11 school districts win state distinction

A majority of Southeast Missouri school districts were marked for "Distinction in Performance" by the state's education department Wednesday.

Eleven out of 16 local districts met enough performance standards to qualify.

Altenburg, Cape Girardeau, Delta, Jackson, Kelso, Leopold, Nell Holcomb, Oran, Kelly, Woodland and Zalma were honored.

Chaffee, Meadow Heights, Oak Ridge, Perryville and Scott City missed targets but still met enough standards for full accreditation.

The standards are based on student scores on state tests, ACT scores, advanced and career education courses offered and percentages of students who attend college. Also taken into account are graduation rates, attendance rates and how subgroups of students perform.

"I commend Missouri educators and students for their hard work and progress. By maintaining a strong focus on achievement and accountability in all schools, we can help all students have a brighter future," Gov. Matt Blunt said in a news release.

Kindergarten-to-12 districts had to meet 13 out of 14 standards to receive the honor, while kindergarten-to-eight districts had to meet six out of seven standards. Some districts also earned bonus points that counted for having met a standard.

A district's accreditation hinges on the number of standards a district meets; each district is evaluated every five years.

Here is a breakdown of how Southeast Missouri schools performed:

• Delta, Jackson, Kelly, Oran, Woodland and Zalma met all 14 standards. Among the elementary districts, Altenburg, Kelso and Nell Holcomb met all seven standards.
• Oak Ridge met 14 standards but was not marked for distinction because of student scores on the communication arts state test for grades nine to 11. The district received bonus MAP points.
• Cape Girardeau met 13 standards, all except for its graduation rate and the performance of subgroups on state tests. The district received bonus MAP points. Leopold met 13 standards, in all categories but career education placement.
• Chaffee met 12 standards, falling short in the district's college placement rate, graduation rate and ninth- to 11th-graders' scores on the communication arts state test. The district received bonus points, however, for student scores on the optional state science test.
• Meadow Heights met 12 standards, lagging in college placement, career education placement and ninth- to 11th-graders' scores on the communication arts state test, but gaining bonus MAP points.
• Perryville met 12 standards, not qualifying for the award because of graduation rates and how subgroups of students performed on state tests.
• Scott City met 10 standards, missing points for third- to fifth-graders' scores on the math state test, sixth- to eighth-graders' scores on the state communication arts test, the district's attendance rates and the performance of subgroups on state tests.

Overall, the total number of schools receiving the award for academic progress continues to increase. Last year 235 Missouri districts received the honor; this year 294 qualified.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123