| Test scores have dropped below standard at Calhoun High School in grades
nine through eleven. Principal Mike Offutt said the school could be placed
on academic probation if there is no improvement next year.
"This is a serious problem we will address," said Offutt.
"We are turning all the stones to work on solutions," said Offutt. "All
teachers and administrators will be involved in staff development to make
improvements."
SAT-9 scores for grades 9 through 11 are below the acceptable 50
percentile at a 42% average. The scores could be the worst in the school's
history.
9th Grade SAT-9 average 48%
10th Grade SAT-9 average 32%
11th Grade SAT-9 average 44%
Middle School scores passed
Offutt said students appear to do worse as they approach graduation.
County Curriculum Director Greg Cartwright said the county's elementary schools did well this year. "Pleasant Hill scores have consistently been well above state and national averages," he said.
Arnoldsburg School had some SAT-9 problems last year, but has made "tremendous progress this year and boast even higher scores with over 71% of their students in grades three and four in the top two quartiles," said Cartwright.
This is the last year for SAT-9 testing, which is being replaced by the
WESTEST next year. The WESTEST will only be given to Grade 10, but schools
will "definitely be held accountable on the results," said Offutt.
County Curriculum Director Greg Cartwright said during the transition year from SAT-9 to WESTEST "No new schools would be put on probation."
"The WESTEST is based on content standards of what is actually being
taught," said Offutt. SAT-9 covered a broad range of knowledge which was
not always part of the teaching curriculum.
Offutt said there would be an immediate change on content. "The testing
should be on what we are teaching," he said.
Cartwright said there may not be any significant consequences to the school system at this time.
Calhoun High may be on the edge of a problem with meeting the state attendance requirements, but Cartwright said he believes all the standards will be met by county schools.
Calhoun Schools, like all state schools, must meet performance based
thresholds set by federal policy in "No Child Left Behind."
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