Nearly 70 schools in county on watch list

Teacher training, language coaches and individualized student learning plans are some of the strategies Stanislaus County public schools are using to improve test scores.

They've worked for some schools, but not for others.

State officials Tuesday released the federal ranking of how students perform on tests called Adequate Yearly Progress.

Although some schools are doing better on AYP, others are falling behind and getting placed on a federal watch list for failing to meet standards.

For example, Don Pedro Elementary met AYP goals after two years of falling short. One more year, and the Ceres school comes off the watch list, known as Program Improvement. Don Pedro is one of 13 county schools striving to do that next year. They need two consecutive years of meeting AYP goals.

Nearly 70 county schools landed on the watch list this year, up from about 50 last year.

Educators say the watch list will grow as the requirements to meet AYP ratchet up each year.

Mary Jones, Ceres' assistant superintendent of educational services, said teachers have written plans for each student based on what the they need and how they learn best.

Officials have worked to spread the district's best teachers across its 21 schools, Jones said.

Modesto City Schools officials were pleased by their results. Five schools might leave the watch list if they repeat their solid performances this year.

"It's a challenge to do it in back-to-back years, especially with all our subgroups," said Craig Rydquist, the district's associate superintendent of instruction.

Nearly half of a school's students, including nearly half of all subgroups such as low-income and minority students, needed to score at least proficient on math and English tests for a school to meet its AYP targets this year. That bar is raised each year.

After two years of failing the AYP, schools are placed on the watch list. Each additional year of missing the AYP and the school moves further along the list, from Year 1 to Year 5.

Twenty-five county schools are in Year 5. Those schools must offer extra tutoring for students and training for teachers, allow students to transfer to better-performing schools and hire consultants to help improve learning.

In severe circumstances, state officials can take over schools.

Modesto City Schools officials say AYP success has come from increased and better staff training, improved analysis of student test data and making students more aware of what they're learning and why.

"Many of our principals sit down with students and set goals with kids and talk with them about how to do it," said Pat Portwood, associate superintendent of instruction. "It's a motivator and it shows students the responsibility they have in their learning."

AYP is part of the 2001 federal No Child Left Behind Act aimed at increasing accountability. AYP is based on statewide assessment results from the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program and the California High School Exit Examination.

Also announced Tuesday, Sullivan Creek Elementary in Tuolumne County was chosen as one of 25 California schools named Blue Ribbon Schools, a national distinction.

Honorees are academically superior and have demonstrated dramatic gains in student achievement while serving an economically disadvantaged population of students, State Superintendent Jack O'Connell said.

Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield can be reached at mhatfield@modbee.com or 578-2339.