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In the latest Oregon school district report cards, the overall rating for Crook County High School and Crook County Middle School has dropped.
The high school was rated as "in need of improvement" in the 2008-2009 school year by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) after being rated "satisfactory" for the 2007-2008 year. CCMS was rated "satisfactory" in 2008-2009 after achieving a "strong" rating in the previous school year. All other Crook County schools were rated as "satisfactory" - not changing from the previous school year.
For Crook County School District curriculum director Dennis Kostelecky, the rating drop at the high school can be attributed, in part, to the greater concentration of "sub groups" Since a sub group must contain at least 42 students to be counted, schools with higher enrollment, like the high school, are more likely to have sub groups that are counted in the district report cards.
"There's a greater concentration of special education and limited English proficient students," he said. "In the process, you're only as good as your lowest performing group."
While that is part of the problem, Kostelecky went on to point out that 10th grade math has not tested well in recent years.
"In this district, our 10th graders have not performed well in math, even though the trend is showing improvement," he said. Although more math students are meeting state standards each year - 46 percent in 2008-2009 versus 44 percent in 2007-2008 - state standards are increasing at a greater rate. "That improvement (by 10th graders in math) has not been quick enough to keep up with state goals," Kostelecky said.
According to ODE communications director Jake Weigler, the goals currently require 60 percent of students to meet math and reading standards. In the 2010-2011 school year, the goal will climb to 70 percent. By 2014, that goal will be 100 percent.
Unlike previous years, ODE now rates schools under three categories - "outstanding," "satisfactory," or "in need of improvement." Before, schools were rated in five categories - exceptional, strong, satisfactory, low, and unacceptable.
This change likely led to the rating drop at CCMS.
"We actually improved over last year," said CCMS Principal Stacy Smith. "Each of the categories has gotten wider. Even though our performance has improved, because of the way state categories have changed, our rating dropped. If they had rated us like they did last year (with five categories), we would be a `strong' school."
In addition, ODE measures school improvement for all Oregon high schools.
"There is an improvement index that compares, year over year, how many students are improving," Weigler said.
He went on to say that if a school's improvement index is high enough (5.0), the school jumps to a higher achievement category - for instance, satisfactory to outstanding.
Crook County High School showed some improvement, however their improvement index was 1.5, not enough to jump to a higher achievement category.
Programs are in place to improve reading and math in Crook County schools. The district recently received a Title I grant that will provide funding for reading and math coaches. However, those coaches will be provided at the elementary schools rather than the high school.
"The funding is used to serve elementary kids because we believe the earlier we catch deficiencies, the easier they are to correct," Kostelecky explained. "Traditionally, across the state, Title I funds are not used at the high schools.
Another improvement tactic under way is Response to Intervention.
"It primarily speaks to using the core curriculum - which is our reading and math texts - and assessing and providing interventions to students in their area of weakness," Kostelecky explained.
So far, the school district is in their second year of the program. While it is expected to improve learning, it could be another year before those results begin to show.
"The results will be long-term," Kostelecky stated, "but by the end of next year, we should see positive results."
Although there are programs planned to increase academic achievement, tough financial times - which have raised class sizes and reduced funds for textbooks - could potentially slow the schools' progress.
"It could be a detriment," Kostelecky said regarding the school district's financial struggles. "But, it's our job as educators to move forward and do the best job that we can."
The school district is hoping that the teaming process of the Response to Intervention (RTI) program will help lighten the load as class sizes increase.
"The RTI provides the opportunity for the regular education teacher, the academic coaches, Title I teachers, and special education teachers to work together to provide the best intervention or curriculum for kids," Kostelecky said.
At the high school, Principal Rocky Miner - who was principal at CCMS before this school year - said their staff intends to pay close attention to state standards and ensure that instruction enables students to meet those standards.
"We will be working very closely to make sure our curriculum is aligned with the state standards," he said. "I've asked teachers to post their critical content (what will be taught) each week. The teachers are aligning that weekly critical content with the state standards."
Miner went on to say that the school is doing "short-cycle assessments" that will test the curriculum content on a regular basis, which will give teachers data regarding how students are responding.
"This allows the teachers to adjust and modify instruction based on that data," Miner stated.
Not only is the high school making improvements within their school, but they are also partnering with the middle school to improve student performance as they enter the high school.
"(Smith) and I are working more closely together on a 6-12 (grade) alignment than any other time since I've been here," Miner said.
Smith believes the alignment enables the schools to fill in potential educational gaps between middle school and high school.
"If there is something that needs to be taught at the middle school level to provide the foundation for further instruction in high school, this alignment is necessary."
Of the high schools in the Central Oregon area, the one showing the most marked improvement on the district report cards was Bend Senior High. Bend High was rated satisfactory on the 2007-2008 report card, but was rated outstanding for the 2008-2009 school year.
Principal H.D. Weddel believes a variety of things have led to the significant improvement. For instance, the school is making a more concerted effort with the special education program.
"Our special education (staff) have worked very hard with our students," he said.
Students at Bend High are also assigned an academic advisor that they meet with once a week. Weddel said these advisors are assigned to the same group of students - a total of about 30 - throughout all four years of high school.
Along with these methods, the school puts significant effort into the freshman class.
"We put in a couple of (academic) interventions a couple years ago (for math and reading)," Weddel said. "Any student who did not meet benchmark in eighth grade in math or reading is placed in the intervention."
In addition, there are no honors classes during freshman year.
"Everyone is together," Weddel said. "What we've seen is it does increase the level of all learning, and it builds relationships."
As for Crook County High School, Miner said their staff plans to aggressively attack the slip in test scores.
"I'm working closely with all four of my curriculum coaches (department heads) in math, science, social studies and English," Miner said. "We are already having monthly meetings with those four curriculum coaches, then they are having a meeting with their (academic) department each month."
