More NV schools need improvement

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - More Nevada schools failed to make adequate yearly progress in 2010 than the year before, the Nevada Department of Education said Monday.

In its annual achievement report, the department said of the state's 678 public schools, 347 failed to meet annual yearly progress as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. Of those, 138 are on a "watch list," meaning they have a year to improve to avoid being labeled as in need of improvement.

Last year, 273 schools were deemed as not meeting adequate progress, and 93 were on the watch list.

The Carson City School District made adequate yearly progress as a district, while four schools fell below that mark. Bordewich-Bray was designated has high achieving for its improvements in math.

Seeliger Elementary School and Carson High School were placed on the "watch list," for slipping below the line after having met the requirements the year before.

Empire, which made the cut last year, failed to make adequate yearly progress again this year so was designated "in need of improvement" along with Mark Twain.

Fritsch Elementary School and Pioneer High School made adequate yearly progress as did Carson Montessori, a charter school sponsored through the Carson City School District.

Fremont Elementary School along with Carson and Eagle Valley middle schools met the bar this year, but because they did not last year they are "on hold" until they make adequate yearly progress for a consecutive year.

Education officials said achievement targets were raised this year as schools approach federally mandated 100 percent proficiency by 2013.

"Budget cuts and the significantly higher targets took its toll on the elementary and middle schools within each district in attempting to achieve the expected AYP requirements," the department said in a written release.

The report said 45 percent of elementary schools and 37 percent of middle schools met adequate achievement requirements, while 72 percent of high schools were in compliance.

Additionally, 46 schools were designated as "high achieving," and nine were given the highest designation of being "exemplary."

School performance is based on test scores of various student groups. If one of the subgroups doesn't meet the goals, the entire school is listed as not having made adequate yearly progress.

Detailed reports on each district and individual schools are available online at www.nevadarportcard.com