Bob Jones fails to meet AYP goals

The Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports have been released for school districts within the state.

All seven elementary schools in Madison achieved AYP goals, as did Discovery Middle School and Liberty Middle School.

Bob Jones High School needed 21 goals to reach 100 percent, but the school was only able to reach 19 goals.

Bob Jones High School was given a high number of goals because of the size of the student population.

“We are very pleased that we have large subgroups of white students, black students, special education students, and students who receive free and reduced meals,” Madison School Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler said in an email. “We feel that this diversity makes Bob Jones a stronger school.”

The two goals Bob Jones did not reach were the reading and math goals set for special education students.

The reading goal, established by the state of Alabama, requires 92 percent of all students to pass the reading portion.

Bob Jones High School had 69.2 percent of the eleventh grade special education students pass the exam.

The math goal requires 86 percent of eleventh grade special education students to pass the math portion.

Bob Jones High School had 71.9 percent of the eleventh grade special education students pass the math portion.

Bob Jones High School had 57 eleventh grade special education students last year.

Fowler said that most schools have less than 40 special education students in the eleventh grade.

“If a school does not have 40 or more students in any subgroup, then AYP requirements do not become a goal for them,” Fowler said.

Fowler said he spoke with one of the deputy state superintendents about Bob Jones High School’s special education goal in AYP.

Fowler said that deputy would like to use Bob Jones High School as an example to show the flaws in AYP.

“Once again, I am so proud of our students, staff, and community for a great school year,” Fowler said. “As great as it was, I know this coming school year will eclipse last year.”