DATE: Friday, March 28, 1997                TAG: 9703280589

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Education 

SOURCE: Compiled by staff writer Vanee Vines.

                                            LENGTH:  124 lines

HOW CITIES FARED

Some city-by-city highlights from the state's annual report card on public schools:

CHESAPEAKE

Major threat:

Few taking algebra

The percentage of eighth-graders who took an algebra class before ninth grade increased only 1 percentage point from 1994-95 to 1995-96 - to 18 percent.

From 1990-91 to 1995-96, the percentage of students in that category increased 3 percentage points.

Chesapeake lags behind the state average in its percentage of students in that category.

Experts say algebra helps sharpen students' critical-thinking skills.

Opportunities:

Enrollment gains in tough high-school classes

The percentage of high school juniors and seniors who took at least one advanced-placement course or college-level course in high school is on the rise.

The percentage of students in that category increased 3 percentage points from 1994-95 to 1995-96, to 19 percent.

From 1990-91 to last school year, there was a 9 percentage-point jump.

Literacy Passport Test gains

Last school year, 69 percent of city sixth-graders passed all parts of the LPT on the first try, up from 62 percent in 1994-95 and 67 percent in 1990-91.

NORFOLK

Major threats:

Over-age eighth-graders an issue

Last school year, the percentage of eighth-graders one or more years behind academically was 19 percent.

From 1990-91 to 1995-96, the percentage of students in that category dropped only 2 percentage points.

Vocational education setbacks

There was a big drop in the percentage of high school graduates with no continuing-education plans who completed a vocational ed program.

A non-college-bound high school graduate who completed a program at the district's technical-vocational center would fall into that category.

From 1994-95 to last school year, the percentage of such students dropped 25 percentage points, to 68 percent.

From 1990-91 to last school year, there was a 1 percentage-point gain.

Opportunities:

College prep gains

The percentage of eighth-graders who took an algebra class before ninth grade jumped 5 percentage points from 1994-95 to last school year. The gain was 15 percentage points from 1990-91 to last school year.

Overall attendance up

The percentage of students in grades kindergarten through 12 who were absent 10 days or fewer from school increased 8 percentage points from 1994-95 to last school year - to 67 percent from 59 percent.

From 1990-91 to last school year, there was a 14 percentage-point gain in that category - 53 percent to 67 percent.

PORTSMOUTH

Major threat:

Setbacks in algebra enrollment

The percentage of eighth-graders who took an algebra class before ninth grade dropped 5 percentage points from 1994-95 to 1995-96, to 24 percent.

The district had been making strides in that category.

From 1990-91 to 1995-96, the percentage of students in that category actually increased 13 percentage points.

Opportunities:

Advanced-studies diploma sought

The percentage of high school graduates who received an advanced-studies diploma increased 6 percentage points from 1994-95 to last school year. The gain from 1990-91 to last school year in that category: 13 percentage points.

Over-age eighth-graders an issue

From 1994-95 to last school year, the percentage of eighth-graders who had failed at least one grade and were a year or more behind dropped 4 percentage points - to 16 percent.

From 1990-91 to last school year, the percentage of students in that category dropped 3 percentage points.

Students who fall far behind in their studies are at-risk of dropping out.

SUFFOLK

Major threat:

High school drop-out rate on the rise

The percentage of high school students who dropped out increased 3 percentage points from 1994-95 to last school year - to 6 percent.

The district is not doing as badly in that category as it had been, however. In 1990-91, the state's annual report card said 8 percent of Suffolk's high school students had dropped out.

Opportunities:

Advanced-studies diploma sought

The percentage of high school graduates who received an advanced-studies diploma increased 3 percentage points from 1994-95 to last school year - to 39 percent. The gain from 1990-91 to last school year in that category: 10 percentage points.

Fourth-grade test score gains

Fourth-graders are making gains on standardized tests.

The percentage of fourth-graders whose overall standardized test score was better than half their peers across the country was 50 percent last school year, up from 45 percent in 1994-95.

From 1990-91 to 1995-96, there was a 5 percentage-point gain in that category.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Major threat:

Vocational education setbacks

There was a big drop in the percentage of high school graduates with no continuing-education plans who completed a vocational ed program.

From 1994-95 to last school year, the percentage of such students dropped 14 percentage points, to 63 percent.

From 1990-91 to last school year, there was a 24 percentage-point drop.

Opportunities:

Literacy Passport Test gains

Sixth-graders' achievement on the Literacy Passport Test, which measures basic skills, is on the rise. Last school year, 78 percent of city sixth-graders passed all parts of the LPT on the first try, up from 74 percent in 1994-95 but down from 81 percent in 1990-91.

Middle school attendance up

The percentage of middle school students who were absent 10 days or fewer from school increased 5 percentage points from 1994-95 to last school year - to 77 percent.

The figure was also 77 percent in 1990-91.

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