STATE RELEASES SCHOOL A-Y-P RESULTS

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Lincoln County Schools received some good news from the state regarding Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results Thursday, where the system exceeded the state average in reading and math assessments given in grades 3-8. The results were the final results released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

The system exceeded the state average in science in grades 5 and 8, with 48.8 percent of grade five and 64.1 percent of grade 8 students scoring at or above proficient. The state averages are 40.8 percent and 52.4 percent, respectively.

While the science assessment is new for the system and is a requirement for all states under the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, the results aren't included in North Carolina's ABC's model for accountability.

LCS Superintendent Dr. David Martin said the assessments were revised, that the revisions to reading and math and the addition of science in grades five and eight were necessary to keep up with "raising the bar" in North Carolina Public Schools.

"As educators, we expect a decrease in scores of individual students each time the assessments are revised," said Martin. "When this occurs, it doesn't indicate that students have lost reading or mathematical abilities from one year to the next. It does mean the state has raised the standard for the particular content area."

For Lincoln County Schools, Martin said staff and students have to continue to strive to meet ever-changing standards.

"Revising state testing programs has become a part of the educational accountability systems throughout the country," said Martin. "Revisions are necessary to ensure high expectations over a period of time."

A total of 52.6 percent of students in North Carolina scored at or above the proficient level on the 2008 reading and mathematics assessments given in grades 3-8.

Thirteen of Lincoln County's 23 schools met the state's Adequate Yearly Progress standards. Fifteen schools were given the "school of progress" distinction while Rock Springs Elementary and North Lincoln High School were considered the "school of distinction" by state standards.

A summary of Lincoln County Schools 07-08 ABC/AYP results can be found at www.ncpublicschools.org/abcs.

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