Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Feinstein High School Closes the Achievement Gap; Then Closes

Well, the fall 2009 NECAP scores are out, and the numbers for one of the "6 worst R.I. schools" to-be-turned-around under Race to the Top and/or closed, Feinstein High School are... illuminating.

  • At FHS, the percent proficient in writing (these are all beginning of 11th grade, btw) went up from 32% in '08 to 63% in '09. That's eight points over the Rhode Island average, 13 points over the New Hampshire average, and 12 points over the Vermont average.
  • FHS's "economically disadvantaged students" passed the writing standard at a 64% rate, 21 points above similar students statewide, and two points higher than the statewide average for non-disadvantaged students statewide.
  • FHS's "Hispanic or Latino" students passed in writing at the same rate, (60%) as white students statewide.
  • In reading, the percent proficient went up from 45% in '08 to 72% in '09. That's one point under the RI statewide average, and three points over Vermont's average.
  • FHS's "economically disadvantaged students" met the reading standard at a 75% rate, higher than the overall (any income) average of RI, New Hampshire or Vermont, and 14 points higher than RI's low-SES pass rate.
  • No FHS student scored at level 1 -- substantially below proficient -- in reading or writing.

I'd note that the figures in bold above constitute what is known in the contemporary parlance as "closing the achievement gap." Yeah, it is a little cherry-picky, but less so than most claims of "gap closing" turn out to be under close examination.

Heckuva job, Tom Brady.

Heckuva job, Deb Gist.

Heckuva job, Arne Duncan.

You can be proud of yourselves for closing this one. I'd like to hear how this is "best for kids."

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