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Our View: Retain Marsh on council ... Religion and politics in America ... Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 11 ... Our View: Retain Marsh on council ... Religion and politics in America ... SCHOOL REPORT CARD AHS rated 'below average' despite high test scores School's missed tests lead to level drop; Bellview, John Muir earn 'model school' status By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 10, 2014 @ 10:07 am By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 10, 2014 @ 10:07 am » RELATED CONTENT • Report card issued on Oregon's K-12 system • Plenty of credit to go around for Ashland schools' top-ti... • Ashland institutions rank high in Oregon's new school rep... • Oregon releases redesigned school report cards » Social News Ashland High School principal Michelle Zundel is proud of her school’s academic performance, pointing out that it annually outperforms comparison schools in reading, math and writing. She’s not so impressed, however, with the state’s rating system after AHS was knocked with a “below average” grade in its school-wide report card for the 2013-14 academic year. According to the report card, made public Thursday, Ashland dropped two spots to Level 3 on the state’s five-level scale and was rated “below average” on a three-tier scale that rates schools either “below average”, “about average” or “above average.” The demotion came despite high test scores. More than 95 percent of students at AHS met or exceeded state standards in reading, 88 percent in math and 79 percent in writing — better than demographically similar schools in all three categories. That ranks AHS as a Level 5 school in reading and math and Level 4 in writing. But Ashland High missed by less than 1 percent a benchmark in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students tested in reading, and that cost AHS a level drop and likely an “above average” rating. “I’m really upset about the process,” Zundel said. According to the AHS school profile, 32 percent of its 954 students last school year were classified as economically disadvantaged. Overall, Ashland High’s economically disadvantaged were rated Level 5 in math, Level 4 in reading and 88.2 percent were on track to graduate compared to the 68.8 percent clip at comparison schools. So how did the downgrade happen? Zundel said administrators mistakenly believed that re-tests for 11th graders who did not meet state standards in reading in 10th grade were not required. According to Zundel, those few students — AHS missed the mark by a mere 0.4 percent — received extra instruction and later demonstrated their reading ability on a work sample. They also performed well in a secure testing environment. But they did not re-take the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills reading test. “What we did was, they got incredible instruction in reading, they got the intervention they needed and they passed their essential skill,” Zundel said. “They demonstrated their ability to read on a local work sample. So these students who didn't pass the OAKS test and were economically disadvantaged, they were given intervention and lots of help in becoming readers and being able to demonstrate their reading. They even did, in a secure testing environment, this alternate assessment that’s allowed by the state of Oregon in order to get your diploma. They worked hard, they met (state standards) on that.” Zundel indicated that those students would have passed had they been aware of the requirement. “They had access to the OAKS test. We were not hiding them in any way, shape or form. They had taken the test in the 10th grade and got the instruction they needed in reading and demonstrated that they could read and comprehend. But they were supposed to be tested again in the 11th grade.” The other five schools in the Ashland School District scored well. Bellview and John Muir earned Level 5 ratings and were distinguished as “model schools” in the top 5 percent of the state’s high-poverty schools (both received Title I funds), while Ashland Middle School, Helman and Walker received Level 4 ratings. At Bellview, 88.3 percent of students met or exceeded state standards in reading and 82.8 percent met or exceeded state standards in math last school year. At John Muir, those numbers were 85.9 and 81.3, respectively. John Muir, which had 101 students last school year, was rated a Level 5 in academic achievement, academic growth and subgroup grown, while Bellview (303 students) earned a Level 4 in academic achievement, and Level 5 in academic growth and subgroup growth. In a summary report addressed to parents and community members, Bellview principal Christine McCollom said the school’s high marks are the result of hard work. “We are pleased to see our efforts reflected in our students’ scores, and will continue to refine our practice and monitor our students’ progress to be sure we continue to meet their needs and prepare them for their next steps,” McCollom wrote. “We are very fortunate at Bellview School to have fantastic teachers and support staff that work tirelessly to ensure maximum success for each child in our care. We are also blessed with supportive parents, family and community members who are dedicated to helping their students succeed by reading to them, assisting them with their homework, volunteering in and out of the classroom, and setting up stable routines at home.” At Ashland Middle School, which had 584 students last school year, 82.8 percent of students met or exceeded state standards in reading and 75.4 percent met those standards in math, Level 4 in both categories. Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-776-4469. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 10, 2014 @ 10:07 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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