While some Lakes Region schools are meeting standards set by the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a significant number of area schools fell short of the goals, according to a Department of Education report released last week.

Last Monday, Maine Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron released the 2005 Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) scores, which are used by the federal government to determine each school’s progress in accordance with No Child Left Behind. If an individual school within a district doesn’t show improvement over a period of three years, the district can be forced to reallocate money from a successful school within the district to the failing school. Parents can also choose to send their students to other schools within the district if a school fails to make adequate yearly progress. In Maine, that likelihood is small since towns usually offer one set of schools.

Each year since the program’s inception three years ago, results are categorized for each grade level tested – 4, 8 and 11 – into lists of descending competency. Schools that meet the federal standards are categorized as schools which made “Adequate Yearly Progress” in reading and math. Second in terms of competency are schools “Pending Further Review.” Schools on “Monitor Status” are next; and at the bottom of the list, or those least meeting No Child Left Behind yearly progress requirements, are “Continuous Improvement Priority” schools.

Windham schools

Windham High School is one of 44 Maine high schools on Monitor Status in reading for the sub-group of students with disabilities. And, although the school achieved Adequate Yearly Progress in math this year, it will remain a Continuous Improvement Priority School because its math scores failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress for the two consecutive years previous to this one.

According to Windham High School Principal Deborah McAfee, MEA scores overall were the second-highest students in the school have ever achieved. As a whole, the 200 students who took the test exceeded state standards. But, in the sub-group of students with disabilities under the guidelines, one student’s scores can make the difference of meeting or not meeting the standards.

“We do have some students who will not be able to meet the standards,” McAfee said. “I don’t know what the answer is.”

She said students who are identified as having a disability are allowed to take the test with approved modifications listed on their Individual Educational Plans – modifications such as additional time or assistance with understanding directions. But these students must take the same test as the rest of the class – no changes are made to the test to accommodate their disabilities.

McAfee is proud of the school’s 100 percent participation rate. This rate also factors into each school’s goal of achieving Adequate Yearly Progress. (If a school does not achieve a 95 percent participation rate in every subgroup, the school does not make Adequate Yearly Progress.)

McAfee said teachers tried to prepare students for taking the tests, which are based on state-mandated curriculum known as the Maine Learning Results, by giving them sample questions.

Although Windham Middle School initially made the Pending Further Review list, Principal Hal Shortsleeve said the state has now determined that the school has made Adequate Yearly Progress.

According to Shortsleeve, teachers at the middle school try to teach students test-taking skills as well as the subject matter that is covered by the test. He said it’s sometimes difficult because a student may learn a concept in fifth grade and be tested on it, without further review, in eighth grade.

Manchester School in Windham is one of 21 Maine grade four schools that are on Monitor Status for failing to make Adequate Yearly Progress in reading in the sub-group of students with disabilities. In math, the school has been listed as Pending Further Review.

Attempts to reach Manchester School Principal Cynthia Curtis for comment were unsuccessful.

A school can make the “pending” list if the state is missing any information. In this case, due to some glitches in the database system, it was unable to confirm how many students took the test. Federal law requires the state to release the test results by a certain date, even if some information is still pending.

SAD 6 schools

All of the schools in SAD 6 are on the Pending Further Review list.

“When we received the preliminary review from the state, their numbers for the sub-groups were not right,” said SAD 6 Superintendent Suzanne Lukas.

Ansel Stevens, principal of Bonny Eagle Middle School, said he didn’t expect the school to make Adequate Yearly Progress, although he wasn’t sure what sub-group might have caused that.

Stevens said the school is “pursuing a sustained silent reading program” to improve reading scores. Last year, the school hired a literacy teacher to work directly with about 30 students. She also works with all classroom teachers in their content area.

Another step the district is taking is to review curriculum from kindergarten through high school.

“We’re working really hard and taking it seriously,” Stevens said. “We care deeply about our kids. We’re fighting to get off the list.”

SAD 61 schools

In SAD 61, Lake Region High School is one of 44 Maine high schools to make the Monitor Status list. Although the school achieved Adequate Yearly Progress in math, they did not achieve it in reading.

Attempts to reach Lake Region High School Principal Roger Lowell were unsuccessful.

Lake Region Middle School is one of 24 Maine grade eight schools to make the Continuous Improvement Priority Schools list. While the school is still pending further review for reading, in math for the sub-group of students with disabilities, the school has not made Adequate Yearly Progress in the same subject for the past three years.

“We made tremendous gains this year,” said middle school Principal Chuck Lamonte. “Students with disabilities fell short by one student.”

In fact, he said, scores in the middle school increased 14 percent in reading for students that met or exceeded standards and 8 percent in math.

Lamonte said that teachers are holding MEA practice sessions and providing extra help and tutoring after school. In addition, they are working with a consultant on their language arts program and have begun a pilot program in math.

The school has also received a Comprehensive School Reform grant of $50,000 per year for the next three years with a focus on Differentiated Instruction in all curriculum areas.