Ashe County parents can rest assured their children are getting a quality education according to the N.C. School Report Card for the 2011-2012 school year with four of the district’s schools earning “Distinction” status.
“We’re really proud of our students, teachers and parents for the hard work they did over the last year,” said Ashe County Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Travis Reeves about the results.
For Reeves, having the schools perform at such a high level was a challenge because of a change in the state’s curriculum standards over the last 12 months.
“With the transition from one curriculum to the new Common Core State Standards, I am especially proud that our students and teachers, with the help of parents, helped us to continue to improve,” said Reeves.
“We always want to set the bar high so we can continue to grow,” said Reeves.
The Report Card results published by N.C. Department of Public Instruction last week indicate the students at Ashe County High School are performing well above the state average against all other high schools of comparable size in all the test subject matter.
In English I, 86.7 percent of the ACHS students met the proficiency standards, against a state average of 82.9 percent.
In algebra I, 81.1 percent of the ACHS students met the proficiency standards, against a state average of 78.7 percent.
In biology, 87.4 percent of the ACHS students met the proficiency standards, against a state average of 83.0 percent.
In addition, the high school met 15 of 15 annual measurable objects (AMO), which include targets set for student attendance, cohort graduation rates, student participation in assessments, and for student performance on the state standardized tests in reading and mathematics.
Those scores resulted in the high school being recognized as a “School of Distinction,” which means that between 80 and 90 percent is its students performing at or above grade level.
The DPI Report Card for Ashe County Middle School, with 546 students enrolled, showed the same type of student academic success.
The percentage of seventh and eighth grade students performing at grade level in reading were 76.7 and 76.8, respectively, against a state average of 68.2 and 71.1.2 percent, respectively.
The middle school also had a number of its students assessed in algebra I, of which 81.1 percent tested proficient, against a state average of 78.7 percent.
The percentage of seventh and eighth grade students performing at grade level in math were 90.0 and 89.2, respectively, against a state average of 81.1 and 85.2 percent, respectively.
The middle school met 16 of 17 annual measurable objects (AMO), which is part of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Ashe Middle School’s Report Card grade also allowed it to earn School of Distinction status.
The Report Card for Blue Ridge Elementary School, with 486 enrolled, indicated its students were performing above the state average in some of the curriculum performance standards, and below state averages on others.
For third graders, they exceeded the state averages in math and reading.
The percentage of fourth graders meeting grade level performance standards fell below the state averages in reading and math, as did the fifth grade.
The percentage of sixth graders meeting grade level performance in reading and math was mixed against the state average. It scored lower in reading percentages against the state, but exceeded the state average in math.
Its expected growth was not achieved, but it met 15 of 17 AMOs.
Reeves said Blue Ridge Elementary is working hard to acheive positive results.
“I stress to my faculty and staff when you look at the data, there is a student behind that data. We’re proud of the relationships established by our teachers with their students to help them continue to acheive…there is a lot more to being successful than just the test scores…our job is to focus on the whole child and their development,” said Reeves.
Reeves said there was growth on various grade levels that demonstrated that our teachers are working really hard with their students.
“The school improvement team has focused on academic performance goals that focus on individual student growth on all grade levels…the teachers are focused on their kids. Blue Ridge teachers are visiting other successful schools in the county and in the state and focusing on balanced literacy and I’m really excited about the direction the school is going in and the leadership of the school,” said Reeves.
Every class grade at Mountain View Elementary School, with 565 students, exceeded state averages in reading and math. Its overall score in both disciplines was 78.5 percent proficient in reading and 93.7 percent in math.
Mountain View Elementary School was also recognized as a DPI School of Distinction meeting 19 of 19 AMOs.
Every class grade at Westwood Elementary School, with 619 students, exceeded state averages in reading and math. Its overall score in both disciplines was 78.1 percent proficient in reading and 90.0 percent in math, against a state average of 71.2 and 82.8 percent, respectively.
Westwood Elementary School was also recognized as a DPI School of Distinction meeting 16 or 17 AMOs.
The DPI report card also assesses each district school’s teachers’ skills.
At Ashe High School, 100 percent of its teachers are defined by federal law as “highly qualified,” with 45 percent having advanced degrees and 13 teachers earning Board Certification.
At Ashe Middle School, 98 percent of its teachers are defined by federal law as “highly qualified,” with 44 percent having advanced degrees and eight teachers earning Board Certification.
At Blue Ridge Elementary, 100 percent of its teachers are defined by federal law as “highly qualified,” with 45 percent having advanced degrees and 10 teachers earning Board Certification.
At Mountain View Elementary School, 100 percent of its teachers are defined by federal law as “highly qualified,” with 37 percent having advanced degrees and 10 teachers earning Board Certification.
At Westwood Elementary School, 100 percent of its teachers are defined by federal law as “highly qualified,” with 41 percent having advanced degrees and 14 teachers earning Board Certification.
Students who plan to enter the workforce following high school graduation may enroll in career and technical courses, which provide training and skills for careers in areas such as auto mechanics or business management. The percentage of students enrolled in career and technical courses are 14 percent for the district and 15 percent for the state.
Public schools in North Carolina operate with funding from local, state, and federal sources including tax revenue. The financial support reflected in these numbers includes all expenses concerned with operating schools, including teacher and administrator salaries, textbooks, and other educational supplies and materials.
Ashe County schools received $1,472.00 per student in local funds, $6,609.23 per student in state funds and $1497.16 per student in federal funds.
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