Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Basic, obscure facts fill report

A small report with a big title is packed with more information than most will want on local public schools.

The Clark County School District's "1994-95 Districtwide Accountability Report" can answer basic questions such as how many students are enrolled in a particular school as well as obscure inquiries like how many students are participating in art classes.

Copies will be available at library reference desks this week.

The school accountability law, SB511, passed by the 1993 Legislature, requires Nevada school districts to supply general information on every school in a concise report and inform citizens about school performance through individual school profiles.

Four-page profiles for elementary schools were carried home by students in March. Most secondary schools included the report in newsletters that are mailed to parents. Profiles are also available for the public at the campuses.

The detailed information provided about each school includes unique school highlights, school goals, test scores, class-size ratios by grade, transiency rates, degree levels of teachers, parent involvement and daily attendance. High school reports include dropout rates.

The third annual districtwide report released Monday consists of less than 70 pages and combines statistical information contained in all 180 individual school reports.

"This report provides an overview. The results of this districtwide accountability study show both the strengths of our system and areas which require greater attention," Superintendent Brian Cram says in the report's introduction.

Among the deficiencies in the district, Cram cites "a developing pattern of declining scores in some subtests in some schools."

But Cram noted that student achievement is significantly influenced by "external factors, such as the educational level of the parents, health of the child, stability of the home and community, educational funding and the effects of rapid growth." These are factors that the district must counter to be successful.

But the most glaring discrepancy evident in the report is the educational differences from school to school.

For instance, 67 percent of the teachers at Parson Elementary School have master's degrees and none were first-year teachers last year. But only 31 percent of the teachers at Squires Elementary have master's degrees and 42 percent are new to the district.

Wasden Elementary School spent nearly $3,500 per pupil on teachers and Lummis spent about $2,500.

Knudson Middle School had an average student-teacher class size of 37-to-1 in science, while Greenspun Junior High had a ratio of 28-to-1.

Testing results at individual schools run the gamut. But even among the highest- and lowest-scoring schools, district totals reflect declines in math computation and language.

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