STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
Mississippi usually ranks 50th out of 50 states in providing the poorest education in the United States.
USM in my opinion is the poorest educational institution in Mississippi.
I have dealt with USM on several occasions and I can tell you this institution is a dishonest institution.
USM has gone so far as to harbor a Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc. knowing this organization is corrupt.
So I believe it stands to reason that if USM will shield corruption then there education is very poor.
09/04/03
Half of Mississippi's 870 public schools fell short of new federal performance standards, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the state Department of Education.
Among the state's 152 public school districts, only 28 percent met the standards set by the federal No Child Left Behind Law. The accountability report won't be final until the state Board of Education approves it next Thursday.
Associate State Superintendent Susan Rucker pointed out that 432 of the state's 870 public schools made the grade. She said the ratings could be worse.
"We have hundreds (of schools) now making it when this time last year we were looking at less than 100,'' she said. "Our goal is all schools. We are not where we want to be.''
In order to meet the new federal standards, students in nine categories must perform at the proficient level in three categories: reading/language arts, mathematics and other academic indicators, which are high school graduation rates and growth in student achievement.
While only 54 percent of public schools - or 467 - met the other academic indicators, 84 percent - or 684 - met the math requirements and 86 percent -or 752 - met the reading/language arts requirements.
The subgroups of students are: all students, black, Asian, Hispanic, white, Native American, economically disadvantaged, learning disabled, and limited English proficiency. For each group, 95 percent must be tested, or the school won't make adequate yearly progress.
Other states are also reporting high numbers of schools not meeting the new federal standards, said Jim Watts, vice president of the Southern Regional Education Board. Tennessee reported Thursday that 47 percent of its public schools failed.
"It is not unusual because these are very demanding standards, especially when you get into subgroups... when you start talking about participation rates.''
To face sanctions under the federal requirements, a school must receive Title 1 funding for poor students, and must fail to meet adequate yearly progress two years in a row. Only seven schools fall into that category.
Far fewer schools fell short under new state standards, which measures improvement and achievement on standardized tests. Only 4 percent, or 33 schools, were classified as Level 1, or low-performing, in the state system. Ten of the lowest performing were labeled priority schools, and face sanctions such as teacher dismissals if they don't show improvement this year.
Susan Womack, executive director of Parents for Public Schools of Jackson, said she's encouraged that students' performance is improving, according to Mississippi Curriculum Test scores released last month.
"That's an indicator our students are making progress in reading, language and math across the state,'' she said.
She hopes schools will use the No Child Left Behind information to "target those subgroups of students to make sure they are serving all of their children well.''
Womack said she's concerned that the new rules are complicated for parents to understand. She said parents should look at how their children are doing on the Mississippi Curriculum Tests.
"If they are doing well in that regard and still not meeting adequate yearly progress, (parents) need to understand why, and the school needs to be able to tell them why,'' she said.
Schools' accountability ratings can be found on the state Department of Education Web site: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
STEVEN A. McCALEB