Bowie schools continue to make gains

Tulip Grove, Heather Hills elementaries had grade levels reach 100 percent on at least one MSA test

The measures, termed Adequate Yearly Progress, are gains schools must make each year in student achievement in reading and math. In order to make AYP, schools must show improvement on their test scores — the MSA for elementary and middle schools and the High School Assessments for high schools — in all subgroups of students, including low-income students and students with limited English proficiency.

Two Bowie schools, Tulip Grove and Heather Hills elementary schools, had grade levels score 100 percent on at least one subject test.

"From a Tulip Grove standpoint, we were very pleased we made AYP, but that really wasn't our goal," said Principal Brian Baudoin. "Our goal was to exceed the AYP standards."

Test scores unveiled in July showed Bowie schools scoring well above the test averages for the county as a whole. Across Prince George's County, an average of 68 percent of students in grades 3 through 8 scored proficient or better in the assessments, compared with 84 percent of students scoring proficient or better at the Bowie area's 10 elementary and two middle schools.

Few Bowie schools have had trouble meeting AYP since the MSAs were first taken in 2003. Heather Hills, Kenilworth, Pointer Ridge, Rockledge, Tulip Grove, Whitehall and Woodmore elementary schools have made AYP every year since then. Northview, which opened in the fall of 2007, also made AYP this year.

Other schools have only missed AYP one year but avoided placement on the state's watch list. However, meeting AYP in special education categories proved to be the stumbling block for several schools. High Bridge Elementary did not make AYP in the special education category in 2004, Yorktown Elementary missed it in 2006 and Benjamin Tasker Middle School missed it in 2004. Samuel Ogle Middle School missed AYP in the free and reduced lunch and limited English proficiency categories in 2003.

High Bridge Principal Charles Eller Jr. said his school was able to make AYP this year through the appeals process allowed for special education students. About one-third of High Bridge students are classified as special needs.

"What we do in essence is we approach the state with a child and say, for instance, this is a fifth-grader reading at a third grade level," he said. "It's a really rough rigorous process to begin with so you are crossing your fingers and hoping the state understands."

High Bridge students are continuing to make progressive gains however, Eller said.

"Over the past three years at least, the scores for our special needs kids have continued to increase across all grade levels in all subjects," he said. "[This year is] the lowest number of appeals we've ever had."

Eller declined to give the number of appeals grated this year.

The goal of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which spawned the MSAs, is to have all students score 100 percent proficient in all subjects by 2013.

"That is a big goal, and that's certainly stressful and that's going to be a challenge," Baudoin said. "Our eye is on the prize, and we feel very good about showing that it is possible to reach the 100 percent mark."

entering watch list:

Barnaby Manor Elementary

James Madison Middle

Templeton Elementary

Thomas S. Stone Elementary

exiting watch list:

Beacon Heights Elementary

Berkshire Elementary

Bradbury Heights

Flintstone Elementary

Forest Heights Elementary

Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary

J. Frank Dent Elementary

Lewisdale Elementary

North Forestville Elementary

Oaklands Elementary

Port Towns Elementary

Seat Pleasant Elementary

Springhill Lake Elementary

William Paca Elementary