This week, the State of New Mexico released its ratings, or designations, for schools in New Mexico. We think you have the right to know how schools in Rio Rancho are actually performing in a way that does not depend on an all-or-nothing, misleading label.

We would like to share our results in full with you. We think you will find, as we have, that we have work to do. We especially need to do a better job for our students with disabilities. But we also think you will find that our schools overall are doing very well. Rio Rancho can be proud of its schools, its teachers -- and above all, its children.

Colinas del Norte Elementary School Makes AYP!
Data Review Results in School Ratings Change

Colinas del Norte recently joined the list of RRPS schools who met AYP for the 2006-07 school year. Congratulations to all the wonderful staff and students at Colinas!

Eagle Ridge and Mountain View Middle Schools Make AYP:
As the state reviews test data from last spring’s achievement tests, the process has resulted in good news for two Rio Rancho middle schools. Based on provisional data, the state now reports that Mountain View Middle School earned a “Meets AYP” rating, contrary to the initial ratings released by the state on August 3. Rio Rancho Public Schools also received word today from the New Mexico PED that Eagle Ridge Middle School also achieved a “Meets AYP” rating for the 2007-08 school year.

Eagle Ridge had been initially reported as not having met AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) because it missed the target for students with disabilities in reading.  Upon review, the state has determined that the school should receive a “Meets AYP” rating due to “safe harbor” provisions in the state accountability system.  “Safe Harbor” allows for a student subgroup to make AYP even though it does not meet state targets if the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency significantly increases (10% or greater over the previous year).

The state and Rio Rancho Public Schools are continuing to review the test data, and RRPS plans to appeal results for several other schools.  The state plans to release the final data and ratings in mid-September.

What You Need to Know about Rio Rancho’s School Designations for 2007-08

• Six Rio Rancho schools made AYP this year.  The district’s other schools did not make AYP, but in most cases did much better than the “AYP Not Met” label suggests.  Most schools missed AYP in just one or two areas. Read an explanation of AYP.

• The district has not had the opportunity to verify much of the data provided by the state.  The district and state’s analysis to date has raised some questions about the accuracy of some of the numbers.    As some schools are within hundredths of a point of making AYP, we want to be very careful that the data on which schools were rated is accurate. The state has been very cooperative about working with the district on data verification and we will continue to work with the Public Education Department.

• Two schools’ ratings (Mountain View Middle School and Eagle Ridge Middle School) have already changed to “Meets AYP” as a result of a state review, and other’s designations are being appealed by the district.  Another school, Rio Rancho Mid-High, made AYP targets in areas the state originally reported as missed.

• The “AYP Not Met” label is misleading, because it applies whether schools miss state targets in just one area or in many. We strongly encourage parents and the community to look beyond the label at the data to determine how our schools are really doing.

• Almost all students with disabilities are required to perform to the same standard of proficiency as students in general. Like many districts nationwide, Rio Rancho is facing challenges in bringing the achievement levels of students with disabilities up to the same level as general education students.

• Rio Rancho Public Schools’ current educational programs for students with disabilities are clearly not proving effective in meeting the federal mandate to bring these students up to the same level of proficiency as all other students. The district has already begun reviewing its special education special education practices with the objective of making major changes to better meet the needs of students with disabilities.

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