when it started the school accountability system in 1999. Only 17 school districts met the goal.

However, 17 Tri-parish schools met the mark, which labels them a three-star school. None of the systems’ have schools deemed academically unacceptable.

In Terrebonne, seven schools had an SPS over 100: Bayou Black, Bourg, Broadmoor, Lisa Park, Montegut and Mulberry elementary schools and Dularge Middle School.

Lafourche had five: Bayou Boeuf, Chackbay, Galliano, and St. Charles elementary schools and Sixth Ward Middle School.

St. Mary also had five: Hattie A. Watts and Wyandotte elementary schools and Berwick elementary, junior high and high schools.

The preliminary graduation rate results showed that Lafourche and St. Mary outperformed the state average, while Terrebonne was slightly lower.

While 66.6 percent of all high school seniors graduated in 2009, Terrebonne experienced a decrease from 66.7 percent last year to 65.1 percent this year.

In Lafourche Parish, 74.2 percent graduated compared to 69.4 last year. St. Mary improved from 62.8 to 67.2 percent this year.

“Our students, teachers, staff and parents are to be commended for their efforts in the continued improvement of Lafourche Parish public schools,” Benoit said.

“Students are applauded for embracing the challenge and reaching higher levels of achievement,” Aguillard said. “The district remains faithful to the deployment of research-based teaching practices that will result in increased proficiency rates across all core subjects, fulfilling the district’s mission of raising achievement.”