RALEIGH -- The number of Triangle schools that met federal No Child Left Behind standards declined sharply in every district in 2009-2010, according to latest preliminary results released Wednesday by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
In Wake, Durham, Orange and Johnston counties and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school districts, at least 18 percent fewer schools made adequate yearly progress, which is assessed using end-of-grade and end-of-course testing scores to measure whether student groups are improving academically.
But the numbers, much like last year's, can't be directly compared with the previous year's scores because of retesting for end-of-year and end-of-grade tests and other factors used to compute each school's adequate yearly progress result.
Some high schools - including 14 in Wake County - failed to meet the academic benchmark this year because the U.S. Department of Education invalidated English and math test results for some students with disabilities.
And the state implemented retests for high school algebra I, English I and biology.
Last year, area scores soared compared with the previous year because retests for elementary school math and reading were implemented on end-of-grade testing.
Under federal No Child Left Behind mandates, a school's progress is determined by reading and math scores, graduation rates and attendance. To achieve adequate yearly progress, a school must meet its individual target goals, whichvary based on the student population. Schools must evaluate students in groups according to race, family income, English proficiency and other factors. There must be at least 40 students in each subgroup. If any group falls short on the state reading and math tests, the school does not pass.
Schools must also meet targets as a whole and must test at least 95 percent of their students in each subgroup.
School officials say the No Child Left Behind requirements are draconian and can skew results because one student or subgroup of students can keep otherwise high-performing schools from reaching adequate yearly progress, and the number of targets at each school can change significantly from year to year.
"It's an all-or-nothing proposition that is disheartening to the schools and the faculty," Wake County school spokesman Michael Evans said. "We have schools deemed 94 percent proficient, with high growth, but they didn't meet their goal. It muddies the whole debate."
Representatives of other area schools said they couldn't pinpoint the reason for the decline.
Denise Morton, chief academic officer for Orange County schools, said every subgroup in the district made the reading targets, but several had more problems than usual with the math tests.
"It doesn't have a clear pattern I can discern from," she said. "We're going to really delve into this data."
Thirty-seven area Title I schools have to offer families the option to transfer for failing to meet adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years. Some of those schools hit their targets this year, but they have to do it for two consecutive years to get off the improvements list.
Title I schools enter into sanctions by failing to reach adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years in the same subject. Schools are subject to different levels of sanctions depending on how many consecutive years they fail to reach that benchmark.
Schools with many low-income students get Title I money to bolster academics.
County by county
In Wake County, the state's largest school system, just 61 out of 159 schools, or 38 percent, met the standards. That's down from 63 percent last year, but still up from 24 percent two years ago. There are 54 schools that missed only one or two targets, and 16 elementary schools will be under Title I sanctions.
In Durham County, 25 percent, or 13 schools, met the standards. That's down from 43 percent. There are 20 schools under Title I improvement, but five of those met adequate yearly progress.
Johnston County has no schools under Title I sanctions. Twenty-four out of 40 schools, or 60 percent, made adequate yearly progress. Last year, 85 percent of Johnston Schools hit the goal.
In Chapel Hill-Carrboro, 68 percent of schools made the goal, down from 88 percent last year. Only one school - Frank Porter Graham Elementary - remains sanctioned for missing the benchmark for two consecutive years. Two other Title I elementary schools met the standards and came out of sanctions.
In Orange County, five out of 12 schools made adequate yearly progress. That's 42 percent, compared with 83 percent a year ago. The county has no schools under Title I sanctions.
Staff writer Stanley B. Chambers contributed to this report.
