Why Is Your School On This List?

There is a big disparity between the haves and have-nots of education. Probably the largest of the 36 sub-categories we have to meet the standards in is students from low-income families who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. When you go into schools with large free and reduced-meal populations, most of us are struggling to meet the standards, for lots of reasons: Most of our schools are in areas that are socially and economically depressed. They're high crime areas. It's hard to attract teachers in these areas. Then children who come to school with problems from home or the neighborhood require emotional support. This coupled with stress surrounding the state assessments often causes teacher burnout.

Saying to my teachers who face all these challenges, "Work harder," is a big mistake. My staff is working harder than anyone I can imagine. As an administrator, I've got to ask myself how hard I can push them before I push them right out the door to a less stressful place. So far, they are all hanging in for the children.

Rhonda Pitts

Bladensburg Elementary School, Bladensburg

For the last two years, we didn't meet the NCLB requirements in the special education subgroup. It's the one area that's catching us. We made significant progress in every other subgroup and category, including attendance. But our special ed scores on the MSA would have to improve in both reading and math in order for us to make AYP.

Our school is working on strengthening this area. We are implementing more special education inclusion classes, having our special education students go into the regular classroom settings to get whole-group instruction, then coming out for small-group instruction to help them improve their skills. We have sent special education and inclusion classroom teachers to workshops designed specifically to address the instructional needs of special education students. I'm not happy about being on the list, but if anyone were to walk into the school, I think they'd see that I have a stable staff -- which I didn't have when I arrived here five years ago -- and my teachers are certified (standard and advanced certifications); only a small percentage, mainly new teachers, have to complete a test or class for full certification. All these things play into the strength of our instructional program.

I think NCLB is basically a good law, because no school should leave any child behind. You want everybody to learn, you want everybody to make progress, you want to make good citizens, because that's good for everybody. But I don't think NCLB is properly funded. You need money to do the things that need to be done. In my school, I would have tutoring built into the school program. The tutoring students receive now is only for a short period of time and is provided by many different supplemental services providers. It should be ongoing from October through March and it should concentrate on the areas where the school has real needs.

If I can get the funds for the student and parent programs and teacher resources that Bladensburg needs, that's the key. There is money, but not enough and it is often geared for specific use. I get some monies from Title I, some from the state and some from the county, but not enough to meet the school's needs.

Malissa Parnell

Judge Sylvania W. Woods Elementary School, Glenarden, Md.

Our school is on the list because we failed to meet the AYP mark for the past two years in the African American, special needs and economically disadvantaged subgroups. Anyone can easily argue that the test is not a "fair" indication of the day-to-day attention my staff gives to students. A test doesn't measure the time we spend counseling students who've lost parents for one reason or another. It doesn't measure the daily time we spend helping students resolve issues rather than resort to fighting or being combative and disrespectful toward adults and peers. There are so many facets of our students' lives that can't be placed on hold just because we are faced with meeting the established testing standard. But we feel encouraged each day that we are attempting to juggle our students' diverse needs while keeping them on pace with the established learning objectives.

Our students are often functioning two to three years behind their peers. So wherever and whenever possible we continue to go back and provide remedial services to improve the students' basic learning skills. We do it through daily drills and practice, learning centers and after-school tutoring programs.

We remain optimistic and positive about the gains the students are making. We realize that America has established a measuring stick and we offer no excuses for not attempting to meet the established mark, while at the same time we strive every day to meet our students' emotional and social needs.

Miriam Hughey-Guy

Barcroft Elementary School, Arlington

We were as surprised as the public when we did not make AYP. Three years ago, we did not make AYP in three of the 29 possible categories; two years ago in two of the 29; and last year in one -- students on free/reduced lunch, in reading.

Every year is different, each group of students is different, and every child is different. In one year, the students may be highly capable of passing the tests but may need study skills to assist them in performing at or above their potential. In another year, our grades include a high percentage of second-language learners who are just beginning to master English. In another, we may have students who are proficient in English but have low academic skills due to transience or deficient reading skills.

This year, as soon as we identified the students who did not pass the tests, or who our other assessments suggested may not pass, we designed an individual learning plan for each student and monitored each student's progress. Adjustments in each student plan have been made throughout the year to best meet the needs of the individual child. While we want and expect to make AYP this year, our goal is always and primarily the academic success of each student.