Children left behind

Nearly two-thirds of Clark County schools failed to make the grade in the 2010-11 academic year under standards established by the federal No Child Left Behind education reform law, local officials announced Wednesday.

Warned that everyone would get discouraged if the standards were raised too quickly, Congress "phased in" the restored demands for minimal performance. For example, only one-third of elementary kids needed to be proficient in math for a school to meet No Child Left Behind requirements in the program's first year, 2002-03. But requirements have gradually been increased, with the program calling for 100 percent of students in schools nationwide to demonstrate proficiency in math, reading and English by 2013-14.

The problem is the method used to decide what "adequate" is, according to Superintendent Dwight Jones. For example, the district as a whole showed adequate progress in 2009-10 despite having 58 percent of its schools fail, Mr. Jones points out. That's because a district passes if a majority of elementary or middle schools or high schools pass. But only our local high schools made the cut in 2009-10.

For a school itself to achieve passing status -- called Adequate Yearly Progress -- a certain percentage of its students must score as proficient and meet attendance or graduation requirements. If just one ethnic subgroup doesn't make the grade, the entire school fails for the year, Mr. Jones explains. That happened to 30 district schools this year.

"For some of the schools, it has been devastating when they're bumped because of one factor," School Board member Linda Young said.

OK: Should schools be awarded "Adequate" ratings with an asterisk -- "except for non-English speakers"? Maybe. It's worth a public debate.

But too many school systems -- including Clark County's -- for too long deluded parents into thinking their kids were doing fine, only to have their graduates need remedial English and arithmetic upon arrival at the local college.

And many local administrators still aren't taking the matter seriously.

"We see (No Child Left Behind), frankly, as a measure being used for just a couple more years," said Deputy Superintendent Pedro Martinez.

So the response to ongoing failure from district officials such as Mr. Martinez is to essentially dismiss the numbers because in a few years they won't be held to such strict standards anyway? That's not acceptable.

Mr. Jones was brought here to effect some reforms. The latest numbers are yet another reminder that the School Board and the local bureaucracy needs to give the new superintendent a chance to implement them.