The Washington Post: More Md. students resorting to alternative assessments to graduateAnd here are the details that The Washington Post didn't include. Here is the list of the 10 MCPS high schools that did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress from the 2010 Maryland Report Card.
High School and areas where Adequate Yearly Progress was "NOT MET."
Blake - Reading & Math: Special Education
Clarksburg - Reading: Limited English Proficient
Damascus - Reading: Special Education
Gaithersburg - Reading: Special Education
Kennedy - Reading & Math: Special Education
Magruder - Reading: FARMS/Special Education/Limited English Proficient
Northwest - Math: Special Education
Northwood - Reading & Math: Special Education
Paint Branch - Reading & Math: Special Education
Sherwood - Reading: Hispanic/FARMS/Limited English Proficient
FARMS = Free and Reduced-Price Meals
Magruder - Reading: FARMS/Special Education/Limited English Proficient
Northwest - Math: Special Education
Northwood - Reading & Math: Special Education
Paint Branch - Reading & Math: Special Education
Sherwood - Reading: Hispanic/FARMS/Limited English Proficient
FARMS = Free and Reduced-Price Meals
The calculation for AYP is nuts. Kids who meet the minimum combined score on the HSA (1602? I think) don't count as a "pass" when AYP is calculated. We have to retest seniors who already have the minimum combined score (and thus meet graduation requirements) because their "fail" on that particular test counts against the school's AYP calculations.
ReplyDeleteUntil we deal with the inequity of poverty in the red zone schools, there will always be a discrepancy in scores between the "W" schools and the red zone schools.
ReplyDeleteMCPS Teacher and Parent
@ MCPS teacher/parent
ReplyDeleteSuperintendent Weast has divided the county up into the red zone and the green zone. (Not the w zone.)
On the list above Clarksburg, Damascus, and Sherwood do not have any Title 1 elementary schools that feed into them. Looking at the red/green MCPS map they are in the green part.
(Clarksburg may have some area in red zone? Not clear from map. Anyone know more about their boundaries?)
Northwest has 1 Title 1 school out of 8 elementary schools. Also shown in green.
Gaithersburg has 4 out of 7 - also large portion of map in green.
Magruder does not have any Title 1 elementary schools but appears to be in green and red zone on map.
The list of schools that did not meet AYP goals is far from just a red zone list. In fact lots of red zone areas in the county made AYP.
Clarksburg does not have any Title 1 but two in the cluster that qualify to be Title 1.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how a school becomes Title 1? Does the individual school have to apply or does MCPS apply as a whole and then disburse supplements as they deem necessary?
To Mr./Ms. Anonymous: You said: We have to retest seniors who already have the minimum combined score (and thus meet graduation requirements) because their "fail" on that particular test counts against the school's AYP calculations.
ReplyDelete************
Can you elaborate on this? Are the students told why they are re-taking the test? What happens if they or their parents don't consent? How many students does your school "re-test" in this way?
Title I is determined by poverty rate at the school.
ReplyDeleteMCPS Parent and Teacher
Thanks Anonymous MCPS Parent & Teacher, however what I would like to know is if a school is currently 58% FARMS and the Title 1 criteria for a schoolwide program is 40% FARMS....Why wouldn't a school apply to be Title 1?
ReplyDeleteHas MCPS hit the threshold of how many Title 1 schools they are willing to accept? Is it an individual school's decision or is it up to the school system?
Here is a summary of how Title 1 funds are allocated from a Florida school system. This may help answer your question. Next you would need to find out what the MCPS threshold is for awarding Title 1 funds.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sdhc.k12.fl.us/SSFPDiv/Title1.asp
Ask the MCPS Public Information office for the details on how MCPS allocated Title 1 funds. It doesn't appear that this information is readily available on the MCPS website.
Lyda Astrove,
ReplyDeleteI don't know how kids/parents are informed. I just know it happens at my school and my other "teacher friends'" schools. So I'm guessing it happens at schools that are worried about making AYP.