MCHS test scores fail to meet rising expectations

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Morris Community High School did not make AYP for the second time, joining almost 50 percent of Illinois school districts not making AYP this year.

"We did not make [Adequate Yearly Progress] for the second year. [That means] it is our first year on school improvement status," Superintendent Pat Halloran told the school board at its regular meeting Monday.

Juniors in high school are required to take state exams, which include the ACT college prep exam. As part of the state's No Child Left Behind Act, AYP requires the a percentage of those scores meet or exceed state standards annually.

Every year, a greater percentage of students are required to meet the standards.This year, it was 70 percent. In reading, 62.8 percent of MCHS students met the standards, while 50.6 percent met them in math. The results are based on last school year's juniors' test results.

Morris Community High School's 2008 report card showed the students made AYP in reading, but not in math. This year, they did not make AYP for either subject, making it the district's second year not meeting AYP.

The school now has to implement a school improvement plan, which is expected to be passed by the school board at the November meeting, Halloran said. In addition, it has to offer students an alternative school choice.

Last year's percentage requirement was 62.5 percent; this year was 70 percent; and in 2010, the target is 77.5 percent have to meet or exceed state standards. The goal is that, by 2014, 100 percent of students will meet or exceed standards.

"It's just not a reality," Halloran said.

Morris did meet AYP this year in the number of students tested, attendance rate and graduation rate.

State Superintendent Christopher Koch said in his Weekly Message on the Illinois State Board of Education Web site that statewide averages continue to increase in all tests, despite results in the two subjects on the state tests.

"Unfortunately, even though we are seeing gains, the number of schools making (AYP) continues to drop," Koch said in his message. "This is not a surprise to anyone, because the gains that we are making are just not enough to keep up with the increasing performance targets. This truly highlights one of the many reasons to reform No Child Left Behind."

Halloran said math scores across the state are down, but he does not believe there is one specific reason to pinpoint why the students did not make AYP. Morris students' performance on day one of the testing is stable, he said, but more concentrated efforts are needed on day two of testing.

"We need to figure out ways to motivate and create incentives to get better performance on both days," Halloran said Wednesday.

The school has already begun to implement ideas.

"We hope to see some improvement with the curriculum coordinator," said board member Jim Paulson at the meeting.

The coordinator is working with the high school, Morris Elementary District 54 and Saratoga School District 60c.

MCHS Principal Kelly Hussey was not at Monday's meeting, but in a statement left for the board said the district already has solid goals in place as part of its ongoing school improvement cycle. Included are technology plan improvements, more use of data-driven decisions, staff development efforts, and curriculum reviews. 

"Although our ACT scores remain consistently competitive, our current senior class fell slightly beneath the scores required for AYP. Nonetheless, MCHS continues to focus on the improvement strategies that will allow all of our students to meet the Illinois learning standards, and prepare them as life-long learners," Hussey said in his statement.

Morris' report card also showed the district's low-income students have increased 4.3 percent from last year, to 16.9 percent, and students moving in and out of the district is up by 1.3 percent.

The district's average teacher salaries are greater than the state average, but the administrator salaries are below the state average. Halloran said about 68 percent of the high school's teachers have master's degrees, which is why the teacher salaries are above average.

The school report card will be available on the school's Web site at www.morrishs.org later this month.

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