Southern Aroostook, Hodgdon schools listed in state report
By Joseph Cyr
and Sarah Berthiaume
Last year, when the state unveiled its list of the 10 persistently low-achieving schools that were eligible for financial assistance, many teachers and administrators criticized the designation.
This year, the state modified things a bit and renamed its list of schools eligible for federal grant money if they agree to make sweeping changes at their schools.
No longer are the 10 schools dubbed persistently low achieving schools. Instead, the 10 schools named are cited as “Needs Improvement” schools. By their inclusion on the list, schools are eligible to apply for their share of $4 million in federal grants to fund locally developed plans aimed at improving student achievement. Last year, there was $13 million available.
The Maine Department of Education unveiled its list of 10 schools eligible for School Improvement Grants last week, and two local schools — Hodgdon High School and Southern Aroostook Community School — were included on the list. Hodgdon is on the list for the second straight year.
Last year, Hodgdon High School and Houlton High School were included on the list and both school districts opted not to apply for the grant money.
On Monday, during regular school board meetings, both SAD 70 (Hodgdon) and CSD 9 (Southern Aroostook) voted not to apply for the funds being offered to them. CSD 9’s vote was unanimous, while the SAD 70 vote passed by a vote of 9-3, with board members Joel Oliver, Lauren Asselin and Melissa Ivey in favor of pursuing the grant money.
“We decided not to file because we are already doing all of the things that the money is available for,” CSD 9 Superintendent Terry Comeau said. “This particular year, we made quite a gain [in test scores], which we are quite happy about, but that does nothing for the past three-year average.”
He said the district has already made several changes to the district’s strategic plan. The district has lengthened the school day this year by 20 minutes; has used the services of consultants for literacy and math; and is a member of the Great Maine Schools project.
“It’s a list we would rather not be on, but it is what it is,” Comeau said. “We were not the lowest performing school. There were districts that performed worse than us, but they are performing at a steady level over the three-year period.”
At SAD 70’s meeting, the board deliberated for more than an hour in executive session before making its decision. After the vote, one parent said they wished the public had been given a chance to air concerns since this does impact the entire school community. Another wondered how the district was planning to remedy the problem.
“What we discussed tonight were matters that had to be discussed in executive session,” explained Estela Lane, SAD 70 board chair. “I understand you and I hear you, but at this point we’re going to follow through with the remainder of our two-year plan.”
According to Superintendent Bob McDaniel, the district formulated a two-year strategic plan after it was cited on the list last year. Many of the improvements the grant money could be used for, are already under way, he said.
“We did make AYP this year where we haven’t in the past,” added McDaniel. “So, we are making progress. What we have now is a two-year plan and I think we do need to follow through with that in fairness to all involved.”
A handout given to members of the public also outlined the district’s stand on the matter.
“Although we made adequate yearly progress (AYP) [in our testing scores], the percentage of growth fell below the state average,” stated a handout supplied at Monday’s meeting. “This does not mean Hodgdon is one of the lowest performing schools in the state. This is based upon only one measure and does not speak to all aspects of the school’s performance.”
Among the actions taken by SAD 70 since being named to the list a year ago are:
• SAT prep classes have become a graduation requirement.
• Syllabus work that aligns with the Common Core has been completed for classes.
• Teachers reviewed their curriculums to determine proper alignment with the Maine Learning Results.
Future plans for the district include: exploring 80-minute blocks for scheduling; providing better evaluations of teachers and administrators; and increasing time spent for math and English programs.
Under federal guidelines, the Department ranks the three-year average combined proficiency in reading and math and then identifies schools that have low proficiency and a lower-than-average growth in proficiency over the three years.
The other schools included on the list, which were broken down into Tier I and Tier II schools, were:
• Tier I, East End Community School, Portland; Oak Hill High School, Wales, RSU 4; Fort Kent Community High School, MSAD 27; and Ellsworth High School, RSU 24.
• Tier II — Madison Area Memorial High School, RSU 59; Nokomis Regional High School, Newport, RSU 19; Georges Valley High School, Thomaston, RSU 13; and Lawrence High School, Fairfield, RSU 49.
“We are not huge fans of the way this list is developed, but it does allow us to provide some resources for meaningful school reform to those schools on the list that are interested in taking advantage of it,” said Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen.
The schools named meet a series of detailed criteria, established by federal guidelines, and have experienced below-average proficiency and growth on state testing. They are not, however, the lowest performing schools in the state.
Tier I is for Title I schools – which receive funding based on the size of their population of economically disadvantaged students – that have not made progress according to the standards of the No Child Left Behind Act for two or more years in a row.
Tier II is for high schools that are eligible for Title I funds, but whose districts use those funds in other schools.
To receive the grant money, schools must adopt one of four aggressive plans for improvement. Those four plans included: the “Turnaround Model,” which called for a school to replace its principal and at least 50 percent of its staff; the “Restart Model,” in which the school had to close and reopen as a charter school; the “School Closure Model,” which required the school to close it doors and send students elsewhere; and the “Transformational Model,” which would have required the district to replace its high school principal, train teachers and administrators, implement various reforms, extend learning and planning time, and adjust other operating procedures.
Because of the reduced funding, not all schools will receive funding. By federal law, the state must first provide funds to the Tier 1 schools that apply for them.
“What’s important is not how schools get on the list, or whether the list even makes sense,” Bowen said. “What’s important is the opportunity that is created by the list for some significant influx of funds to the school for professional development, after-school programming, and other work targeted at raising achievement.”
