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Lauren Kohut-Rost, a Clark County School District deputy superintendent of instruction, holds a monitoring report on academic achievement during a news conference at the at the Greer Education Center,Thursday, July 23, 2009. Clark County School Board members announced that the district had fallen short of “adequate yearly progress” under the federal law for the 2008-09 academic year.
Published Thursday, July 23, 2009 | 2:08 p.m.
Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009 | 2:54 p.m.
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When it comes to No Child Left Behind, “close” isn’t good enough, the Clark County School District learned today.
At a press conference at the Greer Education Center, Clark County School Board members announced that the district had fallen short of “adequate yearly progress” under the federal law for the 2008-09 academic year. The district had made adequate progress in 2007 and 2008.
Overall, the district’s test scores were high enough to satisfy the state’s benchmarks, even though there was a slight dip in math at the elementary level, and in math, reading and writing at the high school level. But the district -- as well as individual schools -- must also meet benchmarks for subgroups of students, broken down by ethnicity, special education status, limited English proficiency and those qualifying for free and reduced-price meals.
The district missed the mark in a number of those areas across all grade levels.
The "all or nothing" reality of AYP "has always been a frustration," said School Board member Sheila Moulton. "Our students have made tremendous progress but that sometimes gets lost in the message."
At the same time, Moulton said she doesn't want to see No Child Left Behind abandoned in its entirety.
"It's made us really look at every single child," Moulton said. "I'm grateful for that."
District officials said budget cuts might have played a role in the poorer showing because of larger classes and less support for students. Another factor, officials said, might also have been changes to the tests given to elementary and middle school students, said Lauren Kohut-Rost, the district's deputy superintendent of instruction.
Less money meant fewer opportunities for remedial students to get extra help and an increased workload for teachers, she said.
"Our superintendent tried to keep the budget cuts as far removed from the classroom as possible," she said, "but there's still an effect."
Clark County Schools superintendent Walt Ruffles was absent from the news conference. He had informed the School Board earlier this summer that he would be traveling at the time the AYP results were announced.
Schools have to demonstrate achievement in 37 different categories. Of the district's 361 schools, 171 didn't make adequate progress. Of those schools, 38 missed in just one subgroup area, while 37 others missed in two subgroups.
Among the bright spots in the results, Valley High School was singled out for special recognition as the district’s first-ever “turnaround high achieving” campus. The designation is reserved for schools that have spent at least three years on the “needs improvement” list before demonstrating high achievement. Fewer than 10 campuses statewide have received the designation.
Agassi College Preparatory Academy, one of eight charter schools sponsored by the Clark County School Board, also scored well. Agassi’s elementary students made adequate progress, while the middle school and high school were both high achieving.
Districtwide, 11 campuses were rated high achieving and six high school programs were recognized for continued exemplary achievement. The latter category is new this year, added by the Nevada Education Department to honor campuses that hit No Child Left Behind’s glass ceiling for top designations.
Supporters of the education reform law say it has brought renewed accountability, and forced districts to focus on struggling students who were often ignored. But critics say the law is too punitive, and that many of the requirements it imposes are unrealistic.
No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization this year. But state education officials say they’ve been told no revisions or changes will be handed down before 2010.
In Clark County for the 2008-09 academic year, reading and writing proficiency was up about 2 percentage points in the elementary schools, while the same students saw their math proficiency scores drop by a similar percentage.
The district’s middle schools showed the most improvement, with 2 percentage point gains overall in reading and writing, as well as math. At-risk students in the middle schools also showed improvement. Scores for students qualifying for free and reduced price meals were up about 5 percentage points in all subjects. Hispanic middle schoolers gained 4 percentage points in reading, writing and math. Black students also did better, gaining about 2 percentage points in reading, writing and math.
At the high school level, the district’s performance in reading and writing slipped about 1 percentage point, although overall scores were still good enough for adequate progress.
However, there was a 5 percentage-point drop in math proficiency at the high schools, although the districtwide number still exceeded the state-mandated benchmark.
This year 234 schools made adequate progress in mathematics, compared with 263 last year. For a second consecutive year, 212 schools made adequate progress in reading and writing.
