Two Laurel schools see tailored teaching as key to better testing

Expanded planning periods, academic enrichments among newly created programs to improve test scores

The MSA is the reading and math exam Maryland uses to track student performance as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Under NCLB, schools as a whole and student subgroups – such as races, students receiving free or reduced priced meals and special education students – are expected to meet progressively higher annual benchmarks – in Maryland known as Adequate Yearly Progress – up until 2013-14, when 100 percent proficiency will be expected. Schools that repeatedly fail to meet standards face graduated consequences, from drafting a school improvement plan to replacing personnel.

Oaklands Elementary School in South Laurel spent the past two years was on a state watch list for failing to meet AYP. But after last year's gains in reading and mathematics proficiency, the school is now exiting the state watch list.

With the exception of South Laurel's Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School, which did not make AYP due to low math scores, all Laurel area public schools in Prince George's County made AYP.

"What we did last year was a good job," said Audrey Briscoe, a former school improvement specialist for the county school system entering her second year as Oakland's principal. "So now we want to do a great job."

Planning periods was expanded to provide teachers with time to fully inspect their students' work. Briscoe said the inspections aim to help teachers match instruction with students' learning styles.

"We want to keep and maintain high expectations for all students," she said. "Our goal is to surpass our current proficiency rates and make AYP."

The school has two new teachers. Ebony Smith will be teaching kindergarten, and Karen Keys will be splitting time with James H. Harrison Elementary School in the reading recovery program.

With the new Vansville Elementary in Beltsville, Briscoe said Oaklands lost eight teachers and 140 students due to the boundary lines changes. The school is projected to have an enrollment of 350 students, Briscoe said.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School just missed exiting the School Improvement category last year because of low math proficiency after passing on all levels in 2006-07. Schools must score proficient or higher for two straight years in order to exit the category.

"Every year brings some new energy," said Dwight D. Eisenhower principal Charoscar Coleman. "We've had a very successful recruiting season this summer."

The South Laurel school welcomes 11 new teachers. Coleman also said that two former teachers have also returned.

Coleman said the school is implementing the nationwide Advancement Via Individual Determination program for this upcoming year. AVID is geared toward students with average grades to increase their test scores and prepare for high school and college.

Coleman said that Eisenhower Middle is also funding an academic enrichment program in reading and math out of its school budget. He said the program is aimed to give near-proficient students that extra boost to become fully proficient.

E-mail Timmy Gelles at tgelles@gazette.net.