AYP scores below the mark

A complete report will be given in September, but according to preliminary reports, Havre schools again failed to make the grade under annual yearly progress benchmarks for No Child Left Behind.

"It's frustrating," Superintendent Andy Carlson said. He spoke after the Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday.

"I do not believe that that sole measure defines what a district does" or what a child knows, he added.

That doesn't mean that standardized tests don't have a purpose, he said, and he believes in accountability.

"The No. 1 indicator of what kids know should really be that contact with that local teacher," he said.

A more comprehensive report will be given in September, Carlson said, adding that there is concern about not making annual yearly progress.

"It would be wonderful for me to be able to say, 'yeah, we made AYP,'" Carlson said.

Havre Public Schools failed to make AYP in 2009-10 as well.

A scholastic review team from the state Office of Public Instruction visited Sunnyside Intermediate School and Havre Middle School. The team gave the district feedback about how to improve. A similar team will be at all the district campuses this year.

Statewide, students' test scores are improving, despite failures on AYP.

"Rising targets for AYP make it appear that schools are not performing as well when test scores are improving," said Denise Juneau, state superintendent of public instruction, in a press release.

Carlson said that work to educate students is ongoing and doesn't stop between the time tests are taken in the spring and the time reports are poured over in the fall.

"I wouldn't operate a business that way," he said. "Nobody operates that way."

Area AYP results Annual Yearly Progress reports are out from the state Office of Public Instruction. Here's how it breaks down:

• 278 districts, 66.5 percent, in the state passed.
• 139 districts, 33.3 percent, did not meet benchmarks.
• Area school districts ran the gamut when it came to results:

• Davey Elementary: made AYP;
• Box Elder Elementary: did not make AYP, eighth year identified for corrective action;
• Box Elder High School: did not make AYP, first year identified for improvement;
• Havre elementary district: did not make AYP, fourth year identified for corrective action;
• Havre High School: did not make AYP, second year identified for improvement;
• Cottonwood Elementary: made AYP;
• Rocky Boy Elementary: did not make AYP, ninth year identified for corrective action
• Rocky Boy High School: did not make AYP, eight year identified for corrective action;
• Gildford Colony Elementary: did not make AYP, first year did not make AYP, on watch list;
• North Star Elementary: made AYP;
• North Star High School: made AYP;
• Hays-Lodge Pole K-12 schools: did not make AYP, ninth year identified for corrective action;
• Harlem Elementary: did not make AYP, eight year identified for corrective action;
• Harlem High School: did not make AYP, 2nd year identified for improvement;
• C h e s t e r / J o p l i n - I n v e r n e s s Elementary: did not make AYP, first year did not make AYP, on watch list;
• Chester/Joplin-Inverness High School: made AYP;
• Zurich Elementary: made AYP;
• Chinook Elementary: made AYP;
• • Chinook High School: made AYP.