Superintendent Discusses SOL Scores, Assigns 'Homework' to City Council

Manassas Park City Council members heard an in-depth report on the  school division’s and were assigned a little schoolwork of their own Tuesday during the council's regularly scheduled meeting.

 Dr. Bruce McDade, superintendent of Manassas Park City Schools, delivered the report as part of the division’s monthly update to council.

 “I’m going to be giving you a lot of data; a lot of numbers,” McDade told council Tuesday. “ … but keep in mind as you look at these numbers, that it is more than numbers. These numbers represent kids. These are students, these are real people. Taught by real people. Led by real people, so let’s just keep that in mind.”

 McDade used the assessment summary slide presentation to outline the state and federal accreditation process for Virginia schools, as well as what it takes to make AYP as outlined by the federal No Child Left Behind law created during the Bush administration.

No Child Left Behind is a subject of debate among educators, many of whom are pushing for reform because the law requires schools to have a 100 percent AYP success rate by 2014—something McDade said is statistically impossible and equates to having a 100 employment rate.

 McDade’s presentation focused on federal accreditation standards, as state accreditation information won’t be released until Sept. 29.

 “AYP reflects the overall achievement of schools and school divisions and the achievements of student subgroups in reading and math only for grades 3-8 and high schools, McDade said. 

In Manassas Park, Cougar Elementary data is always married with  Manassas Park Elementary data, because Cougar students don’t take the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) test, he said.

 The seven subgroups are: All students, Hispanic, black, white, the economically disadvantage, students with disabilities and limited English proficient.

 In order to meet AYP, schools and school divisons have to meet all 29 benchmarks, also known as, Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO), he said.

 Fourteen are student participation benchmarks; another 14 are student performance benchmarks, plus one other academic indicator McDade said.

 The 29th academic indicator for high schools is the federal graduation indicator that requires 80 percent of seniors graduate with their class.

For schools without a graduating class, the 29th indicator is an attendance rate of at least 94 percent for schools.

 As a division, Manassas Park schools met 75 percent or, 109 of the 145 academic indicators or, “Christmas lights”—the analogy McDade uses to explain the process.

In many areas, the school divison's scores were right in line with Virginia state SOL averages, McDade said.

 When compared to the graduation rate two years ago, more students are graduating on time, the superintendent said.

The lower schools have a 94 percent attendance rate, which is good, he added.

AYP considers only reading and math scores and not SOL writing  scores, but Manassas Park students showed improvement in that area, he said.

Two years ago, the school board approved a $40,000 writing program called, Being a Writer. “We think it's paying dividends,” McDade said.

Of course, to move forward and to progress, educators not only look at where their Christmas lights “shined,” but where they didn’t, he said.

“We took a dip (in scores) at the high school in mathematics last year; that is on our radar,” McDade said. “What are we going to do about it?   … the purpose of hiring an additional math teacher is to offer more algebra every day. The kids at the high school weren’t getting enough algebra. That’s part of the plan to increase the math scores.”

 As a division, math scores, as well as reading and history were all lower than those reported last year.  As a division, scores went up in writing and science, according to data.

Manassas Park Elementary didn’t make AYP for the second year in a row and is now classified as an In Improvement School. The principals, faculty and staff of that school work hard and show improvement in many areas, McDade said. 

Still, administrators were required by law to send home letters, notifying parents of the school’s In Improvement status. The letters explained the and that parents could withdraw their child and enroll them at a better performing school elsewhere at the divison’s expense.

As of Tuesday, no parents elected to do that, McDade told council.

 After council members asked several questions, McDade said there is something he wants from each councilman: Eight hours.

“I want from you a day. I want you to commit a day of your life to our school division,” McDade said.  The governing body and the educators are partners in helping students, and this is one way council can help, he said.

Governing Body "Homework"

1. Attend Expectations of Excellence Ceremony on Sept 22 at 7:59 a.m. at the high school. Time: One hour

2. Attend fifth-grade band concert on May 17. Time: One hour

3. Attend honors assembly at the high school on June 7. Time: One hour

4.  Attend high school graduation on June 9 at 9:59 a.m. Time: One hour

5. Attend a school board meeting once a month. Time: One hour

6: Call Dr. McDade and arrange to visit classrooms from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Time: Three hours.