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Signs of success: Is the investment paying off?

With all the talk about the high cost of education, it’s only fair to ask, “Is this investment paying off?” Consider the following as you decide:

• Regents diploma rates are up 27 percent from five years ago. In fact, 87 percent of Mohonasen’s Class of 2006 earned a Regents diploma, thanks in large measure to more help for struggling students and a “try, try again policy” that requires students to retake Regents exams with support until they pass.
• Four-year graduation rates are up. Despite the increased rigor of high school, 91 percent of Mohonasen’s Class of 2006 earned their diplomas in four years — and that number climbed to 95 percent when summer school is included in the percentage.
• College attendance is up. Almost 90 percent of students in the Class of 2006 said they were going straight on to college – up from 75 percent in 1998.
• Success is “required” at Draper Middle School. Over 98 percent of all students passed every quarter of every class last year. Students are rising to the challenge in a school-wide initiative that expects, encourages and rewards hard work and persistence from every single student.
• Pinewood moves to a “push-in” approach to provide support in reading and math. AIS teachers are now working alongside classroom teachers to give students the extra academic support they need without pulling them out of the classroom. The school plans to expand this approach next year at each grade level.
• Bradt Primary School continues to focus on reading. This focus on early literacy is laying the foundation for long-term academic achievement. The school has been awarded many grants to help fund leveled reading books for their 1000 Book Child Project and library.