Low performing Idaho schools try to improve and turnaround

The Idaho State Department of Education has recognized some of the top performing schools in the “Gem State,” with that also comes the release of the lowest performing schools. Several on that list include schools from Eastern Idaho. This is all a part of its new accountability program.

The low-performing schools are in the 9 lowest-performing five percent according to performance standards established by the board.

This was based on several criteria, including; student achievement in Math and English, college readiness and high school graduation rates.

“We looked at student achievement in our state assessment in English Language Arts and Math, we looked at student growth, we looked at the proficiency in English learners and their growth towards meeting state level expectations,” said Karlynn Laraway, the director of Assessment & Accountability for the State Department of Education.

Out of the 29 of Idaho’s lowest-performing schools, several of the schools are from Eastern Idaho.

Another Choice Virtual Charter School Bruneau Elementary School, Bruneau Cascade Junior-Senior High School, Cascade Crossroads Middle School, Meridian Culdesac School, Culdesac Elk City Public School, Elk City Firth Middle School, Firth Fort Hall Elementary School, Fort Hall Gooding Middle School, Gooding Heritage Academy, Jerome High Desert, Shoshone Howe Elementary School, Howe Kinport Academy, Pocatello Lakeside Elementary School, Plummer Lakeside High School, Plummer McCain Middle School, Payette Madison Junior High School, Rexburg Magic Valley Alternative High, Twin Falls Pathways Middle School, Meridian Rimrock Junior-Senior High School, Bruneau Rivervue Academy Alternative, Caldwell Shoshone Middle School, Shoshone Stone Elementary School, Stone Teton Middle School, Driggs Twin Falls Bridge Academy, Twin Falls Wendell Middle School, Wendell West Jefferson Junior High School, Terreton Wilder Middle School, Wilder

“It’s not just putting them on a list and saying this isn’t a good school, it’s exactly the opposite,” Laraway said. “This school has opportunities and we want to see where we can go and the school has great support.”

Since the low performing schools have been identified, schools will now develop an improvement and turnaround plan.

Schools will be assigned its own education and improvement coach called a capacity builder.

“Its a retired educator that we contract with for some of our schools that need some additional support,” said Deb Pfost, an Idaho building capacity coordinator at Idaho State University. “They go in, work with leadership teams and administrators and staff, in order to make improvements and changes in the schools.”

The state has been helping these low performing schools take a deep look and comprehensive needs assessment since 2008.

“From there develop a plan,” Pfost said. “That says these are some areas that we can improve, these are some things that we can quickly that will make a difference for kids, these are something’s that we are going to need to work out overtime.”

The State Department of Education has scheduled meetings on September 10 and 11 for each of the 29 school’s leadership teams and capacity builders to get together.

“We’re looking at assigning capacity builders to those schools and so the conversations are about what kinds of things are you doing in your schools so we can find a capacity builder whose skills match the needs of the school,” said Pfost.

Each school will stay on the list for three years and is eligible for the extra support designed to turn the schools around.

Idaho State University, Boise State University and the University of Idaho will help supply the capacity builders.