93% of schools in Utah earn U-PASS grades

Ninety-three percent of Utah's public schools earned passing grades on the 2004-05 Utah Performance Assessment System for Students.

This is the first time Utah schools have been graded — as either passing or needing assistance — on a state level.

Schools that passed had either 75 percent or more of their students proficient in language arts, math and science or had a substantial number of students (who were not proficient) making considerable progress toward proficiency.

"These first-year results give meaning and context to the U-PASS testing system," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patti Harrington. "What we especially like about U-PASS is that it gives students and teachers credit for growth in their learning."

Thirty-four of the state's 639 elementaries, middle schools and junior highs were reported as schools needing assistance. Sixty-five schools are still appealing their reports and have yet to receive either grade.

High schools with a 12th grade are not part of the accountability program this year since graduation rates and graduation test data are used in the report. Individual high school data on test results, however, are still available.

The annual U-PASS reports were released Monday and have been issued for a few years — without the passing or needing assistance designations — under the state's 2000 school accountability law to determine whether schools are up to snuff.

The marks are reminiscent of No Child Left Behind reports that showed 87 percent of Utah schools meeting benchmarks last fall. But those assessments are calculated differently.

"It makes it difficult to compare the NCLB report with the U-PASS report because it's a different set of rules," said Darryl Thomas, who oversees assessment for Granite School District. "Our scores are better under U-PASS, and the reason is it's a more realistic view of the schools than the NCLB regulations."

Under No Child Left Behind, if one group of students misses the mark on test scores or participation rates, the whole school fails to make adequate yearly progress. That's because federal law aims to shine a bright light on areas where children might be falling behind to compel schools to address problems.

But U-PASS judgments are more holistic.

"They give you credit for growth that (NCLB reports) do not," said Mark Peterson, spokesman for the State Office of Education. "(NCLB reports) are strictly status where as U-PASS is status and growth."