Answers Need To Be Found For Poor High School Accountability Grades

An issue that apparently has baffled educators in the Heartland is going to be addressed.

The high schools in Highlands, Hardee, Okeechobee, Glades, DeSoto and Hendry counties have posted numerous "C" and "D" accountability grades for the past nine years, but few "B" grades and no "A" grades.

There is an apparent disparity in the performance of middle school and elementary students compared to high school students, according to the Heartland Educational Consortium. In one recent year, while the elementary and middle schools received primarily "A, B or C" grades, about one-fourth of the high schools received "D" or "F" grades.

Why are the high schools under achieving?

It is an important question that doesn't have a simple answer. There are many factors that determine a school's success.

It begins with the administration and faculty. The curriculum and motivation of the students have to be considered. Standardized tests are another factor.

The consortium has started on an ambitious year-long project in an attempt to find some answers. A legislative grant of $150,000 is picking up the tab for some of the activities.

Consortium Executive Director Frank Gibbs said the project will include looking at career academies and their roles in high schools as well as visiting other successful schools.

The state apparently likes the concept of academies. It is requiring that each school district have at least one operational career and professional academy program no later than the 2008-2009 school year.

There will be sessions on education reform with Willard Daggett, president of the International Center for Leadership in Education, that are designed specifically for small rural high schools.

Additional educator training and focus sessions are scheduled in the consortium's effort to help the six school districts improve student achievement in the high schools.

The situation with the poor accountability grades should have been looked at before now, but as the saying goes, it is better late than never.

We commend the consortium for taking the initiative and hope useful information will come out of the project that will enable schools to improve their grades.