School Board tries to look at report’s bright side

Eric Leake

Friday, July 29, 2005 | 9:58 a.m.

Clark County School Board members said they did not want to focus on only the negative in approving a report on the district's "Adequate Yearly Performance" Thursday evening.

Karlene McCormick-Lee, assistant superintendent for research, accountability and innovation, told the board that 203 district schools did not meet progress levels required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

But, McCormick-Lee said, all but one of the comprehensive schools did show some progress, just not enough to meet targets, which are regularly raised. The school that did not show progress had already scored adequate.

"No Child Left behind does not celebrate success in any way," board vice president Ruth Johnson said.

Other members reiterated Johnson's comments, saying that while No Child Left Behind highlights areas that need improvement it also ignores much progress.

"It's just unfortunate that it's done negatively and unreasonably in many ways," board member Mary Beth Scow said. "I think we need to look to at the cup half full."

During her extensive presentation, McCormick-Lee highlighted as positive trends three high schools -- Foothill, Silverado and Basic -- that scored high enough to be designated "high achieving" but remained on hold status because they scored "needs improvement" last year.

"Sometimes the Adequate Yearly Progress does not tell the whole story," McCormick-Lee said.

Katie Decker, principal of Walter Bracken Elementary School, told the board how her school had been able to go from "needs improvement" to meeting federal standards.

"There's a focus on education every day and every minute," Decker said.

In other action Thursday, discussion of the Clark County School Board's long-range plans for facilities -- including whether or not to sell a four-story building bought this spring for $14.5 million -- have been put on hold.

Officials from the district's facilities division asked that the item be pulled from the School Board meeting agenda until a later date to give them more time to prepare presentations.

Discussion of a proposed timeline for asking voters for additional funds to build and renovate schools will also take place at an upcoming School Board meeting within the next few months, said Walt Rulffes, co-interim superintendent.

During Thursday's meeting the School Board unanimously appointed board member Sheila Moulton to replace Denise Brodsky as board clerk. Brodsky announced her resignation from the board earlier this month.

Brodsky's last meeting will be Aug. 4. She begins work as executive director of the United Way of St. Charles Parish outside New Orleans Sept. 1. The board will appoint a successor to Brodsky's seat, which will be open in the 2006 general election.