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May 8, 2008

4 Edmond schools earn top honors

Patty Miller

EDMOND — Four Edmond elementary schools have been recognized by the Oklahoma State Department of Education for outstanding academic performance for testing done in the 2006-07 school year.

Clegern, West Field, Cross Timbers and Russell Dougherty elementary schools all received the Oklahoma Academic Achievement Award, created by House Bill 1593. The bill distinguishes schools throughout the state whose instructional efforts result in outstanding academic performance or significant academic gains.

The State Department of Education calculates an Academic Performance Index, or API, score for each public school figured by factoring the school’s student success for third, fourth and fifth grades and on the school’s attendance rate.

API scores range from 0 to 1500. Schools with perfect API scores are recognized with the AAA award. The AAA program also recognizes schools with the top four highest API scores based on all students including special education and English as a Second Language in five groups categorized by school size.

This year, 63 Oklahoma schools were named AAA recipients.

Although the criteria for choosing AAA recipients has morphed since its inception, one thing has stayed constant. Third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students are tested each year and attendance plays a part in the figuring of the score.

Clegern Elementary School along with West Field Elementary School received perfect API scores of 1500.

“I think it is fair to say we have solid teaching taking place which creates children who are enthusiastic about learning,” said Principal Bill Powell. “We also have parents who stay closely involved with their children’s progress in education.”

Powell also said this is a snapshot of a group of students for a specific year.

“We did well the year before, so we knew our students were on course to continue to do well,” Powell said. “Our students made an API score of 1497 for 2005-06.”

West Field’s Principal Joe Pierce said even though his teachers use the same curriculum and same state standards that all Edmond students are receiving, the school’s score of 1500 is from a combination of factors.

“We are a Great Expectations model school, and I do think the Great Expectations’ methodology creates a climate for high expectations and success for our students,” Pierce said. “Our staff slogan this year is ‘Excellence is Never an Accident’, and we have dedicated ourselves to strive for excellence in all that we do.”

Cross Timbers Elementary School, with an API of 1455, had the third highest score in the large school group. That group includes all schools with 506 or more students.

Russell Dougherty, with an API of 1492, had the highest score in the division of schools with 236-345 students.

Chisholm Elementary received the highest API score in the largest school category in 2005-06 testing, said Director of Elementary Education Lynne Rowley.

“We salute these schools and the culture of excellence that they have established,” Rowley said.

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