“It is my understanding that parents were sent a letter from McEvans School (that said) there is a possibility the school will be labeled as failing this year as they were labeled last year,” said Gregory Flippins, a concerned citizen.
“The preliminary data suggests we needed to get in touch with parents,” Superintendent Dr. Cederick Ellis responded. “It is not official yet.”
Ellis stressed that the Mississippi Department of Education has not released the official accountability labels for the 2009-2010 school year.
These labels — failing, at risk of failing, academic watch, successful and high performing — determine many things for a school or a district, including whether or not MDE will have to create a conservatorship in the district.
Ellis confirmed that letters were sent out to McEvans parents.
“Accountability labels will not be made official until September,” Ellis said. “However if a school, based on preliminary data, may not meet AYP, they are to notify parents.
“The state says to notify parents as soon as possible,” he continued.
According to Flippins, the letter mentioned what will happen if the school does receive a failing rating for the 2009-2010 year and does not meet AYP (growth).
“The letter spoke to a second consecutive year (of failing),” said Flippins. “You just said this would be our first year of failing.”
If McEvans does receive a failing rating for the previous school year, the school will enter year one of the state’s school improvement plan.
The school will have the 2010-2011 and the 2011-2012 school years to improve before the state could come in and take over.
“This will be year one of failing (if we receive that rating),” said Ellis. “The federal government says that if we fail to meet AYP for two consecutive years, we have to take certain steps.”
Ellis noted that there were two sets of procedure for schools that receive low ratings and don’t meet projected growth — one at the state level and one at the federal level.
“The letter said (students) will have the ability to go to another school in the district or, if there is not another school, go to another district,” Flippins said.
McEvans is the only elementary school in the Shaw School District.
Ellis stressed that the letter was sent based on preliminary data from the state to notify parents of the possibilities for the current school year.
He also stressed that nothing official regarding the school’s accountability label would be released until September.