By SUE ELLEN ROSS

Staff Reporter

RESERVE – Slight academic achievement increases in some St. John Parish schools highlighted two reports to the School Board.

The Accountability Assessment Achievement report of school performance for the St. John Schools (years from 1998-99 to 2003-04) were recently presented to the Board.

Board members also received The Accountability Results Report from the Louisiana Department of Education, reflecting these academic figures.

Included in the AAA phamplet was trend data for the eight elementary schools and the two high schools.

At the high school level, East St. John High School has increased its SPS score each year for the last four years.

And, West St. John High School, after three years in decline, showed a slight increase last year.

At the K-8 level, the report showed that five of the eight schools have steadily improved since 1998. And, one of the eight schools, after three years of improvement, showed a slight decline last year.

Also, one of the eight schools peaked in 2001, and has declined each of the last three years. Lastly, one of the eight schools has demonstrated inconsistent results since 1998.

The ARR report from the state shows seven categories listed under the School Performance Score (SPS) component. These are Baseline SPS (2003); Growth SPS (2004); Growth; Growth Target (2004); Eligible for Rewards; Baseline SPS (2004); and Growth Target (2005).

Growth Labels and their companion Performance Labels 2004 (rated in stars) for St. John schools are as follows:

East St. John Elementary School – No Growth, one star; Fifth Ward Elementary – Exemplary Academic Growth, one star; Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet, School in Decline, one star; Glade School, No Growth, academic warning.

John L Ory – Exemplary Academic Growth, three stars; LaPlace Elementary, Recognized Academic Growth, three stars; St. John Child Development Center, School in Decline, one star; West St. John Elementary – Exemplary Academic Growth, one star.

At the high schools, East St. John experienced Exemplary Academic Growth, one star; and West St. John High showed Minimal Academic growth, one star.

School Superintendent Mike Coburn told the board that the Administration will be meeting with all school principals this month to discuss the results and their plans for the situation.