Chesterfield students demonstrate progress in federal AYP measures

Chesterfield County Public Schools continues to make progress toward ensuring no child is left behind when it comes to receiving a quality education, according to newly released data.

The Virginia Department of Education's preliminary report on meeting standards outlined in federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation shows nearly 76 percent of the division's schools made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) during the 2005-06 school year. Forty-four schools met or exceeded all 29 achievement targets. Three schools were classified as "to be determined." Matoaca High and Gates Elementary schools made AYP this year after not making it last year.

As a division, CCPS met the increased annual measurable objectives (AMO) 97 percent of the time. Chesterfield missed making AYP as a division because it was 2.2 percentage points under the English performance AMO for Limited English Proficient students. Under AYP guidelines, missing a single benchmark results in a school division not making AYP.

"The bar for achievement expectations has been raised in terms of an increase in required pass rates this year. However, these preliminary results show Chesterfield continues to make demonstrated progress toward meeting federal and state testing benchmarks," said Lin Corbin-Howerton, director of school improvement and instructional support. "We still have work to do in some areas and with some subgroups. But we continue to move toward full accountability and success for each student."