School 'failures' loom

Utah school districts are getting their first glimpses at reports on whether their schools will be put on a federal "failing schools" list, and there's some indication it's not a pretty picture.

One superintendent even says some of the schools will be ones people would never expect, perhaps indicating those in more upscale communities.

And school districts appear to be preparing for what could be a public firestorm of outrage and confusion.

Salt Lake City School District this week sent out a press release telling the public there's plenty of information to show how well schools are doing outside of the upcoming No Child Left Behind report.

Granite School District publicly laid out the litany of federal hoops schools must clear to pass muster.

Jordan and Tooele school districts are meeting with principals to help them understand why their school passed or flunked the federal standard. Jordan is encouraging school leaders to get the details down before the information goes public.

The flurry of activity appears to be a pre-emptive strike, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Laing said.

"I suspect they're probably trying to convey that their schools are doing a pretty good job and when (the report) comes out, given the specificity and complexity of it, I'm pretty sure a goodly number of schools will

be designated as not meeting (the standard)," Laing said. "It's stressful. Nobody likes to be told they're not doing the best they can . . . (based on) something that seems to have some degree of unfairness to it."

The hubbub is over the federal No Child Left Behind Act, and its requirement that schools make "adequate yearly progress," or AYP, toward having every student achieving on grade level.

The federal goal is to have all students — from the average, middle-income student to the homeless child, those who are just learning English and students in special education — achieving on grade level by 2014.

The goal aims to ensure children who have been neglected in some of the nation's schools no longer fall through the cracks.

It's a noble pursuit, but one that has stirred controversy over the details.

Basically, schools are required to make AYP in three areas: Test scores (Utah uses its end-of-the-year core curriculum tests, called CRTs), test participation and attendance.

The law requires 95 percent of students participate in tests in order to make AYP. The state also got to choose one indicator, and decided schools must have a 93 percent attendance rate.

Sounds fair. But some school leaders say it isn't.

For instance, many of the schools about to appear on the failing schools list, formally retitled "schools in need of improvement," will be there because they didn't meet the test participation criteria, school superintendents say.

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