FBN: Several FBISD Schools Fail To Meet AYP!

Fewer Schools Fail AYP, But Some Fail For 3rd Or Even 4th Year In A Row
by Bob Dunn

...according to preliminary so-called Adequate Yearly Progress standards, just released by the Texas Education Agency, four schools that missed AYP standards in the past are in worse shape now than a year ago. . .

• At Fort Bend Independent School District, Christa McAuliffe Middle School students failed to pass AYP standards for math for the second year in a row, triggering what's known as a Stage 1 designation.

...McAuliff must be granted a request - within certain guidelines - to transfer their children to other middle schools in the district that have better academic ratings.

• Willowridge High School and Missouri City Middle School, both in Fort Bend ISD, have received the dubious distinction of a Stage 3 rating.

Students at both schools failed to achieve minimum AYP standards in math, for the fourth consecutive year. And at Willowridge, the graduation rate also was too low to qualify for AYP, according to state figures.

Under state and federal mandate, Fort Bend ISD officials - unless they successfully appeal the Stage 3 designations - are required to perform "a significant intervention" at the two schools.

As part of this intervention, the district is required to take at least one of six steps, according to the TEA:

- Replace the school staff "who are relevant to the failure to make AYP;

- Institute a new curriculum;

- Significantly decreate "management authority at the campus level";

- Appoint an outside expert to advise the caumpus on its progress toward making AYP;

- Extend the school year or length of school days;

- Restructure the "internal organizational structure" of the school.

Students at Willowridge and Missouri City Middle School also have the option to transfer out to better-performing schools.

Other area schools missing AYP standards for the first time in the 2007-'08 year were:

Dulles Elementary in FBISD (reading);

Bush High School in FBISD (math);