Expensive program for 2 high schools

MOBILE, Ala. - School officials say test scores show Williamson and Blount High School students have improved in a number areas over the past year.

Writing Assessment and CRT scores are up, but Deputy Superintendent Martha Peek says more is needed to get both schools' achievement on track.

That's the goal of a proposed program on Monday's board agenda. "It will enhance it to look at this year. Particularly in depth interventions and strategies for students not making the academic progress they need in the course subject areas," Peek said.

Peek said the program would use the same outside firm to provide more training to teachers at the schools. It would also extend to the feeder elementary and middle schools for Blount and Williamson.

Danny Goodwin with the local teachers union said the purpose of the program is good, but it's too costly at more than $900,000. Goodwin said the board should look at a cheaper alternative.

"We believe that we may have some of that expertise already here in this system, and spending that much money on what's not necessarily a proven program just worries us," Goodwin said.

"When you look at the cost of a program like this that makes people a little bit weary, what it costs, but when you look a the professional development hours that will be being supplied and the work that will be done during the school day, the cost pretty well evens out," Peek said.

If the program is approved, school officials say in addition to improved student achievement, graduation rates will significantly increase at both schools.