Our opinion: Judging our schools realistically, fairly

Three Smyth County schools didn’t meet the adequate yearly progress set by the federal No Child Left Behind program. Marion Primary, Marion Intermediate and Sugar Grove Combined schools missed the benchmarks.
That news sounds bad, and it comes with consequences.
The schools’ staffs will face additional pressures and more bureaucracy as they strive to reach the NCLB’s moving goals, which are raised by 4 percent every year.
The NCLB’s purpose is undeniably admirable. No Child Left Behind seeks to have all students – regardless of race, poverty level or disability – proficient in reading and mathematics six years from now.
That’s a goal we’d all love to see achieved.
But, we also have to wonder if it’s realistic.
By 2014, schools are required to achieve 100 percent proficiency.
An official speaking at a school-year kickoff for Wythe County’s teachers wondered what would happen if the same standards were applied to every profession – if a lawyer had to win every case, if a doctor had to save every life, if a clergyman had to save every soul. The question is valid. While we strive to see every edition of this newspaper published without a single typographic error, we know we’re human.
In truth, Virginia’s schools deserve credit for their success. Despite higher standards, the same percentage of public schools achieved the required reading and math scores this year as did last year.
Preliminary results released Wednesday by the Virginia Department of Education showed that 74 percent — 1,355 of the state’s 1,837 schools — and the state as a whole met AYP for the 2007-08 school year. Of the state’s 132 school divisions, 54 made AYP, down from 59 last year.
Like Smyth, some school divisions had fewer schools make AYP than last year.
Some schools have been struggling for years and are facing serious actions, including replacing staff, hiring private management or some other type of major restructuring.
For a school to achieve AYP, it must meet 29 benchmarks. Missing one goal eliminates the possibility of meeting the federal standard.
Last year, Smyth was one of 18 divisions to make AYP at the division level and one of 23 divisions where all schools made AYP.
Room for improvement always exists. We wholeheartedly endorse efforts to make continuous progress and maintain accountability for advancement.
Yet, we also believe in being realistic. While the news of three local schools failing to achieve adequate yearly progress is not good, community members should view the report within a pragmatic framework. We owe it to our schools and their leaders, faculties and students to judge their success or failure with the same discretion we apply to our work.