WESTBROOK – The Westbrook School District made annual yearly progress in math this year, but continues to lag behind in reading.

Superintendent Dr. Reza Namin said the district was recently informed of its Adequate Yearly Progress status for the 2010-11 school year. He said he is proud of the student body’s “great accomplishment” of meeting the target for math, noting the district was in “monitor” status in past years.

“It is especially satisfying at the middle school, which had not met the target previously,” he said.

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, all school districts are expected to meet testing targets and other measures set by the state. Namin said the measures include standardized test results and attendance, graduation and participation rates.

Namin said two subgroups – economically disadvantaged students and those with disabilities – did not meet math targets at the middle or high school levels. He said the district would continue to seek solutions to increase progress.

The district also needs to continue to address deficiencies in meeting Annual Yearly Progress in reading, he said.

“All of our students have made progress and are learning. However, we did not meet the increased proficiency target, particularly at the high school level and with subgroups of students who are economically disadvantaged, learning disabled and learning English as a second language throughout the district,” he said.

Namin said there are already measures in place to improve teaching and learning in reading, including development for staff, greater emphasis on reading and writing and targeted instruction for struggling readers at all grade levels.