Many initiatives to assist the underserved in our society end up coming across as do-gooder efforts that last about as long as a puff of smoke and do about as much good as a Band-Aid on a severed artery. Strive (see "Striving to Improve Children's Lives," issue of May 15), which describes itself as a "unique group of leaders representing education, business, faith, nonprofit, philanthropic and civic sectors along with input from the community-at-large, who are committed to providing a world-class education to every child in the urban for core of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky," is just such a program trying to prove they are more than PR.
The organization recently offered an update regarding the status of academic standing of the Newport Independent Schools.
“It appears that our children are making progress in math and reading achievement; however, many children have not achieved the desired reading or math levels and a gap still exists between local scores and state averages,” the update says. “Newport Independent Schools use the Kentucky Core Content Test to assess progress in reading and math. Grade four has been designated as a critical milestone for student progress in reading, representing a shift from learning how to read to reading to learn. Competence in mathematics is essential for functioning in everyday life as well as for success in our increasingly technological workplace. Early assessment in both reading and math is important in order to ensure students are achieving at grade level and to offer interventions to those who are not.”
The update goes on to provide an assessment of what the data means: “Fourth grade reading scores indicate an increase from 2004-05 to 2005-06. The gap between the district and the state has narrowed since 2004-05. Seventh grade reading scores are inconsistent and a gap remains between the district and the state average.
“Fifth grade math scores increased from 2004-05 through the next two school years. The gap between the district and the state average has narrowed since 2004-05. Eighth grade math scores show an improvement from 2005-06 through 2006-07. Please be aware that the calculation for proficiency changed in 2006-07.”
If you'd like to review the full Striving Together: Student
Progress on the Roadmap to Success report, click here.
Keep an eye out for future reports and decide for yourself if this program is one that can achieve its stated goals.
— Margo Pierce
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