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Joplin
R-8 state funding at risk Staff Writer After
the recent Missouri Assessment Program test results, Joplin R-8
discovered it achieved improvements in both the elementary and middle
school levels. Joplin
High School, however, made little improvement over last year s scores.
Because of this, JHS may possibly lose its accreditation. Accreditation
in the state of Missouri is earned by the number of student performance
scores. These scores are based on MAP results and other student
performance factors. Out of 105 points possible, a district needs 75
points to be considered fully accredited. These scores are in the
process of being adjusted by the state. I
think the total number of points will be probably 96 and 66, said Dr.
Jim Simpson, superintendent of Joplin schools. If
a district loses its accreditation, the state gives the district two
years to raise its score. If the school fails to comply, the state can
take disciplinary action on the district and diplomas for its students
may not be issued by the state. You ve
either got the numbers or you don t; it s all about student
achievement, Simpson said. Dr.
Deborah J. Pulliam, head of Missouri Southern s department of teacher
education, said students need to be evaluated on problem solving and
thinking skills to test application of what they have learned. I
think MAP testing should be only one of many measures of a district s
performance, she said. In
order to keep accreditation, Joplin R-8 plans to strengthen the
curriculum of those areas found to be weak. Also, any students who were
below par for their grade will be identified and special tutoring will
be provided. Truly,
one-on-one tutoring is the most effective [method of teaching],
Simpson said. One
program developed to help with tutoring is Teaching Reading and Math to
Every Kid. TREK is a joint effort between Joplin schools and the Joplin
Area Chamber of Commerce. Volunteers spend time after school Monday
through Thursday with elementary students who need help with math and
reading. No
changes were made to the curriculum this year. Curriculum is decided by
the state and it remains constant for years. Joplin R-8 plans on finding
the areas of the curriculum where the teaching is being neglected.
Programs will be created to emphasize these weak teaching areas. Emphasis
this year is totally to maintain those gains that the elementary
made, Simpson said. Also, middle school will make some additional
gains and high school will make the highest gains this year. They will
push the hardest to make up for lost ground. That will be our focus. Pulliam
thinks the district is moving in the right direction. [The
district s] improvement was just phenomenal, she said. They re
doing good things to improve instruction. |