The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction released a list of schools Friday that have been identified for "program improvement" for the 2012-2013 school year. These are schools that failed to make "adequate yearly progress" on standardized tests in math and language arts under the federal No Child Left Behind Law.
The law requires improvement overall as well as among subgroups of students, such as those who are low-income, have disabilities, don't speak English as a first language or belong to a minority group. The law also requires improvement in high school graduation rates and in school attendance. Schools can be penalized for failing to make enough improvements either overall or in the performance of certain subgroups. Schools identified for improvement also have to receive federal Title I funding given to schools or school districts with a certain percentage of children eligible for free and reduced price lunches.
The penalties for failing to make AYP include a requirement to set aside 10 percent of Title I funding for professional development for teachers in the first year, giving students a chance to go to another school that is not in program improvement, and creating a plan for improvement. In subsequent years, penalties can be increased. Options might include replacing school staff, extending the school day or school year, or adding new curriculum. In the fifth year a school has been identified for program improvement, North Dakota law requires that school districts either defer administrative funds to program improvement schools, offer a signing bonus to teachers, offer school choice across district boundaries, contract with an outside expert or other forms of major restructuring as defined by the school.
If a school district makes continuous improvement for two years, it can be removed from program improvement. South Prairie is one of the area school districts in that category this year.
Lincoln and Longfellow elementaries of Minot and St. John High School are among the area schools currently in program improvement that AYP based on 2011-2012 statistics, but must remain in the program and show continued improvement before they can be removed from the list.
Some area schools currently in program improvement didn't make AYP and proceed to the next step in the state's program improvement timeline. Area schools on that list include Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary; Central Middle School of Devils Lake; Dakota Elementary of Minot Air Force Base; Divide County Elementary of Crosby; Dunseith Elementary School; Dunseith High School; Edwin Loe Elementary School of New Town; Eight Mile Elementary School of Trenton; Erik Ramstad Middle School of Minot; Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School; Four Winds Community High School of Fort Totten; Jim Hill Middle School of Minot; Kenmare Elementary School; Lewis and Clark Elementary School of Minot; Mandaree Elementary School; Mandaree High School; Minnewaukan Elementary School; Parshall Elementary School; Roosevelt Elementary of Minot; Sawyer Elementary School; St. John Elementary School; Sunnyside Elementary School of Minot; Surrey Elementary School; Turtle Mountain Community Elementary School of Belcourt; Turtle Mountain Community High School of Belcort; Turtle Mountain Community Middle School of Belcourt; Warwick Elementary School; Warwick High School; Washington Elementary of Minot; White Shield Elementary School; White Shield High School.
Other area schools failed to make AYP for the first time this year. If they don't make AYP again next year, they will be identified for program improvement. Area schools in this category include Alexander Elementary School; Bottineau Elementary School; Center-Stanton High School; Central Elementary School of Tioga; Drake High School; Kenmare High School; Killdeer Elementary School; Memorial Middle School at Minot Air Force Base; Mount Pleasant Elementary School of Rolla; Rolla High School; Nedrose Elementary School; North Star Elementary School of Cando; Perkett Elementary of Minot; Rolette Elementary School; Stony Creek Elementary School of New School District No. 8; TGU-Towner Elementary School; TGU-Towner High School; Turtle Lake-Mercer Elementary School; Westhope High School.
Other schools don't receive Title I funding and don't have to take remedial steps, but they still have to send out a report telling parents they didn't make AYP. Area schools in this category include Bel Air Elementary of Minot; Bell Elementary of Minot; Lewis and Clark-Berthold High School; Beulah Middle School; Bowbells Elementary School; Burke Central High School of Lignite; Carrington High School; Des Lacs-Burlington High School; Devils Lake High School; Divide County High School of Crosby; Edison Elementary of Minot; Garden Valley Elementary of New School District No. 8 of Williston; Garrison High School; Glenburn High School; Harvey High School; Killdeer High School; Leeds High School; Maddock High School; Minot High School-Magic City Campus; Max High School; McClusky High School; New Rockford-Sheyenne High School; New Town High School; North Plains Elementary of Minot Air Force Base; North Star High School of Cando; Parshall High School; Ray High School; Rugby High School; Sawyer High School; Stanley High School; Surrey High School; Tioga High School; Washburn High School; Watford City High School; Williston High School; Williston Middle School; Wilton High School.
Other schools didn't make AYP for the second year and have been identified for program improvement for the first time. Area schools in this category include: B.M. Hanson Elementary of Harvey; Bottineau Junior-Senior High School; Center-Stanton Elementary School; Eight Mile High School of Trenton; Glenburn Elementary School; Grenora Elementary School; Leeds Elementary School; Lewis and Clark Elementary of Williston; McKinley Elementary of Minot; Minnewaukan High School; Prairie View Elementary of Devils Lake; Stanley Elementary School; TGU-Granville Elementary School; Velva Elementary School.