DPS anticipates 7 Schools of Excellence; 11 of Distinction
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dr. Bert L’Homme, Associate Superintendent, Instructional Services, 560-3716DURHAM—When the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction releases its annual ABC designations next month, Durham Public Schools expects the number of Schools of Excellence will have more than doubled, from three to seven.
In addition, results for the 2002-03 school year indicate that all 27 elementary schools will be deemed “High Growth” schools, meaning that they exceeded their growth goals by at least 10 percent. Half of the system’s eight middle schools are expected to be high growth schools, as well.
Preliminary findings indicate:
Seven elementary schools have at least 90 percent of students at or above grade level and have met or exceeded expected growth/gain goals, which should make them Schools of Excellence, shattering last year’s record of three. They are: Easley, Eno Valley, Hillandale, Little River, Mangum, Morehead and Southwest Elementary Schools.
Eleven schools reported between 80 and 89 percent of students at or above grade level and have met or exceeded their expected growth/gain goals, giving them School of Distinction recognition, over last year’s record of 10. They are Club Boulevard, R.N. Harris, Holt, Hope Valley, Oak Grove, Parkwood and Pearsontown Elementary Schools, Carrington, Rogers-Herr and Shepard Middle Schools, and Durham School of the Arts.
Nineteen schools have between 60 and 79 percent of students at or above grade level and have met or exceeded their expected growth/gain goals, which should make them Schools of Progress. This is an increase over last year’s total of 12. They are: Bethesda, Burton, Eastway, Fayetteville Street, Forest View, Glenn, Lakewood, Merrick-Moore, W.G. Pearson, E.K. Powe, Y.E. Smith, C.C. Spaulding and George Watts Elementary Schools, Brogden, Githens and Lowe’s Grove Middle Schools, and Jordan, Northern and Riverside High Schools.
Two schools, Hillside and Southern High Schools, are likely to be named Priority Schools, with between 50 and 59 percent of students at or above grade level. Hillside met their expected growth/gain goals and Southern is expected to be a high growth school. Last year the district had three priority schools.
This year only two schools should receive the No Recognition designation, down from last year’s total of 13. These are schools that did not meet expected growth/gain goals but have at least 60 percent of students at or above grade level. They are Chewning and Neal middle schools.
The ABC 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/gain has shown growth that would be reasonably expected over one year’s time, based on previous performance. A high growth/gain school shows growth that is at least 10 percent higher than expected.
“We are extremely proud of the hard work put forth by the students, teachers, parents, principals, Central Services professionals and the entire Durham community toward these preliminary ABC designations,” said Superintendent Ann T. Denlinger. “As we move closer to our reading goal and closing the Achievement Gap, we can easily see that our efforts are paying off!”
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Attachment: ABCs Outcomes for Durham Public Schools: 1996-97 Through 2002-03
