By: Eddy Gifford

Publisher

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results are in for Georgia schools and Dade County Schools didn’t fare well. Three of four Dade County Schools failed to make AYP this year with Davis Elementary the only one to meet the requirements.

Adequate Yearly Progress is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized tests.

This year marked the second year in a row that Dade County High School failed to cut the mustard so it is now listed as "Needs Improvement."

Dade Elementary and Dade Middle made AYP last year so they are categorized as "Did Not Meet" the adequacy standard.

Schools that reach federal goals have made AYP. The schools that miss AYP for at least two consecutive years are labeled as “needs improvement” and can face sanctions. The penalties become more severe the longer a school needs improvement.

All kindergarten through twelfth grade schools are required to demonstrate AYP in the areas of reading/language arts and mathematics, and either graduation rates, for high schools and districts, or attendance rates for elementary and middle/junior high schools.

Currently, schools are allowed to appeal their AYP findings to their State Education Agency and/or the U.S. Department of Education, if applicable. Appeals have been made in account of standardized test results and data collected by testing companies such as Educational Testing Service.

State Education Agencies across the United States have developed numerous strategies designed to improve AYP. For instance, steps taken by the Georgia Department of Education include new and more rigorous curriculum; the placement of “graduation specialists” in each high school across the state; comprehensive high school redesign focused on rigorous and relevant education; integrated technology throughout learning, including the Georgia Virtual School and a free online SAT prep course.

Dade County High benefited from the comprehensive high school redesign this year as it has just been awarded over $940,000 for the upcoming school year for the redesign. If adequate progress is made, the school

will receive money the next two years as well, approximately $1.5 million additionally.

Dade County Schools were not alone as surrounding counties also struggled with AYP, especially at the high school level.

In the Walker County school system, four of 14 schools failed to make AYP including LaFayette and Ridgeland High Schools.

In the Catoosa County school system, five of 16 schools failed to make AYP including Heritage, Ringgold and Lakeview Ft. Oglethorpe High Schools.