Schools acclaim summer school pupil decrease

School officials last week acclaimed a sharp decrease of pupil numbers - in summer school, that is.

"Summer school numbers are down, and that's good because it means our students are doing better," said Kim Elliott, curriculum and instruction for Alleghany County Schools (ACS). Summer school is used for remediation for those who did not pass all the "gateways," that is, tests used to determine promotion to the next grade.

Elliott said 38 pupils are enrolled in summer school from kindergarten through eighth grade, with 26 in high school. That is down from the 2002 summer school figures of 53 in K-8 and 52 in high school, for a 39 percent drop overall. She said in 2001, there were 60 pupils in the K-8 summer school; figures were not available for high school enrollment that summer.

The discussion was part of the Alleghany County Board of Education's June 4 meeting.

"We had the most successful record in history," said Superintendent Duane Davis. "We had the fewest number not pass the gateway ever." Board Chairman Charles Joines remarked, "Obviously somebody's doing something right somewhere."

Board member Clarence Crouse said, "What thrills me is the trends. Here's a three-year trend of downward numbers."

Gateway requirements are part of the state's ABCs accountability program, which was begun in 1996. Davis noted that the state requires pupils to pass examinations in reading and mathematics given at the end of third, fifth and eighth grades, in order to be promoted to the next level. He said that following consultation with ACS Testing Coordinator Frank Busic, the local school system added grades in between as well. "That's why we're doing so well. The kids know every year they're going to face higher expectations," said Davis.

Alleghany High School Principal Barbara Lyon said the summer school enrollment numbers were the smallest in her 11 years at the school. "It's great."

Lyon said the largest number of the students in summer school were there for English, followed by math. The other two courses offered, science and social studies, are sharing time because there were not enough students in either to hire a full-time summer school teacher. In answer to a question from board member Betsy Dillon, Lyon said not all the 2002-03 seniors fulfilled the requirements to graduate. Two did not and will be returning to AHS for fall semester.

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