For the most part school administrators in both Brandon and Goodrich school districts were pleased with the Michigan Department of Education’s report cards for public schools. The information was made public at 1 p.m. Feb.2. The school report card grades are based on MEAP data from 2003.
However, both school districts will be challenged, say school officials, to meet or exceed stringent education benchmarks by the 2013-2014 school year. Each year schools must now demonstrate progress toward making the federally-required Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) scores.
In addition, school advancement in various, self-reported school performance indicators, including family involvement in schools, curriculum, student attendance, and professional development for teachers will also be part of the grading process.
Compared to schools statewide, both Goodrich and Brandon schools finished in the top 60 percent of all school district grades which were B’s and C’s. A total of 1,967 schools out of 3,472 statewide received B-C grades.
‘We’re always trying to improve our educational programs for the kids,? said Dr. Raymond Green, Goodrich Schools Superintendent.
‘The whole thrust of accountability is that students should learn’and we must keep working on how to motivate students to do so.?
While still in the planning stages, Goodrich schools are considering extra help for the fifth, sixth and seventh- grade students through spring and summer programs.
‘For those students that are not proficient, these programs should present an opportunity to move toward the proficiency.?
Although Goodrich did not appeal their report cards when they were first provided grades in December, about 55 percent of the Michigan’s elementary schools and middle schools filed 1,514 appeals; while 63 percent of the state’s high schools filed 525 appeals.
Brandon School District successfully appealed both the Middle and Intermediate school grades due to lack of data, says Brandon Superintendent Bart Jenniches.
‘These grades are a good indicator of school performance. However, these scores are not all-encompassing. Other factors go into determining the grade of a school.?
Not all students are geared toward academics, says Jenniches, some students just are not ‘college bound,? and may be more inclined for vocational schools. These students can become very successful, yet never score very high on the MEAP, which will lower the overall grade of the school.