Schools appeal inclusion on state’s target list
Some 60 schools are challenging their inclusion on the state’s probationary “target” list for failing at least one standard of testing under the No Child Left Behind federal law.
The list is the first step in an escalating system of sanctions that can end in state takeover if a school fails to make improvement. There were 711 schools, 47 percent of those in the state, identified as target schools.
State officials said up to three-fourths of the appeals may be granted.
“We are still in the process of evaluating the appeals. It’s a very labor-intensive process,” said Connie Smith with the state Department of Education. “If there are questions, we give them the opportunity to have a hearing.”
The most appeals came from Shelby County and Memphis City schools, state records showed. Smith said final decisions in every case are expected by late March.
One common paperwork error involved improperly counting test scores from special education students with other students.
Rutherford County is challenging the status of some schools because it supplied incorrect information on forms tracking demographic information, such as ethnic background and income levels.
“We had a lot of coding errors,” Don Odom, Rutherford’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, told The Tennessean. “It’s very easy in any situation to have these errors.”
Rutherford’s La Vergne Primary, a 750-student school, already has been told it will be removed from the target list. The school incorrectly reported the number of students tested who were in the free and reduced-price lunch program.
“We’re very excited, and we’ve been working hard to stay off the list,” Principal Angela Thomas said. “A label like this is hard on parents, staff and students. Parents worry about their children’s education. Now some of that worry is lessened with the news.”
Systems also could appeal if they suffered a large number of absences during the testing period or if weather disrupted classes.
DeKalb County took advantage of that opportunity, citing a flu outbreak and flooding during testing days.
“We had a good reason. So many of the students had missed,” said Carol Hendrix, DeKalb supervisor of instruction.
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