ABCs Results: More Schools of Distinction, More Make High Growth
August 5, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dr. Lewis Ferebee, Chief of Staff, 560-3874
DURHAM--Seven schools in the Durham Public Schools system earned School of Distinction recognition for 2009-10 under the ABCs of Accountability testing program, three more than earned this designation in 2008-09.
Sixteen schools met High Growth, up from five schools in 2008-09. Forty-four schools measured met their overall expected growth target.
The results were approved today by the State Board of Education. They were based on mathematics, reading and science scores on end-of-grade tests in elementary and middle schools and eight end of course tests and writing in high school. For the first time the state included students’ first retest results on the end of course tests. Retest results for grades 3 through 8 were first counted in the 2008-09 results.
A total of 43 schools, or 81 percent, had higher composite scores than the previous year.
For high schools, Jordan High, Southern School of Engineering and the Performance Learning Center reported High Growth. W.G. Pearson Magnet Middle School also made High Growth, as did 13 elementary schools. They are: Bethesda, Burton, Spaulding, Watts, Holt, Hope Valley, Lakewood, Morehead, Oak Grove, Parkwood, Pearsontown, R. N. Harris, and Southwest.
The ABCs ratings are based on end-of-grade and end-of-course test scores. Those scores are applied to a formula that ultimately indicates relative achievement levels over the course of the year, taking a number of student performance factors into account. A school that makes expected growth has shown growth that would be reasonably expected over one year’s time, based on previous performance. A high growth school must have at least 60 percent of their students achieving the expected growth standard.
Highlights among the 2009-10 ABCs results include:
- Seven Schools of Distinction – Hillandale, Mangum, Pearsontown, Durham School of the Arts, Clement Early College High School, the City of Medicine Academy and the Middle College High School at Durham Tech.
- Four elementary schools increased their overall composite by greater than 10 percentage points. They are Spaulding, Fayetteville St., Lakewood and Merrick-Moore.
- Twenty-two elementary schools, or 76 percent, increased their overall composite.
- Thirteen elementary schools (49 percent) made the High Growth standard, up from two (7 percent) that did so last year.
- Science test results in elementary were particularly impressive with an 8.1 point gain.
- All subjects in high school showed improvements with all but one improving before the retests were counted.
- Algebra 2 realized a gain from 49.0 to 70.8 (63.3 before retesting).
- W.G. Pearson Middle, Jordan High and Southern School of Engineering made High Growth.
- Two schools were designated Low Performing, down from five last year, a 60 percent decrease in the number of Low Performing schools.
“We are very pleased with the positive results we experienced in our ABCs performance for the 2009-10 school year. These results show that teachers and students were focused on learning and that their work paid off in improved student achievement,” said Superintendent Eric J. Becoats. “We must accelerate this progress so that we will be able to celebrate every school as high-performing.”
- 2009-10 Academic Results presentation
- First Test Administration Results: Elementary, Middle, High
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