Summary of Alaska's Public School Districts' Report Cards to the Public, School Year 1992-93
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 368 078 EA 025 723 AUTHOR Knight, Dorothy Mae TITLE Summary of Alaska's Public School Districts' Report Cards to the Public, School Year 1992-93. INSTITUTION Alaska State Dept. of Education, Juneau. PUB DATE Feb 94 NOTE 168p.; For the previous year's report, see ED 359 607. PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Guides Non-Classroom Use (055) Statistical Data (110) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; *Accountability; Annual Reports; Attendance; Community Relations; Curriculum Development; Dropout Rate; *Educational Objectives; Elementary Secondary Education; *Outcomes of Education; *Public Schools; *School Districts; *State Action IDENTIFIERS *Alaska ABSTRACT This publication is the second state-mandated annual report card for Alaska's public school districts, covering the 1992-93 school year. Included are a state summary of all 54 school districts' report cards, individual summaries of school district report cards, a state-operated schools summary, and a state summary of the 1993-94 education plans. Each district is making progress toward its 1992-93 goals by revising specific curricula, developing student outcomes to improve achievement, and keeping the public informed to improve community relations. A goal to improve student performance appeared in 28 districts' 1993-94 plans; 31 districts reported receiving recognition for state and national academic achievement for individual students and student teams. Over 85 percent of districts include environmental education concepts in classroom instruction. During 1992-93, the statewide dropout rate was 3.7 percent; the average daily membership increased 3.1 percent statewide; the statewide attendance rate was 93.1 percent; and the promotion rate for grades 2 through 6 was 99 percent. More Alaska students score in the top than the bottom quarter on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Appendices contain information on staff salaries, teacher-pupil ratios, operating expenditures, per pupil expenditures, testing programs, and superintendents' names and addresses. A glossary of terms is included. (MLH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** "MEM Summary of Alaska's Public School Districts' Report Cards to the Public School Year 1992-93 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educstional Research and Improvement "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED PY CENTER (ERIC) February 1994 0 Thus document has Coen reproduced as reoetved from the person Or oroaniretion Ong.natoop It 0 Minor changes have been made to trnorove BEST COPY AVAILABLE twoduction Quality Punts of smog of opinions stated in this docv ment do not necrivarily represent olimial TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 2 OERI position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).- Summary of Alaska's Public School Districts' Report Cards to the Public School Year 1992-93 Compiled by Dorothy Mae Knight Alaska Department of Education Division of School Finance Office of Data Management 801 W. 10th Street, Suite 200 Juneau, AK 99801-1894 (907) 465-8681 February 1994 3 Alaska State Board of Education Patti Norheim Chairman June Nelson Vice-Chair Walter J. Nickel Don Fancher Governor Member John Hotzfield Member Jerry Covey Commissioner Stowell Johnstone Alaska Department of Education Member Bob Walp Member Duane Guiley Director Judy Naton Division of School Finance Member Dr. Roger 0. Jarvis GM-14, USAF Military Advisor Robert Silverman Administrator Beverly Ranney Office of Data Management Student Advisor leapsakra tment of /1111 Education 4 A Message From the Commissioner of The Department of Education The Summary of Alaska's Public School Districts' Report Cards to the Public represents the second edition of this publication. The type of information contained in this publication includes district educational goals, progress toward those goals, and indicators of success. This annual summary is intended to add to the statewide knowledge base and understanding of education in Alaska. I believe that state policy leaders will be able to use this information as an important tool to help set future policies leading to school improvement. It will be useful to local school boards as they direct new programs and approaches. But most of all this book is for community members. For it is the community that owns the public schools. The more information available to the public, the more power it has to set the goals of the school and to hold the school accountable for meeting them. Each of usstate and local policy leaders, Lommunity members and educatorsmust assume the appropriate responsibilities to promote meaningful change in the public education system. The common thread running through this report and the recommen- dations of the Alaska 2000 Education Initiatives is that each has fundamental aims to make our schools better, to improve student achievement and empower the owners of the public schools. I pledge to support these aims as I continue my work as commissioner. 