More than half of Rockingham schools meet Adequate Yearly Progress mark

By Miranda Baines

Published: November 11, 2008

REIDSVILLE — Test scores were a topic of discussion at Monday’s school board meeting. Adequate yearly progress scores for reading for the 2007-08 school year show 65 percent of Rockingham County’s elementary and middle schools made the mark.

The AYP reading results reflect the new state proficiency level, which dropped from 76.7 percent to 43.2 percent for grades three to eight.

“The target was altered because of the new (end-of-grade reading) test and the renorming,” Lewis Johnson, director of testing and research, said. For the 2008-09 school year, the statewide proficiency level will be raised to 71.6 percent, said Johnson.

Johnson told the board Rockingham County schools, with the proper tools, will meet the reading proficiency benchmarks. He said he is pleased with the progress in math since the state raised the bar on math test three years ago.

Johnson said he is in the process of doing grade-level meetings at each elementary and middle school and evaluating the students’ test scores. He is also looking at historical records for students in both reading and math and looking at whether the students’ test scores are improving or worsening.

“We’re identifying who needs attention and we’re identifying what they need attention in,” said Johnson.

Dr. Terry Worrell, assistant superintendent of K-12 curriculum and instruction, spoke to the board about methods the schools will use to raise test scores. She also said kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers will have the option of doing Reading Foundations, which is five days of intensive instruction. She said the school system is infusing intensive reading staff development into all of the county schools.

“They are being taught how to diagnose their students’ reading needs and how to write their own prescription,” said Worrell.

Worrell said the schools will use Think Link to do ongoing formative assessments to monitor students’ progress. Finally, Worrell said, school administrators are talking to teachers whose students have scored highly on AYP tests in the past and sharing those best practices with teachers whose students aren’t performing well on standardized tests.

Growth rates — ABCs — are another indication of North Carolina schools’ progress. ABCs reveal how much progress students make across two years of academic work in a particular academic subject. In Rockingham County, all elementary schools, all middle schools, one high school, one alternative school and the district as a whole made expected or high growth. Teachers receive a bonus if they meet or exceed their ABC goals.

“It should be a big incentive for teachers to try to get the students where they need to be,” said David Wise, assistant superintendent of finance. In his presentation of the budget amendments, Wise said a high percentage of teachers statewide met or exceeded their ABC goals last school year and the state legislature didn’t include enough money in the budget for the bonuses. Because of the funding pitfall, teachers are only receiving 80 percent to 85 percent of their bonus pay.

Striving for progress and achievement were themes Monday. In October, the local board completed five courses during the first phase of the N.C. School Boards Association Master Board program and achieved Master Board I status. The Master Board program emphasizes “goal setting, team and trust building, conflict resolution, communication, managing change, ethics, problem solving, decision making and evaluation.” The board will be recognized for its achievement in the Master Board program at an awards ceremony at the state school board association’s annual conference this month.

Another recognition at Monday evening’s school board meeting was the presentation of a service award to the family of the late Jim Austin, a former school board member. Rodney Shotwell, superintendent, presented a plaque and Austin’s name plate to his family.

“He had a passion for education,” said Shotwell. “He exemplified what public education should be.”

Shotwell said he always had to be “on his toes” when meeting with Austin because he knew Austin would have insightful questions for him. Shotwell said he thought of Austin not only as a colleague but also as a trusted friend.

Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35.