Report Cards on Central Schools

CENTRAL — Over the past two weeks, parents of students at Central’s five public schools received Report Cards from the Louisiana Department of Education.  There would be nothing unusual about that, except for the fact that these Reports Cards weren’t on the performance of a particular student but on the performance of each school as a whole.

For parents in Central, the news was very good.  The Central Community School System had some of the highest performing schools in the state, based on the State Department’s grading system.

Bellingrath Hills and Tanglewood Elementary schools both had A+ grades, placing them among the best schools in the state.  Central High was also a top performer with an A-.

Right behind was Central Intermediate with a B+ and then Central Middle School with a C.

Central schools Supt. Mike Faulk told the Central Community School Board last Monday that every school made progress over previous years.

Faulk said the grading system has been based 90 percent on standardized test results and 10 percent on attendance and graduation.  However, the state has changed the formula.  In the future, it will be 70 percent based on testing and 30 percent on other factors.

In addition, Faulk said the state is moving away from Graduation Exit Exam testing and will use end of course testing.

The testing of 3rd graders at Tanglewood has been the major factor in the A+ ratings for both Bellingrath Hills (pre-K through 1st grade) and Tanglewood (2nd and 3rd grades).  No statewide standardized testing is done for pre-K through 1st grade.  Since Bellingrath Hills feeds into Tanglewood, its scores are determined in large part by the results from Tanglewood.  Tanglewood has had the highest performing 3rd graders in the state, based on standardized tests, for the past two years.

Even though it received a “-”, Central High School’s A- rating was one of the highest grades in the state.  Only 10 other public schools in the state without selective admissions scored higher that Central High School.

Central Intermediate School received a B+ rating.  The “+” was noteworthly, because it meant that CIS exceeded the state’s target for the school’s improvement over the past 12 months.

Central Middle School’s “C” was disappointng but represented a major improvement compared to two years ago.  The school’s score increased from 91.5 in 2009 to 97.1 in 2010 to 99.2 in 2011.  It is also higher than the state average of 93.9.

Faulk said he believes Central Middle School has the highest number of transfers into the Central school system than any other school.  “It takes time to learn the system we have here, and we feel this is partly responsible,” he said.

Overall, Faulk said the school system has a long way to go to be “World Class” but he is very pleased with the progress being made.

At last Monday’s school board member, board vice president Will Easley expressed the sentiments of the board to Supt. Faulk.  “You should be very proud of these results, Mr. Faulk.”

Faulk said it is a team effort.  “We have a great staff and faculty, tremendous community support, and wonderful parents and students.”

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Supt. Mike Faulk told the school board that the Central Community School System currently has 4,084 students enrolled, including 3,953 who are counted for MFP purposes.

— By Woody Jenkins