School Accountability Reports Available

In compliance with the “No Child Left Behind” Act parents and community members are advised that the School Public Accountability Report (SPAR) for their child’s school is available upon request at each Gulf District school and on each school’s website which may be accessed from the district’s website (www.gulf.k12.fl.us)

These reports contain indicators designed to inform parents and the general public about the progress of Florida public schools: student demographics, school readiness, graduation rates, College Placement Test results, FCAT results and the percent of students at each Level, discipline data, and other types of data and information.

It should be noted that Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports for all school, Title I and non-Title I, may be found at http:// www. fldoe.org – click on School Grades.  The district’s Title I schools, PSJE and WES, made a school grade of “A” for the 2008-09 school year.  PSJE did make AYP, but had not made it for three previous years in math in two subgroups; therefore, the school remains as a school in need of improvement.  WES did not make AYP in two sub-groups (57 percent) and since this is the 4th year the school did not make it in math, the school is designated in corrective action.  It is important that parents be informed that these schools, while high performing on the state level are aiming for a moving target for AYP on the federal level. The federal level annually increases the percent of students that must score Level 3 or above in reading, math and writing.  For example, in 2008-09 the proficiency for math was 68 percent and in 2009-10 it is 74 percent; reading proficiency for 2008-09 was 65 percent and in 2009-10 it is 72 percent. There are Safe Harbor and Growth mechanisms that allow schools to make AYP without actually meeting high standards, but they are in a complicated formula.

Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s school or the district office with any questions or concerns about these reports.