A federal law, known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), impacts every public school district in the nation. The law requires schools to test students annually and to meet specific achievement goals.

WDMCSD Perspectives
We believe the West Des Moines Community School District provides students with an exceptionally high quality education. We hope you agree! We are proud of our reputation of educational excellence and the strong test scores our students achieve across the district.

However, under the criteria of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, two schools have been cited as “Schools in Need of Assistance” (SINA) by the Iowa Department of Education: Valley High School and Valley Southwoods Freshman High School. In addition, the district, Indian Hills and Stilwell Junior High Schools, Valley and Valley Southwoods have been placed on the “Watch List” for this year. For more information on the NCLB requirements, please see the reverse side of this document.

The SINA and “Watch List” designations are based on results from the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITEDS) and Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) taken during the 2005-06 school year.
Schools In Need of Assistance (SINA)

• Valley High School was cited because special education students did not meet the state’s proficiency target in mathematics on the Iowa Tests of Educational Development.
• Valley Southwoods Freshman High School is cited because the state considers it as part of Valley High School.

These schools do not receive federal Title I funding, so no sanctions will be imposed.

Watch List

• Indian Hills Junior High school was cited because the special education group of students did not meet the state’s proficiency targets in reading and mathematics on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS).
• Stilwell Junior High School was cited because the special education group of students did not meet the state’s proficiency targets in reading on the ITBS.
• Valley and Valley Southwoods were cited because eleventh grade special education students and low socioeconomic students did not meet the state’s proficiency target in reading.
• The West Des Moines Community School District was cited because the following groups of students did not meet the state targets on ITBS or ITED:
  
  • Reading: special education grades 6-8 and grade 11, low socioeconomic status grades 6-8 and grade 11, English Language Learners grades 6-8
  • Mathematics: special education grades 6-8 and
    grade 11, low socioeconomic status grade 11

Despite the No Child Left Behind designations, we have much good news to share from the past school year:

• Based on the 2005-06 ITBS scores, 86.3 percent of all district fourth graders tested are proficient in math and 85.3 percent are proficient in reading.
• District eighth graders were reading at the 10.3 grade level, tested in math at the 11.2 grade level and tested in science at the 11.4 grade level.
• All district seniors who took the ACT college entrance test had an average composite score of 24.3, compared to the state average of 22.1 and the national average of 20.9. More than 420 seniors took the ACT test last year.

Teachers continue to identify and implement a number of instructional strategies and other activities to help all students achieve. Schools are working to identify students near or in the low proficiency groups, determine the services that are being provided to these students and develop additional ways to assist the students.

Please join our efforts to help all students achieve at their highest levels. Assure your child has a healthy breakfast and plenty of sleep. Ask your student about class lessons and homework. Make sure your student is at school – every day, if at all possible. Attend conferences; be involved in your child’s education.

We look forward to a successful 2006-07 school year. If you have any questions, please feel free to call! Thank you.

Dr. Tom Narak
WDMCS Superintendent
633-5000

Dr. Vicky Poole
Valley High School Principal
633-4000

Kent Abrahamson
Valley Southwoods Freshman High School Principal,
633-4500

Shane Christensen
Indian Hills Junior High School Principal
633-4700

Tim Miller
Stilwell Junior High School Principal
633-6000

For more details about No Child Left Behind, contact your building principal or call Dr. Donna Wilkin, Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services, at (515) 633-5057 or Dr. Gordon Dahlby, Director of Curriculum and Technology, at (515) 633-5059.

Glossary of Terms

AMO (Annual Measurable Objectives)
A minimum percentage of students who must meet or exceed the proficient level of academic achievement on a standardized test

AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress)
A measure of year-to-year improvement in student achievement

Watch List
A list of schools and/or school districts that do not meet all requirements of NCLB for one year

(SINA) School in Need of Assistance
A school that does not meet all requirements of NCLB for two consecutive years

(The law requires that every parent at a SINA school receive a letter explaining the designation.)