Preliminary data released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shows fewer schools in Lenoir and Greene counties made Adequate Yearly Progress in 2008 compared to last year.

“We have excellent schools but they are being labeled because they are not meeting target goals,” Lenoir County Schools Superintendent Terry Cline said. “We don’t take missing our targets lightly.”

Four of 18 Lenoir County Schools met their math AYP requirements, which included Kennedy Home, Moss Hill, Northwest and Teachers Memorial Elementary Schools. Cline said the AYP goals are “lofty” and the nation’s next president will likely look at revising the standards.

“Standards changed this year nationwide,” he said. “Most schools didn’t meet one or two of their targets.”

AYP measures the yearly progress for 10 groups designated under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The goal of the legislation is to have all students at or above grade level in reading and math by the 2013-14 school year.

The AYP is determined by standardized tests given to students in grades 3-8 and in 10th grade. Each school must have at least 95 percent of students in each grade tested. The 10 defined groups are: all students, white, black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, multi-racial, economically disadvantaged students, limited English students and students with disabilities. If a school misses just one goal, it doesn’t make its AYP.

All five Greene County Schools failed to meet AYP this year. Last year, Greene Central High was the only school to meet standards. Greene County Schools Superintendent Patrick Miller acknowledged Tuesday AYP goals are a moving target and somewhat difficult to meet.

“The elementary school did well reaching 21 of its 22 AYP targets,” he said. “It’s the first time in three years that Greene Central High did not meet AYP.”

Jones County Schools also did not perform as well this year on AYP math scores as compared to last year. Pollocksville and Trenton Elementary Schools both met all their target goals. In 2007, four of six schools in the district made their AYP.

Two local charter schools, The Children’s Village Academy and Kinston Charter Academy, were also included in the recent AYP report.

Unlike Kinston Charter, CVA made AYP in 2008. According to CVA officials, students were 89 percent proficient in math compared to 64 percent proficient last year.

Preliminary AYP results reported Monday are based on the 2007-2008 AYP targets for all high schools. Schools with grades three through eight reported only math AYP results. AYP reading results for 2008 will be released in November.

 

Chris Lavender can be reached at (252) 559-1078 or clavender@freedomenc.com.

Preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress 2008 Results

 

·         Lenoir County Schools

·         4 of 18 schools met AYP math standards, which includes Kennedy Home, Moss Hill Elementary, Northwest Elementary, and Teachers Memorial Elementary.

 

·         Jones County Schools

·         2 of 6 schools met AYP math standards, which includes Pollocksville Elementary and Trenton Elementary

 

·         Greene County Schools

·         0 of 5 schools met AYP math standards

 

·         Charter Schools

·         The Children’s Village Academy met AYP math standards

·         Kinston Charter Academy failed to meet AYP math standards