Editorial: AYP Progress - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: AYP Progress

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  • Editorials

  • Tuesday, May 21 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 23:20:08 GMT
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need
    The horrific tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma this week bring back all too familiar memories for Alabamians as memories of April 27, 2011 are still fresh in many minds. When Alabamians were in need

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    •   

In five years all schools nationwide are supposed to be 100% proficient in reading and math - students in grades three through eight and grade 11 must test at grade level.

That's the goal set and tracked yearly with Adequate Yearly Progress measurements.

Alabama is nearly there already - as 86% of the 1,376 schools statewide are meeting standards.

Pretty impressive progress considering five years ago just 23% of schools statewide met standards.

Fifty more schools joined the proficient list this year compared to last year statewide.

Only five of the 57 schools in Montgomery are not meeting standards.

Five years ago only 11 schools met standards in Montgomery.

Only three schools in Elmore County, two in Macon and Lowndes Counties  and one in Autauga County didn't meet standards.

Clearly, in our region and statewide, huge gains are being made.

All of the state's K-3 schools are now trained in the Alabama Reading Initiative and all of the state's 371 high schools offer the distance learning program.

We urge lawmakers to continue both - and expand the Math, Science and Technology Initiative that is now only in half of the schools statewide. 

Congratulations to all the students and teachers who are working hard to make this grade!