No Child Left Behind requires 100 percent of all public school students to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics by the 2013-14 academic year.
States were given some leeway in determining their paths to that goal with some, like Nevada, opting for increases in minimum scores on standardized tests about every two years.
Elementary schools and middle schools are judged using criterion-reference tests, while high schools are rated based on results from the Nevada State High School Proficiency Exam.
Schools that miss the test score targets but reduce the number of nonproficient students by at least 10 percent are considered to have made adequate progress under the state's "safe harbor" provision.
Failure to make adequate progress can result in sanctions, ranging from having to offer students transfers to more successful schools to being required by the state Education Department to replace key staff, including the principal.
This year the district has 14 schools on the “needs improvement” list for a sixth consecutive year. Von Tobel Middle School is in its seventh year on the list, which increases the likelihood of the state calling for significant program and staffing changes at the campus.
Regardless, let's make sure Mr. Rulffes gets a bonus and a raise.
I am not surprised by this article having experienced first hand the lack of caring by my son's teachers at Canarelli Middle School. He is high functioning autistic but has to have extra time sometimes to hand in work and he had 3 teachers,(Math, Reading and computer) who would not comply and the dean of students refused to get involved.
This school district and some its teachers should be ashamed. It has nothing to do with budget cuts, it is a total lack of caring and personal responsibilty.
The schools answer for this will be if we only had more money.
This is the problem with the public school system "no child left behind". Why can't we not just create an equal leveled field for all student and just let the best succeed. guys, I am tired of having my child be held back because no child can be left behind.It is no wonder more and more poeple are turning to private institutions to educate their children.
NCLB benchmarks are too strict. Let's lower our goals.. then the CCSD will meet them! right Harry Reid? Or do you think "the war is lost" in the battle to improve Nevada's public education standards?
I think the biggest problem we have is the size of our school district. We have the 5th largest school district in the U.S. but we aren't even in the top 25 for population of a metro area in the U.S.
What does this tell us? It says that several other school districts are much smarter than ours; they've split up to better accomodate the children.
Rememeber the children? that's what it's about! Not some power-hungry district admin that wants to CONTROL the BIGGEST district.
All of our children would be MUCH better off if we split up the district into two or three seperate district.
As for my family. I am fortunate enough to make the sacrifices so my kids won't have to attend pubic schools.
Simple fact is that smaller class sizes equal higher student achievement.
Find the money to pay to have a full time professionally accredited teacher in every classroom. Then limit the class size to a manageable number. That is the only mix where you will see test scores increase.
We can't have our students being taught by full time substitute teachers any longer. It's not working.
Italian gal needs to know that Cannerelli made AYP. Being disgruntled at the school because your child was being held accountable to meet the standards of NCLB is not the answer. ALL CHILDREN are to perform at grade level regardless of disability! Don't you know that. They can be deaf, blind, and drooling on the floor, and CCSD is supposed to make them learn. Please give credit for the fact that many schools (186) did meet the goals of NCLB {much greater than the number that didn't). There are 300+ thousand students in the district. The majority met or exceeded standards.
If you split the district up into 3 smaller district, you will still have 3 of the 25 largest districts in the nation. Most small districts (90%) do not meet the requirements of NCLB. Smaller districts cost per student are generally 20 to 30% higher than CCSD's. All you will have is more superintendents, school boards, and other administration. Economy of scale is what it is all about. The tax payer would balk at the cost of ed. going up by 20% percent just to have more districts.
I'm sorry that people think that teachers have the easy life. I would like to see them teach 175 students a day for 9 months. Most teachers in this district do not make $60,000-$75,000 a year. Moat make les than half of what you 'claim' teachers earn. What about those teachers and schools that are making AYP every year? I think you should look at the facts of what the Clark County School District fought to keep for the teachers. This way the false claims and accusations on here can stop. Thank you.
Jesus, even the teachers cannot spell correctly. "Moat make les", utegrad06? Obviously, the problem is that we're trying to educate newly arrived immigrants whose parents might have made the third grade in their native country. And the kids are just as stupid as their parents. Sorry, but maybe the third grade is the max for our newly arrived friends...
