School performance scores vary little in ’07

Few schools met their academic growth targets on the 2007 school performance scores, according to figures released by the state’s education department.

State schools Superintendent Paul G. Pastorek said after eight years of continuous growth, the plateau will require more robust efforts by the Louisiana Department of Education to provide greater support to local school districts.

Each year, schools receive numerical scores, which are baseline scores that are calculated by averaging two years of data. The scores are used to determine performance labels and to set growth targets for schools.

Overall, Louisiana received a SPS of 85.2, up 0.1 points from last year. Out of the state’s 1,118 schools, 24 percent of the schools receiving the SPS reports met or exceeded their growth targets for 2007, and 25.6 percent showed some growth.

In the Tri-parishes, results were mixed.

According to the latest scores, Terrebonne Parish has no schools earning below 60 points, the equivalent of failing. It also has no schools in categories one or two, which would require state intervention.

Schools are appointed stars based on performance, with five stars being the highest ranking. By 2014, all schools must earn at least a four-star rating, according to the state’s improvement plan.

Terrebonne has seven three-star schools: Bourg Elementary, Broadmoor Elementary, Dularge Elementary, Lisa Park Elementary, Mulberry Elementary, Oakshire Elementary and Upper Little Caillou Elementary schools.

School Accountability Supervisor Kathy Tamplain said 17 schools had two-star rankings and 12 earned one star.

Monetary awards are given to schools that achieve a growth level of “exemplary” or “recognized” academic growth, Tamplain said.

Terrebonne has six elementary schools receiving monetary awards: Bayou Black, Bourg,

Gibson, Montegut, Pointe-Aux-Chenes and Upper Little Caillou.

In addition to achieving the school’s growth target, Tamplain said, “The exemplary schools achieved at least 2.0 points growth in every subgroup. Those schools in the recognized academic growth labels have met their growth targets, regardless of subgroup growth or school improvement.”

According to Julie Bourgeois, Lafourche Parish school accountability supervisor, all schools posted strong baseline performance scores. However, growth school performance was down compared to last school year, she said.

Three Lafourche schools scored exemplary growth, which is down from nine in 2006. The exemplary schools are Larose Cut-Off Middle, Lockport Elementary, and St. Charles Elementary.

The number of students receiving recognized growth labels also declined.

For 2007, the parish has three 3-star schools. Seventeen posted two-star ratings and eight had one star. In 2006, there were four three-star, 14 two-star and nine one-star schools.

Bayou Blue Middle and Raceland Middle schools both came out of School Improvement

2. Bourgeois reports that there are only three schools still designated “in need of academic assistance.”

“As always we will focus on those schools with the largest decreases in SPS and continue to work diligently to increase school performance,” Bourgeois said.

In St. Mary Parish, 50 percent of schools showed academic gains. Also, 85 percent of the parish’s public schools have met the subgroup percent proficiency standards set forth by the federal and state governments, which are the cornerstone of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

“Nearly all of our schools have met their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) objectives as outlined by NCLB,” said Kevin P. Derise, parish accountability manager. “This required each school’s nine possible subgroups to meet percent proficiency standards on passing the Louisiana Education Assessment Program, Graduation Exit Examination and Integrated LEAP tests in both English and mathematics.”

Dr. Donald Aguillard, St. Mary Parish school superintendent, said, “Many of our schools have made strong and consistent proficiency gains over the past three years across core subjects and grade levels.”

In 2004, St. Mary reported three 3-star schools, seven two-star schools, 12 one-star schools and four schools categorized as receiving an “academic warning.” The 2007 reports show three 3-star schools, 13 two-star schools, 10 one-star schools and no schools labeled “academically unacceptable.”

Aguillard explained that the district also reduced the number of schools targeted by the state for academic assistance from 16 schools in 2006 to nine schools in 2007.

“I am convinced that we are instructionally on the proper course to achieve greater academic advances over the coming years,” he said.

Aguillard applauded Thomas Gibbs Elementary, which gained 25.7 points over its 2006 score. With 54.9 points, the school received a growth label of “exemplary growth.”

The school also received a one-star performance rating, removing it from the previous year’s “academically unacceptable” list.

Thomas Gibbs will now join eight other St. Mary schools receiving financial reward money from the state, Augillard said.