By Danielle Rush
The majority of Kokomo-area schools stayed in the same category ranking in school accountability rankings released Wednesday.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett released the annual Public Law 221 category placements, which are based on performance on standardized tests, improvement on the state test over a three-year period, and making adequate yearly progress as determined by the federal No Child Left Behind act.
Schools are placed in categories including exemplary, commendable, academic progress, academic watch and academic probation.
Only academic probation carries any standards. No Kokomo-area schools were in the academic probation category.
In the 10 school corporations included in the Kokomo area, four improved their category placement, while five stayed the same. Only two, Kokomo-Center and Peru Community Schools, were in the academic watch category, the second-lowest category.
Among the 46 individual public schools, the majority, 24, stayed in the same category, while 10 improved in their category ranking. Twelve were in lower-ranking categories from 2007.
Eleven of the 46 schools made exemplary progress, including Tri-Central Elementary, Howard Elementary, Northwestern High School, Taylor Intermediate School, Maconaquah Elementary, Wallace Elementary, Maple Crest Elementary, Lafayette Park Elementary, Boulevard Elementary, Sycamore Elementary and Galveston Elementary.
An additional 11 made commendable progress. Six were in the academic progress category, while 18 were in the academic watch category.
In Howard County, four schools improved category, 15 stayed the same and 11 went down.
In the Kokomo-Center Schools, Bon Air Middle School, the only school to be on academic probation in 2007, improved to academic watch for 2008.
Five Kokomo-Center schools made exemplary progress, three made commendable progress, one was on academic progress and seven were on academic watch.
Eastern Superintendent Tracy Caddell said while he’s pleased with the progress Eastern students are making, he’s not as thrilled with the labels.
Eastern High School went from exemplary progress in 2007 to academic progress in 2008, because of a rule that a school that does not make adequate yearly progress, as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act, for two years cannot place higher than academic progress.
Eastern High School missed adequate yearly progress based on a dip in its graduation rate, Caddell said.
“We will have that from time to time based on the class that goes through,” he said, adding that the rate dropped from 95 percent two years ago to 89 percent.
“Though we’re not pleased with 89 percent, it’s above the state average. ... I’m not defending an 89 percent graduation rate, I think we can do better, and we will do better. By the same token, we’re still doing quite well.”
Western Superintendent Peter O’Rourke said he’s happy overall with Western’s performance, but especially the middle school. The middle school is in the academic progress category, but O’Rourke said it would have qualified for exemplary if not for the rule about not making AYP.
He said, though, the middle school just missed the AYP cut off.
“It’s so close percent-wise I’m not really upset. I could have liked not to have seen [the high school] on academic watch, but I understand. Overall the corporation went from watch last year to commendable. In the world of statistics, I’m happy.”
He said people need to remember when reading these statistics that a school’s product is people.
“I think I’m OK with the way they’re tracking us, as long as the world understands there are flaws in statistics, and these are human beings we’re dealing with. If we were building widgets, I would be more happy with applying statistical data. When you’re dealing with human beings, it’s really tough ... but I understand the need for accountability.”
• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune’s education reporter. She may be reached at (765) 454-8585 or via e-mail at danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com
How they did:
School 2008 2007
Corporations
Eastern commendable commendable
Kokomo-Center academic watch academic progress
Northwestern commendable commendable
Taylor academic progress academic progress
Western commendable commendable
Maconaquah commendable academic watch
Peru academic watch academic watch
Northern academic progress academic watch
Tipton academic progress academic watch
Southeastern commendable academic progress
Schools
Eastern ES commendable commendable
Eastern HS academic progress exemplary
Kokomo HS academic watch academic progress
Bon Air ES commendable academic probation
Boulevard exemplary exemplary
Columbian commendable exemplary
Darrough Chapel academic watch academic progress
Elwood Haynes ES academic progress academic progress
Lafayette Park ES exemplary academic progress
Maple Crest ES exemplary exemplary
Pettit Park academic watch academic progress
Sycamore exemplary exemplary
Washington commendable commendable
Wallace exemplary exemplary
Bon Air MS academic watch academic progress
Central MS academic watch academic progress
Lafayette Park MS academic watch academic watch
Maple Crest MS academic watch academic watch
Howard ES exemplary exemplary
Northwestern ES commendable exemplary
Northwestern MS commendable commendable
Northwestern HS exemplary commendable
Taylor PS academic watch exemplary
Taylor IS exemplary exemplary
Taylor MS academic watch academic progress
Taylor HS academic watch academic watch
Western PS commendable commendable
Western IS commendable academic watch
Western MS academic progress academic progress
Western HS academic watch academic progress
MacEl exemplary academic progress
Pipe Creek commendable academic watch
Mac MS academic watch academic watch
Mac HS academic progress academic watch
Elmwood academic watch academic watch
Blair Pointe academic watch academic watch
Peru Jr H academic watch academic watch
Peru HS academic watch exemplary
Tri-Central ES exemplary academic watch
Tri-Central HS academic watch academic watch
Tipton ES commendable academic watch
Tipton MS academic progress academic progress
Tipton HS academic watch academic watch
Galveston ES exemplary academic progress
Lewis Cass HS academic watch academic watch
Thompson ES commendable commendable
Private schools
Sts. Joan of Arc and Patrick commendable exemplary
Redeemer Lutheran exemplary NA
St. Charles Borromeo, Peru exemplary exemplary
St. John the Baptist, Tipton academic watch commendable
