City schools looks at improving test scores on The Murfreesboro Post

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City schools looks at improving test scores

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2008 3:24 pm

Test scores and intervention plans will be reviewed by Murfreesboro City Schools at its Tuesday night meeting.

Murfreesboro City Schools failed to reach adequate yearly progress and was assigned “High Priority, School Improvement I” status, when the No Child Left Behind results were announced last month.

The board will review TCAP test scores from 2003-2008 and an intervention plan to improve test scores in high priority areas.

Last year Murfreesboro City Schools was assigned “target status” because of low special education scores, however the overall scores for the system outpaced NCLB benchmarks.

The system saw a similar event this year, with students on the average outscoring the state and nation at every grade level and in every subject area. But the system receives “high priority” status because of low scores for Hispanic students (HISP) in Reading/Language Arts and Writing and students with limited English proficiency (LEP) in Mathematics. Also Cason Lane Academy was assigned “target status” for low math scores from students with disabilities.

No Child Left Behind requires students in special education and students with limited English proficiency achieve the same level of skill as typical students.

NCLB requires schools meet the goals of 100 percent of students testing proficient in reading/language arts and math and a 100 percent graduation rate by 2014.

According to Tennessee Department of Education, schools that miss any benchmark in one year are given “target status.” Schools, which miss benchmarks two or more consecutive years, are assigned “high priority” status. Removal from “high priority” status requires the school to meet benchmarks two years in a row.

Other agenda items:
- Approval of new school board policy involving the hiring and employment of people with disabilities that is based on the Americans with Disability Act;

- Revision of board policy concerning school support organizations, requiring organizations to sign a contract with the system to use its name, mascot or logo to solicit or raise money or resources;

- Revision of fiscal year 2008-09 budget. The revisions bring the system’s budget in line with the projected revenues of $51,504,932. This is a 4.55-percent increase over last year’s budget;

- Rejection of beginning the traditional calendar school year in 2009 after Labor Day;

- Approval of 2009-10 traditional and alternative school calendars.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under MCS

Member Opinions:

By: barrettbear on 8/21/08
Tennessee is always looking at improving test scores to overcrowed schools. If you have ever worked for the system, sometimes a twitch in management would help.