Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) 2005-06

All YCSD Schools Meet Accreditation Standards
Division & 15 of 18 Schools Make AYP

Based on a review of preliminary data, all York County School Division schools will again meet the state’s accreditation standards. Additionally, the division and 15 schools, including Yorktown Elementary, met federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards as a result of student performance on Standards of Learning exams taken last spring.

As a division, English pass-rate increases were seen in all student sub-groups. In math, division-wide sub-group increases were seen for both black and Hispanic students. The pass rate for Limited English proficient (LEP) students increased by 26 points in English and 14 points in math. “We are very pleased with the achievement of our students and the dedication of our teachers to ensure student success on these exams,” Steven R. Staples, Ed.D., division superintendent, said. “While we have some work to do, we have much to be proud of. Yorktown Elementary is a good example of our progress in this area.”

Yorktown Elementary did not make AYP last year, but showed significant improvement this year and met federal AYP standards. The school achieved double-digit increases in several sub-groups – including a 22-point increase in English and a 13-point increase in math for black students. “The students and staff of YES should be commended for pass-rate increases in both math and English. Parents, students and staff have worked very hard this year and their efforts have paid off,” he said.

Three division middle schools – Grafton Middle, Tabb Middle and Yorktown Middle – met accreditation standards but did not make AYP. All three schools made AYP last year.

On the English exams, middle school students showed increases in several sub-groups at each of the division’s four middle schools. While Tabb Middle (students with disabilities) and Yorktown Middle (students identified as disadvantaged) did not make AYP in English, both schools showed performance increases in those sub-groups.

Grafton Middle (students with disabilities), Tabb Middle (students with disabilities) and Yorktown Middle (black students) all did not make AYP in math. “This is the first year that students in grades 4, 6 and 7 were tested in math and English, and across the state student performance on the 6th and 7th grade math exams was significantly below expectations,” Staples said.

“Over the next several months, we will be working closely with the state to address unexplained fluctuations in student performance on the math exams,” Staples said. “For a student to pass advanced on the 5th grade SOL exam and not pass the 6th grade SOL exam, I believe there must be issues beyond the classroom. Until we’ve had an opportunity to review the test items and delve deeper into the data, I cannot explain these inconsistencies and don’t believe these results are a true reflection of what our students know,” he said.

The division has taken several steps to address subgroup performance on math and English SOL exams. Across the division, professional development, data analysis and remediation programs have been developed to focus efforts on those students who are not succeeding on the exams.

At the middle school level, both reading specialists and assessment and compliance coordinators (ACC) have been assigned to each middle school. The ACCs will review test results, create student achievement plans and help teachers with remediation programs. “These additional staff members can really make a difference in the effectiveness of our intervention programs,” Jennifer Parish, Ed.D., chief academic officer, said. “They are experts who can help the school and the classroom teacher design programs that make a positive impact on student performance.”

“Even with our division’s historically high pass rates, we have some work to do to meet NCLB’s 100 percent pass rate by 2014,” Staples said. “I continue to have concerns about the federal government’s belief that 100 percent of students with disabilities can pass rigorous SOL exams, but as a division we are committed to providing every student with a quality education that gives them the tools they need to succeed.”

The York County School Division met 237 of 242 achievement targets as required under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks. The York County School Division met all of their annual measurable objectives and made AYP.

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