DATE: September 1, 2011
TO: Lewis Central High School Parents/Guardians
SUBJECT: Notice of Adequate Yearly Progress
Many of you are aware of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which requires schools to assess students annually and to meet student achievement goals. If a school does not meet those assessment and achievement goals (termed “adequate yearly progress” or AYP) for two consecutive years, and it is a school that receives federal Title I funds, then it is placed on a federal “Schools in Need of Assistance (SINA)” list and subjected to federal sanctions. Schools or districts are cited if they a) don’t meet 95% participation rate for assessments, b) don’t meet student achievement goals, or c) don’t meet attendance rate for elementary and middle schools or graduation rate for high school.
I am writing to inform you that Lewis Central High School has been designated as a "School in Need of Assistance," or SINA, under these federal guidelines because a portion of our students (those in the low socio-economic category) did not reach proficiency goals on their math tests for two consecutive years.
Over the past two years, Lewis Central High School has experienced growth in our achievement goal category. SINA schools that receive federal Title I funding are sanctioned by the federal government. However, we do not receive any federal Title I funding, and so we will not receive any sanctions.
We do nonetheless want to communicate with you about the federal findings, and inform you about the improvement strategies our school already has implemented. Please also remember that the SINA designation refers to federal criteria. Lewis Central High School is dedicated to providing an education that ensures academic success for all its students. We remain a fully accredited school in complete compliance with State of Iowa regulations.
WHY LCHS DIDN’T MAKE AYP:
Schools don’t make AYP when they don’t achieve one of the measures listed above: a) 95% participation rate for assessments, b) student achievement goals, or c) 95% attendance rate for elementary and middle schools or 90% graduation rate for high school. Lewis Central High School is listed because not enough 11th grade students met their goals in the following areas:
- Low SES sub-group math, rose 1.86% over last year to 67.86% proficient (84.9% was the state AYP goal)
HOW LCHS WILL IMPROVE:
Although we have many indicators that show Lewis Central High School is offering a top-quality education, we know that continuous improvement is important to ensure all of our students are reaching their highest potential. Using data about the students and their achievement, our staff already has begun to identify areas for improvement. For example:
- We will continue to work in accelerating learning in reading, math and science for all students by infusing the Iowa Core curriculum into teaching and learning.
- Professional development for teachers in research-based strategies to more effectively teach literacy and mathematical thinking.
- Expanded supplemental reading instruction through Second Chance Reading in grades 6-12.
Some student groups may require additional instructional interventions, pending a review of our current programs and services. In addition, the Iowa Department of Education and Lewis Central district already have begun providing technical assistance to Lewis Central High School as required by the NCLB law.
HOW PARENTS CAN HELP:
Parent support is essential to help your student reach his or her highest academic success, but parents may need ideas about the best ways to be involved. A few suggestions include:
- Communicate regularly with your child’s teachers about overall goals for the year and your child’s progress toward those goals.
- Make sure your child attends school regularly. Attendance is important at every grade level. When your child must be absent, please talk with the teacher to coordinate make-up work and assignments.
- Help your child with his or her homework. If you are unable to help, contact the school to request a tutor.
- Volunteer at the school. Every teacher needs volunteers to help in the classroom, or even with projects that can be done in your home. Other areas in the school, such as the office or cafeteria, also need volunteers.
As parents, you can be assured your students continue to receive a high quality education at Lewis Central High School. The assessment results cited by NCLB are one useful measurement for us, but we also have many other indicators to demonstrate that our students are indeed high achievers. For instance:
- Lewis Central High School continues to have over 74% of our graduating seniors take the ACT with composite average over the past year of 22.2, which is above the national average. In addition 10 students scored 30 or higher on the ACT college entrance exam this last year which is the highest number of students over 30 in school history.
- Lewis Central High School scored at the state average in all areas of college readiness on the ACT in language arts, math, science and social studies.
We are very proud of our students and of the education they receive from the staff at LCHS. We also are committed to continuous improvement, and so will continue to seek new data and make any changes necessary to benefit student learning. We appreciate and depend on your ongoing support and assistance, and welcome your suggestions.
Sincerely,
Chuck Story
Principal
Lewis Central High School