5 Executive Summary Alaska Statute 14.03.120 mandates that school Over 85% of the districts include environ- districts file annually "...a report that estab- mental education concepts in classroom lishes district goals and priorities for improving instruction. education in the district" and "provide to the During the 1992-93 school year, the state- state board, and make available to the public, a wide dropout rate was 3.7%. Nine districts report on the performance of each public school had no dropouts. and public school students in the district," and "the department shall summarize the re- The comments of students, parents, and ports..." This is the second year of the annual community members that were reported by report entitled Summany of Alaska's School the districts indicate that they like the Districts' Report Card to the Public. The state teachers, and indicated a wish for more report includes a summary of all 54 school emphasis on preparation for the future. districts', Mt. Edgecumbe and Alyeska Central Schools' 1993-94 Education Plans and summa- Over half the districts report that they are ries of the individual district's School District communicating regularly with parents Report Card to the Public. through newsletters and telephone calls. The report meets the requirements of AS During the 1992-93 school year the student 14.03.120 and additionally incorporates much average daily membership increased 3.1% of the annual information reported in four statewide. Thirty-eight districts reported an previously published documents: Basic Skills increase in average daily membership. Performance of Alaska's Students, Summary of Alaska's School Districts' Education Plans, Profiles During the 1992-93 school year the median of Alaska's Public School Districts, and the Alaska district's transiency rate was 15.8% but, Statewide Dropout Report. there was a wide disparity with a high of 73.5% and a low of 0. Major highlights of this second year report are: During the 1992-93 school year the state- Each district reported making progress wide attendance rate was 93.1%. Four toward their 1992-93 education goals by districts had attendance rates between 95%- revising specific curriculums, developing 100%. student outcomes to improve student achievement, and keeping the public Fifteen districts reported a 100% promotion informed to improve community relations. rate for grades one through eight. State- wide promotion rates in grades two, three, Twenty-eight districts included a goal to four, five, and six, were over 99%. improve student performance in their 1993- 94 Education Plans. This year's statewide student testing results continue to show that more Alaskan stu- Thirty-one school districts reported they dents score in the top quarter than in the received recognition for state and national bottom quarter on the Iowa Tests of Basic academic achievement for individual Skills. students and student teams. Acknowledgements MN= The Alaska State Department of Education This report could not have been produced greatly appreciates the cooperation and sup- without the efforts of Ginger Patton, Depart- port of each of Alaska's 54 school districts, Mt. ment of Education staff. Edgecumbe High School, and Alyeska Central School who assisted in the implementation of this legislation. A directory of school district superintendents appears in Appendix F of this report. ii 7 Table of Contents Message From the Commissioner of the lditarod Area Schools 70 Department of Education Juneau City Schools 72 Kake City Schools 74 Executive Summary Kashunamiut Schools 76 Kenai Peninsula Borough Schools 78 Acknowledgments ii Ketchikan Gateway Borough Schools ....80 Table of Contents 1 Klawock City Schools 82 Introduction 2 Kodiak Island Borough Schools 84 Report Format 4 Kuspuk Schools 86 Lake and Peninsula Borough Schools ....88 State Summary of School District Report Lower Kuskokwim Schools 90 Cards 6 Lower Yukon Schools 92 Statewide Profile 6 Matanuska-Susitna Borough Schools 94 Progress Toward Goals 8 Nenana City Schools 96 Comments on School Performance 11 Nome City Schools 98 Parent Involvement 12 North Slope Borough Schools 100 Other Indicators of School Northwest Arctic Borough Schools 102 Performance 13 Pelican City Schools 104 Environmental Education 14 Petersburg City Schools 106 Student Statistical Rates 15 Pribilof Schools 108