By By Adrienne McKenzie
Escambia County schools have worked hard to keep up their student performances and only two out of the 11 schools in the area did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
Superintendent Billy Hines is proud of the schools that did make AYP, but knows that there are some schools in the area that need some work.
Escambia County schools that reached AYP include, A.C. Moore Elementary School, Escambia County Middle School, Flomaton Middle School, Flomaton High School, Huxford Elementary School, Pollard-McCall Junior High School, Rachel Patterson Elementary School, W.S. Neal Elementary School and W.S. Neal High School. The two schools that did not meet AYP include, Escambia County High School and W.S. Neal Middle School.
W.S. Neal Middle School reached 95.24 percent of its goals and Escambia County High School reached 76.92 of its goals.
Assistant superintendent Mary Bess Powell is over accountability. Powell said ECHS must concentrate on reading in order to meet AYP.
If a school does not reach AYP for two straight years in the same component, which include reading, mathematics, attendance in elementary and middle schools and graduation rates in high schools, it is identified for School Improvement.
ECHS is still identified for School Improvement. W.S. Neal High School is classified as School Improvement, Year-1 Delay since the school met AYP this year, but did not last year. W.S. Neal Middle School is not under School Improvement since its AYP goals were met last year, even though they were not all met this year.
This is the first year Escambia County High School will receive Title I funding and because it is now a Title I school, the Board of Education must offer School Choice.
Flomaton High School is not identified as School Improvement. FHS made AYP in both 2007 and 2008.
A letter and form about School Choice is available at the Escambia County Board of Education Web site, www.escambiak12.net. The form must be turned in to the school by Aug. 13.
Powell said if ECHS were not receiving Title I funds the School Choice option would not be offered to the students because principal Harvey Means is working on the school making its AYP goals.
Powell is excited about the schools that did make AYP.
County schools will open their doors this morning for a new year to begin and another chance to make 100 percent of their AYP goals.