State says St. Helens schools don’t meet ELL expectations

By Erica Ryberg

The South County Spotlight, Dec 16, 2009

Seventy percent of Oregon’s school programs for English language learners, including the one in St. Helens, are not achieving at the levels required by the No Child Left Behind Act, according to a Oregon Department of Education report.

Results were mixed for school districts in Columbia County, where ELL students make up a tiny percentage of student populations.

The progress report relied on three measurements to evaluate programs. According to the report, the St. Helens School District, like 67 percent of the Oregon schools with enough students to be rated, failed to make sure that at least 50 percent of fifth-year ELL students reached proficiency and exited the program. While it did meet its other two performance objectives – including one that eluded a third of Oregon’s school districts – it nonetheless received a “Not Met” designation on the state’s ELL progress report.

The district, which has 75 ELL students, joined the Clatskanie and Portland school districts in not meeting its ELL objectives. Department of Education spokesman Jake Weigler said that his agency will work with the district to create and implement an improvement plan. Despite its “Not Met” rating, Wiegler said St. Helens is in no danger of losing the several thousand dollars per year it receives for its ELL students.

Scappoose schools received a “Met” rating for its 45 ELL students. Other area districts didn’t have enough students to be rated.

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit