PHS reviews the focus of education

PRINCETON— Though Princeton High School did not meet federally-mandated Adequate Yearly Progress this year, Principal Barb Schmidt encourages parents to focus on the progress of their individual children.

As reported at last month’s PHS Board meeting, preliminary reading scores from the Prairie State Achievement Exam came in at 63.3 percent of tested students meeting or exceeding standards, which is a slight increase from the previous year’s 62.2 percent. Math scores were up from last year’s 48.1 percent to 62.9 percent. However, the AYP benchmark for this past year was 77.5 percent.

Prairie State Achievement Exam scores are used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Scores for writing and science have not yet been received, PHS Principal Barb Schmidt said Tuesday.

This is the third year in which PHS has not reached AYP since No Child Left Behind Act went into effect. The Illinois State Board of Education established Regional System of Support Offices (RESPRO) in 2003 to help school districts restructure and develop improvement actions.

“Not making AYP means that we continue to be a RESPRO school and complete our school improvement plan to try and increase scores,” Schmidt said. ”We are required to contact other schools to see if they would take our students if they choose to go there. However, in our area that isn’t a very practical thing.” 

The AYP benchmark continues to get higher each year, Schmidt said. Next year’s benchmark will be 85 percent of all students meeting or exceeding academic standards. As the benchmarks have gone up, fewer schools have met or exceeded, she said.

PHS has implemented several adjustments to its curriculum and scheduling to help PHS students reach AYP standards, Schmidt said. One of those changes is the switch to the Eight Block scheduling system. The new system not only meets the demands of the federally-mandated Response To Intervention program, in providing English and math all year, but also allows for a 30-minute homeroom each morning during which students may get extra help from teachers and staff.

Unlike testing done in elementary districts, high school districts test students one time during their junior year and do not have the ability to show growth in specific students, Schmidt said. This type of testing shows how one class compares to the previous year’s class, she said.