NEWS

State releases high school letter grades; see Rapides scores

Leigh Guidry
lguidry@gannett.com
Las Cruces Public Schools is debating a new grading scale in which students can longer score 0%. The lowest percentage would be 50%.

Rapides Parish high schools are seeing higher grades from the Louisiana Department of Education, according to scores released Thursday.

The state released school performance scores for 9-12 high schools, which limits Rapides scores to five schools — Alexandria Senior High School, Bolton High, Peabody Magnet High, Pineville High and Tioga High. The district's other high schools also include lower grades, classifying them as "combination schools."

State letter grades for all remaining schools are expected in December, Rapides schools Superintendent Nason "Tony" Authement said.

Rapides Superintendent Nason "Tony" Authement (center) and Arthur Joffrion (far left), Rapides Parish executive assistant superintendent, applaud Rapides Parish high school principals for their school performance scores, which the state released to the public Thursday.

The scores reflect performance during the 2014-15 school year and are on a 150-point scale implemented in 2013. Scores also are on a "curved distribution" put in place by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education during this two-year "baseline period," state Superintendent of Education John White said.

On the scale, schools scoring 100 points or higher receive an A. Rapides Parish has three high schools with scores in the 90s, with Pineville High School coming closest to an A at 97.4.

For high schools, letter grades come from a formula based on end-of-course test scores, ACT scores, graduation rates and graduation index rates, or the strength of diplomas graduates receive. That takes into account credits for dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses as well as industrial credentials.

The formula also includes "progress points" this year, rewarding schools when eighth-graders who struggled on the LEAP test "show success" in ninth and 10th grades, White explained. The system is akin to bonus points in the state's formula for middle schools. Schools cannot receive more than 10 progress points, White said.

Rapides Parish high school principals Alan Lacombe (left) of Tioga High School; Jamie Henagan of Peabody Magnet High School; Clovis Christman of Bolton High School; Karl Carpenter of Pineville High School and Duane Urbina of Alexandria Senior High School, were recognized at a press conference held Thursday for the release of school performance scores for high schools.

Peabody Magnet High School had the highest increase in the district (16.3 points) in its school performance score, which was almost enough to rank it among the state's top 10 most-improved high schools. It barely missed the mark as the top 10 had gains of 16.5 points and higher.

Its letter grade remains a D, but the score has improved from 47.6 to 63.9.

"The data team process has been huge for us," said Jamie Henagan, who is in her second year as principal of Peabody Magnet.

Teachers give students formative assessments, analyze the data to find students' weaknesses and address those, which has helped raise ACT scores, Henagan said.

Peabody Magnet ranked first in the state in improving its graduation rate with a 19-point increase.

Henagan said faculty and staff have worked closely with seniors to better identify and support students at risk of dropping out. That has meant connecting students with mentor teachers and aligning other support with student needs, she said.

"We've really focused on keeping all we can in school and getting back those who have left," Henagan said.

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Ranking first in the district was Pineville High School with its score of 97.4, up 13.8 points and moving the school from a C last year to a B.

Pineville Principal Karl Carpenter said his school's growth came down to two main things — teachers and students.

"One (contributing factor) is our outstanding faculty," he said. "And the No. 1 reason, is we have the best student body on the planet."

Of course, a "great school leadership team" helped, but student buy-in and interest have a big impact on student performance, he said.

Authement said Pineville students also exceeded state averages for on end-of-course test scores, the number of students scoring 18 or better on ACT or a 3 or above on Advance Placement tests and the state average graduation rate of 74.6 percent.

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Tioga High's score was the second highest in the district at 95, up 13.7 points over last year and moving from a C to a B. It is designated as a Top Gains school, which the state defines as one that saw growth or no decline in all four categories of the formula and increased its school performance score by more than 10 points.

Tioga's graduation rate of 83 percent is the highest in the district and exceeded state and national averages, Authement said.

Alexandria Senior High was third in the district with a score of 92.8, up 5.7 points from last year and maintaining its B grade. Students at ASH exceeded the state average on ACT and end-of-course test scores and exceeded the state's average graduation rate.

Bolton's overall grade dropped one point to 74.9, maintaining its letter grade of C. The school exceeded the state average of students earning an 18 or higher on the ACT and with its ACT score. Its average of 21.5 was the highest ACT score in the district, Authement said.

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No Rapides 9-12 high schools received an A on the state's accountability system grading scale.

2015 scores:

  • Alexandria Senior High School, 92.8 B
  • Bolton High School, 74.9 C
  • Peabody Magnet High School, 63.9 D
  • Pineville High School, 97.4 B
  • Tioga High School, 95 B

2014 scores:

  • Alexandria Senior High School, 87.1 B
  • Bolton High School, 75.9 C
  • Peabody Magnet High School, 47.6 D
  • Pineville High School, 83.6 C
  • Tioga High School, 81.3 C