Anyone unable to recognize 'typos' is the one who is stupid. Most CCSD school teachers are good people and good teachers, especially at the elementary school level. It's the administration that is fouled up. The CCSD tends to put inexperienced teachers in admin positions without developing them or allowing them to develop themselves into admin types as they mature.
Has there ever been, in the history of the district, a year in which 100% of the students at any one school tested proficient on a standardized proficiency assessment? Has it ever happened in the history of the nation at a school with >200 students? So what does everyone think is going to happen between now and 2014? Anyone with half a brain can see that the law is intended to, and will, label virtually every school "needs improvement" in the next 5 years. What exactly is the point of this exercise?
Also, for all of the genius critics - riddle me this:
How can a school make significant improvement in the aggregate percentage of proficiency year over year and still move from adequate to needs improvement under NCLB? It happened at a number of sites. Maybe Richmond or the district should care enough to at least incluse year over year proficiency percentages - in the aggregate - for each site so that the public can have access to a legitimate measure of schools' progress, rather than these designations that 99% of readers and the general public don't truely understand? Or would that require too much effort.
NCLB has to go. It has created a climate where teachers have to teach to a test! I am not saying that a measurment it not needed but NCLB abuses it.
Look at New York State where they have had regents for the past 150 years.(I am a proudct of the NYC schools and tuaght there for many years!) They are so successful (not every system is foolproof and I am sure that there are flaws)that New York State has ranked #1 for well over 50 years. They must be doing something right!
Parents need to take an interest in tneir child's education and not think that the school districts are highly paid babysitting services.
We also have to give students more real life skills instead of all this useless book knowledge that they are never going to use. Bring back BUsiness/Vocational Education so kids can function in the real world. EVeryone has to work and should be taught good work habits and ethics!
Not everyone is going to college and will make bucks. Remember the guy who fixes your car is good for 60+ per year, the air conditioning contractor you call to your homesgets $85.00 just to say I am here, then the charges begin!
Get real folks not everyone is going to be a doctor or lawyer. NCLB has to go!
Basic High School has now had inadequate progress for the past 4 years. The answer to the problem starts at the top with its administration (Principal and Assistant Principal's). Until there is improvement at the top, we will see the school fail again and again.
No Child Left Behind is really --- NALB ----- No Administrator Left Behind. CCSD places most of the money in the hands of administrators and very little in the hands of teachers and students. CCSD could care less if schools make AYP. They only care if there's enough money to pay those highly sought after administrators. Notice how many schools change administrators when those schools are on the Needs Improvement or have failed miserably for more than 5-6 years. CCSD does NOT make changes. The teachers at these schools do their best, but the results are the same. The only recourse is to transfer --- if they can. Administrators are protected by their UNION. So again, No Administrator Left Behind is intact.
"No Child Left Behind" was a ploy by the Bush Administration to direct public funds for private schooling for the already rich. The feeling was that if the public school was sub-par, then why should the rich, white folks have to send their progeny there for an inferior education. BUT, since they couldn't - or wouldn't - pay for private education themselves, they were demanding vouchers in the amount that would be allocated to their children, had they stayed in public education.
What we need to realize as parents, grandparents, and taxpayers, is that the demographic make-up of our schools is no longer what we experienced in our youth. There are far more non-English speaking students, yet the same tests are applied to them with no accomodations made for lack of English language skills.
NCLB is a joke! We need to get rid of it as soon as possible. In theory it is a good idea, but in actuality it just doesn't benefit the school district.
Hi my name is Priscilla Ortiz am going to be a senior from Valley High this year and I have to say that I have notice that for my generation; "No child left behind" is not a solution to a better education, and especially because of is clauses and rules.
I talked to Mrs. Stepinski (school dean) and she was sure very satisfied and happy about the results for Valley High this year,and in that side I have to admit that yes it is great to have more programs help students for their profeciencies. I share her happiness and feel proud, but there are other people that can not receive the same quality of services or try to join certain programs because they simply dont qualify... " No child left behind" is not equal to everyone. No child left behind denies federal help in some cases to schools that do not meet " standard requirements," and how are schools suppost to improve like that.