MORE ABOUT AYP

As you may have read or heard by now, Washington County High School did not make AYP for the 2008-2009 school term. Because the number of students in the special education subgroup that participated in the state assessments exceeded the minimum number established for data collection, the results of their assessments were included in the accountability report for WCHS. In previous years, these results were not included and the report read "No data" and "N/A" in the special education subgroup. I have already made plans with the teachers to identify, re-teach, and support the students who are not proficient in all subgroups and to make reading instruction a priority in all classes this year. In addtition to this, we are already implementing a Monday Reading Break in which each student in grades 7-12 are simultaneaously taught a specific reading skill with guided practice and independent work during a rotating,pre-selected class period. While you have every right to be concerned, please do not lose sight of the fact that WCHS did meet 20 out of 21 proficiency goals, including a graduation rate of 94%. In contrast, the other high schools in the system made AYP by meeting 17 out of 17 proficiency goals with graduation rates from 88% - 100%. While we had more than the minimum number of students in the special education subgroup for inclusion in our report, these students actually performed better in reading than the special education students in most of the other schools in our system. You can have every confidence that the academic program at WCHS is our priority and be assured that the teachers at WCHS are more than capable of providing the quality instruction needed to make AYP in the 2010 school term. Thank you in advance for providing enthusiasm and support for our academic program.