Schools' progress drops to 79%

SALT LAKE CITY — The percentage of schools in Utah that met federal testing requirements fell to 79 percent in 2009-10 — that's down from 87 percent the previous school year.

The results were released in the annual Adequate Yearly Progress report by the Utah State Office of Education on Monday.

Based on their math and language arts standardized test scores, schools must show that they are making AYP as part of the No Child Left Behind federal education law. Students in grades 3-12 statewide take the Criterion Referenced Test each spring, upon which AYP is based.

The dip in the percentage of schools meeting the requirements isn't necessarily reflective of the state of education in Utah, but rather the state of the assessment process, said John Jesse, director of assessment for the State Office of Education.

Every two years, the percentage of students required to test at grade level increases. The idea is that by 2014, 100 percent of students will be able to test at grade level.

"I think (the results are) representative of a continually rising bar," he said. "You're telling someone to run uphill and you're going to increase the grade (slope) and ask them to run faster."

While the percentage of schools receiving passing grades fell, the percentage of districts in the state that passed AYP held steady at 83 percent.

Improvement is desirable for all schools, but only Title 1 schools that receive federal money for serving low-income populations face sanctions if they don't meet their targets.

Oquirrh Hills Elementary in Kearns is one of them. It didn't meet the language arts standards for the 2008-09 school year, and although it brought its scores up and met AYP standards for the 2009-10 year, it still isn't free and clear. It has another year of "program improvement" before it no longer has to provide provide after school tutoring and transportation for students within its boundaries who want to attend other schools.

"We toasted with apple juice to our success, and now we move forward," said principal Vicki Ricketts.

The number of Title 1 schools in program improvement is the lowest it has ever been. Only eight schools have that distinction for the current school year, compared to 12 in 2009-10 and 15 in 2008-09.