All seven Clarkston Community School’s elementaries, as well as Sashabaw Middle and Clarkston Junior High School, earned “A” grades in this year’s Annual Yearly Progress report card, issued by the state.
Clarkston High School’s “B” score was good enough for AP accreditation. Renaissance High School received a “D-alert” score. According to Michigan Department of Education, the score requires corrective action, in academic choice, transportation, and supplemental services.
An improvement plan is in place, said Deputy Superintendent David Reschke.
‘We’re looking at that,? Reschke said.
AYP is calculated based on Michigan Educational Assessment Program test results, participation rates in MEAP testing, and attendance or graduation rates, according to MDE.
With a formula based on weighted test results, proficiency estimates, different calculations for subpopulations, and other statistical variations, AYP scoring is flawed and confusing, said Dr. Al Roberts, Clarkston superintendent.
“AYP is a poorly conceived mechanism that paints a false picture of school achievement or lack thereof,” said Roberts in a written statement to The Clarkston News.
“Any respectable statistician who has some knowledge of how kids learn would need to question the methodology used to determine AYP. If we really want to be accountable, we should examine the progression of each student from year to year.”
AYP is mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind law. It judges schools on Michigan Merit Exam and MEAP tests, attendance, graduation rates, and other factors. It assigns letter grades based on schools’ ability to meet state-assigned target scores and goals.
“The concept of matching the scores of students at a particular grade level against the scores of a different set of pupils from the previous school year is an exercise in futility,” Roberts said.
“I also feel it is utterly ridiculous to use a formula that allows a school with extraordinarily low test scores to pass AYP, while failing another school because achievement dropped from 99 percent to 97 percent,? he said. ‘When the public begins to see such patterns, they will lose confidence in AYP as a measurement, and I fear the noble aspects of No Child Left Behind may be lost in the political shuffle.”
According to Michigan Department of Education, low-performing schools can receive “safe harbor” from sanctions if they improve by at least 10 percent and meet other requirements.
State AYP results are available online at www.michigan.gov/mde.