| By Bob Weaver
EDUCATION CHALLENGED -It is likely Calhoun Schools will be placed on probation next year by the
State Department of Education, according to Director of Curriculum Greg
Cartwright.
Cartwright said the Arnoldsburg Elementary School fell below the SAT-9
standard. "One of the standards is that no more than fifteen percent of the
students in any school can fall in the bottom quartile of the norming
population," he said.
"This will place that school on probation next year as well as the county
school system," said Cartwright.
Cartwright is issuing a statement regarding other SAT-9 scores that have
been consistently dropping in grades nine, and more recently grade ten. Scores
in the ninth grade at Calhoun High, according to one interpretation, have been
dangerously close to placing the school and the county system on probation
the past two years.
Cartwright said "We never seem to have problems reaching the upper
standard which requires that at least 50% of the students must score in the
top two quartiles (which should be the top 50%). We always seem to be
close at one school or another on the other standard which says that no
more than 15% of the students can be in the bottom quartile (which
represents 25% of a random sample for the norming of the test.)
The Hur Herald has asked for a clarification of the challenges and problems facing the local school systems, particularily in relation to the President's new incentives "No Child Left Behind."
The President's education program appears to contain sweeping reforms of the nation's educational system by school year 2013-14.
A theme of the Bush program is to improve student achievement, put better qualified teachers in the classroom and get parents more involved in education.
Funding to West Virginia will increase to $325 million next year, and will focus on teaching every child to read by grade three.
In Calhoun County, according to honor roll information, there may be few problems with academic achievement by grade twelve. During one grading period, about 83 of 104 seniors enrolled were on the honor rolls, although a few handfuls of students were on the honor roll in lower grades.
Cartwright said "Although the numbers seemed lopside, it is not unusual for seniors to have a much larger proportion than earlier grades." He said seniors were much more focused, while freshman struggle with the transition to high school with social and academic concerns.
"Most students drop out of school (age 16) do so between ninth and twelfth grades," he said. Cartwright said since these students do not usually perform at honor roll levels, that would account for the large numbers of students on the senior honor roll.
The West Virginia school system spends one of the largest amounts per student ($8400 annually) for education, compared to other states.
More to follow EDUCATION CHALLENGED.
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