Pittsburgh schools just miss federal progress standard
Share with others:
Pittsburgh Public Schools failed to achieve adequate yearly progress -- the federal academic performance standard known as AYP -- this year, but state test data show that the district made marked improvement in reading and math proficiency in middle grades.
However, there was little improvement in high school results, which showed a slight increase in 11th grade reading and a slight dip in math proficiency.
In reporting the results on Monday, Superintendent Mark Roosevelt said they reflect the progress of his administration's agenda in turning around the city's failing schools, which started with the 2006 right-sizing plan that closed 22 schools, created K-8 school models and now continues with a plan to reshape secondary education.
"What we are seeing is a decided pattern of improvement where we have been aggressive in making changes," Mr. Roosevelt said of the 2009-10 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment results.
The tests, which are given to students in grades 3-8 and grade 11, are the basis for determining whether a district achieves AYP, a set of standards public school districts are required to meet under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
AYP is based on math and reading results -- in addition to attendance, graduation rates and test participation -- although the PSSA also is given in writing and science in select grades.
To make AYP, schools and districts must meet targets for students overall as well as for certain student subgroups, such as minority children, poor children and children in special education. The targets periodically increase until 2014, when the federal No Child Left Behind Act calls for 100 percent of students to be proficient in reading and math.
To that end, the Pittsburgh schools achieved its AYP targets for the first time last year, putting it in the "making progress in correction action 2" category. This year, it barely missed the mark, Mr. Roosevelt said, because the district did not meet the reading proficiency target for students in special education. As such, the district returns to "corrective action 2," the lowest performance level.
Even then, 72 percent -- 43 of 60 schools -- made AYP this year compared to 53 percent -- 32 of 60 schools -- last year.
First Published August 17, 2010 12:00 am
