Council examines consistently low-performing schools
RELEASED TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1999
ATLANTA – The highest proportion of low-performing schools falls at the middle school level, while a small percentage of Georgia schools at all three levels--elementary, middle and high--have consistently performed poorly during the last three years, according to analysis released today by the Council for School Performance, which is housed in the Applied Research Center of Georgia State University.
National and regional accountability reports have identified the need for a statewide system for identifying low-performing schools and targeting assistance toward them. Currently, Georgia does not have such an identification system. "Since Georgia has not yet determined statewide standards for classifying low-performing schools, we selected reasonable criteria to examine what proportion of Georgia schools might really be in trouble," said Dr. Gary T. Henry, research director of the Council for School Performance and director of the Applied Research Center.
Based on selected test scores and data on absenteeism, 12% of middle schools are considered low-performing every year, from 1995-96 through 1997-98. Elementary and high schools have shown smaller, but persistent, proportions of schools performing poorly every year, with 4% of elementary schools and 3% of high schools falling into this grouping.
The Council identified the percentage of Georgia schools performing poorly in 1995-96 and tracked these schools through the 1997-98 year. While many schools identified as low-performing in the 1995-96 year improved slightly, a small percentage of schools in the state maintained their poor performance. "By focusing on our low-performing schools in Georgia, we will be able to provide clear direction for school improvement in the future," said Dr. Jeanie Weathersby, director of the Council for School Performance.
To determine if a school was considered low-performing, the Council for School Performance selected criteria based on available data for each school level. An elementary school was considered low-performing if fewer than 50% of the school's 3rd and 5th graders scored above the national median on ITBS reading and math tests and if the absentee rate was above that of the typical Georgia elementary school. For middle schools, a school was rated low-performing if fewer than 50% of the 8th graders scored above the national median on ITBS reading and math and the absenteeism rate was above that of the typical middle school. The criteria for high schools included having fewer than 50% of their students score above the state median on the graduation tests in English and math, having less than 50% above the national median on the SAT, and having absentee and dropout rates above those of the typical Georgia high school.
Council chair and BellSouth Corporate and Education Affairs director Pat Willis remarked, "The Council's annual performance reports can provide the kind of information that a statewide accountability system will need--whether they use these criteria or additional indicators to identify which schools need targeted assistance."
These findings were compiled from the fourth annual Council for School Performance School Performance Reports, report cards for 1,792 Georgia schools, and from previous Council reports. Parents, teachers, and school administrators can use these impartial and accurate reports to assess a school’s performance on over 50 indicators on topics such as school safety, academic preparation and parent participation. In the coming weeks, performance reports on school systems will be released as well.
Those interested in their school’s performance should contact their school principals or PTA/PTO presidents, visit their county library, or access the Council for School Performance website at http://arcweb.gsu.edu/csp.
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Low Performing Schools |
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| Schools receiving Performance Reports in 1997-98 | Schools below the median on all criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all criteria for 3 years in a row. |
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|
Number of schools | Number of schools | Percent of Total | Number of schools | Percent of Total |
| Elementary Schools | 1161 | 98 | 8% | 41 | 3% |
| Middle Schools | 409 | 111 | 27% | 49 | 12% |
| High Schools | 318 | 43 | 14% | 9 | 3% |
| Total | 1888 | 252 | 13% | 100 | 5% |
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Comparison of School Performance in 1995-96 and 1997-98 |
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| Level | Number of Schools Below Median on all Criteria in 1995-96 |
Of the schools with low performance in 1995-96, the percentage that are below the 1997-98 median on: |
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| All criteria |
4 or more criteria |
3 or more criteria |
2 or more criteria |
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| Elementary Schools | 98 | 48% | 70% | 83% | 96% |
| Middle Schools | 111 | 61% | 90% | ||
| High Schools | 43 | 36% | 61% | 67% | 70% |
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Elementary Schools |
Schools below the median on fewer than 5 criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all 5 criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all 5 criteria for 3 years in a row. |
| % receiving free/reduced price lunches |
52.6% |
79.1% |
80.1% |
| % 3rd gr. above median: ITBS Reading |
50.9% |
40.1% |
33.5% |
| % 3rd gr. above median ITBS Math |
57.3% |
48.8% |
35.9% |
| % 5th gr. above median: ITBS Reading |
52.9% |
40.8% |
29.4% |
| % 5th gr. above median:ITBS Math |
56.6% |
46.2% |
34.3% |
| % elementary students absent 10+ days |
24.3% |
29.3% |
31.9% |
| Hours of public or not-for-profit involvement |
110 |
110 |
108 |
| Volunteer hours by business partnership |
160 |
190 |
170.5 |
|
Middle Schools |
Schools below the median on fewer than 3 criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all 3 criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all 3 criteria for 3 years in a row. |
| % receiving free/reduced price lunches |
41.2% |
59.2% |
67.9% |
| % 8th gr. above median: ITBS Reading |
47.1% |
36.0% |
27.0% |
| % 8th gr. above median ITBS Math |
56.0% |
46.7% |
34.6% |
| % middle school students absent 10+ days |
31.1% |
30.9% |
44.8% |
| % students w/drug or alcohol violations |
0.3% |
0.3% |
0.3% |
| % students w/violence violations |
0.4% |
0.9% |
1.5% |
| Number of students expelled per 100 enrolled |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
| Students referred to court/juvenile system |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
| Hours of public or not-for-profit involvement |
150.0 |
130.0 |
180.0 |
| Volunteer hours by business partnership |
150.0 |
125.0 |
205.0 |
|
High Schools |
Schools below the median on fewer than 5 criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all 5 criteria in 1995-96 |
Schools below the median on all 5 criteria for 3 years in a row. |
| % receiving free/reduced price lunches |
30.0% |
44.1% |
54.2% |
| % passing Graduation Test: English (11th gr.) |
95.0% |
91.5% |
88.7% |
| % passing Graduation Test in Math (11th gr.) |
89.6% |
79.7% |
76.0% |
| % scoring at/above national median SAT |
36.2% |
17.3% |
21.1% |
| % students dropping out in grades 9-12 |
6.8% |
7.9% |
9.6% |
| % HS students absent from school 10+ Days |
36.8% |
46.6% |
49.5% |
|
22.6% |
37.0% |
33.7% |
| % of graduates eligible for HOPE |
63.3% |
52.0% |
44.9% |
| % with: drug or alcohol violations |
0.4% |
0.5% |
0.7% |
| % students with violence violations |
0.9% |
0.4% |
0.5% |
| # expelled per 100 enrolled |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
| # referred to court per 100 enrolled |
0.3 |
0.9 |
0.3 |
| Hours of public or not-for-profit involvement |
132 |
200 |
400 |
| Volunteer hours by business partnership |
269 |
172.5 |
350 |
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