20 of 91 MCPSS schools miss AYP goals

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Parents of students at 20 Mobile County Public Schools will have a chance to transfer their children to other better performing schools for this coming year.

That's because those schools did not meet state academic standards for at least two years in a row.

Results of the state tests were announced Friday.

Denton Middle School is one of the 20 schools where parents will have a chance to transfer their children to better performing schools, depending upon space.

Denton did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP goals, for at least two years in a row.

But Superintendent Martha Peek said most schools did make the grade and some even improved from last year.

Peek said, "We went from 74 percent of our students to 76 percent of our students that made AYP."

What was the problem at the low performing schools?

School system leaders said, in many cases, scores of special education students weren't up to par because of a tougher test.

Peek said, "The reading selections, and also the math, were lengthier, and we think that may have had an effect on some of the struggling students."

Gilliard Elementary School Principal Debbie Bolden said her school didn't meet the AYP goal for the first time this year because of low scores in special education reading tests.

Bolden said, "The special-ed teachers will have to meet with the special-ed students and report to me."

Even though parents at 20 schools can transfer their children to other better performing schools, school system leaders said that's not a good idea.

Peek said, "My advice would be to continue to believe in what your school is doing: keep your program consistent for your students."

Principal Bolden doesn't want to be on the low performing list again next year.

When asked how hopeful she was that the same thing wouldn't happen next year, she said, "It won't happen again here."

According to School Board spokesperson Nancy Pierce, students may transfer to the following higher performing schools:

• Elementary: Austin, Dickson, Fonde, Griggs and Haskew
• Middle: Alba and Belsaw Mt. Vernon
• High: Leflore and Vigor