NWABSD holds steady AYP level for 2004-05

NWABSD will maintain its AYP Level 3 designation from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, according to the 2004-2005 district assessments posted on the EED website Thursday.

While the district as a whole did not meet all the requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress, high performances by third through fifth-year elementary students kept the entire district from moving up to AYP Level 4, or “Improvement” status.

In addition 2004-2005 was the first school year that the entire district student body reached the Safe Harbor threshold for language arts.

Thanks to an allowance the federal government granted Alaska last year, districts can avoid gaining an AYP level as long as they hit the targets in third, fourth and fifth grades – even if the overall district scores for all grades are below state goals. While it does complicate the system, the flexibility from the U.S. Department of Education is allowing districts that make great progress, but come up short of the national goals, to avoid “District Improvement” designations.

NWABSD also continued its success beating Alaska’s test participation goals in 2004-2005 with 1,221 students tested – and just 42 absences around the entire district.