Monmouth Regional falls short of NCLB standards

The state Department of Education (DOE) released data on how schools measure up to the No Child Left Behind standards that show Monmouth Regional High School failed to achieve some benchmarks set by the federal initiative.

Eleventh-grade students in narrow sub groups at Monmouth Regional High School, Tinton Falls, failed to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2006, according to a report released by the DOE Aug. 16.

According to the preliminary school improvement status summary, Monmouth Regional was in a Year 3 Hold status last year, which meant that the school was on the right track, but in order to achieve AYP, had to meet the benchmark target two years in a row.

This year the regional high school is in Year 3 status again with students having met 39 out of 41 indicators, missing AYP by two out of 10 subgroups, Students with Disabilities and Economically Disadvantaged.

The special education students (Students with Disabilities) did not make the mark in math, placing the school in Safe Harbor mode in language arts.

"What this means is that though they didn't make the AYP benchmark, they had at least a 10 percent improvement in that subgroup. Being in Safe Harbor means your sanction can't get any worse than it is," said DOE spokesman Rich Vespucci.

Students in the Economically Disadvantaged sub group missed the benchmark in math only. Students in this category qualify for reduced or free meals at school.

Being in Year 3 status means the school has to follow specific NCLB protocols.

According to the DOE, a school in this category is in need of improvement, must provide Supplemental Education Services (SES) to its students, and must have a revised school improvement plan.

"The supplemental education services are put together by the school and there has to be an approved vendor that would provide the service," said Vespucci. "These services are not part of the school day and may consist of tutoring and after-school classes students can attend, evening and or weekend classes or programs," he said.

The federal government provides the school with funding for students who are underperforming on multiple levels in math and language arts called a Basic Skills Improvement Plan.

"For the SES, the school must set aside 20 percent of this money every year they're in a Year 3 status," said Vespucci.

He noted that the only downside is that the school can't force the students who need the help to participate.

"The actual participation among these students might be lower, which means the cost won't be as high and the school can return the extra money to their general budget," said Vespucci.

Monmouth Regional District Superintendent James Cleary declined to comment last week on the high school's AYP rating.

"Unfortunately, if you miss even by one subgroup, it will keep you off AYP,

but that doesn't mean that there

isn't any progress being

made," Vespucci noted.

"The idea behind NCLB is that all subgroups

in the United

States will all make their

scores by the year 2014," he added.

"The law in general helps each subgroup of students because it requires schools to focus on each of them individually and not as just one whole group."