ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609160014
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Roanoke students scored bigger gains in physical fitness and attendance than in academic test scores during the past year.
Twenty-one schools showed improvement on fitness tests, including 17 that met Superintendent Wayne Harris' goal of a 7 percent increase in the number of students who passed all four state-mandated tests.
The city has 29 schools, but Stonewall Jackson Middle was closed for renovation during the past year.
Twenty schools reported improved attendance. Six met the goal of a 10 percent increase in the number of students who missed 10 or fewer days. Fourteen schools had better attendance, but fell short of the 10 percent increase.
Standardized test scores improved at 13 schools, including 11 that met the goal of a 4 percent increase in the number of students who scored above the 50th percentile.
Eight elementary schools met the test-score objective: Crystal Spring, Fairview, Fishburn Park, Highland Park, Morningside, Oakland, Raleigh Court and Wasena. Addison and Breckinridge middle schools and Patrick Henry High met the goal.
Breckinridge and Madison middle schools recorded an increase of at least 4 percent in the number of sixth-graders who passed the state's Literacy Passport Test in reading, writing and math.
Harris said this was the first time specific goals were established for determining the performance of city schools.
The superintendent said he will ask principals at schools with little or no improvement to say how they plan to upgrade test scores, attendance and fitness this year.
Principals will be held accountable for student improvement, and schools' performance will be considered in the job evaluation of principals, he said.
"While I would have liked for 100 percent of the schools to have met the objectives, I'm pleased with the effort that was made," Harris said. "When you look at the schools that met the goals and others that showed improvement, I think there was progress."
Because this is the first time specific goals have been set, Harris said, some schools might not have given enough attention to them.
He said $5,000 awards will be given again this year to schools that meet the goals in all categories.
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