Area High Schools and Middle School Fail to Meet State Progress Standards

In a year of raised standards, all of the middle and high schools in Norcross did not achieve the state standard for schools, measured by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), according to numbers released by the school district.

Meadowcreek High School, Norcross High School and Summerour Middle school did not make AYP for the 2010-2011 school year in multiple categories. (Other schools with Norcross addresses are in the Peachtree Corners area, so covered by a different Patch.)

AYP is the standard by which schools are held accountable for the academic success of their students, according to the Georgia Department of Education. AYP is a cornerstone of the No Child Left Behind program. 

Summerour Middle School did not meet the state standards in two categories: Mathematics for Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners and Reading/English Language Arts for Students with Disabilities.

Meadowcreek High School did not meet the state standards in four categories: Graduation Rate for All Students; Mathematics for Hispanic Students and English Language Learners; English/Language Arts for All Students; and English/Language Arts for Hispanic and Economically Disadvantaged Students and English Language Learners. 

Norcross High School did not meet the state standards in two categories: Graduation Rate for All Students and English/Language Arts—Black, Hispanic and Economically Disadvantaged Students.

"We realize that the standards for making AYP continue to increase and as a district we are committed to raising student achievement and meeting those standards,” said Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks in a statement. “While we are pleased that the vast majority of our schools made AYP, we cannot overlook the fact that we did see an increase in schools not meeting the state’s standard.” 

These schools do not face any direct consequences because this is not the second consecutive year that they have not made the mark.

Of all schools in the Gwinnett County Public School system, 102 made AYP and 25 did not. Five elementary schools, 11 middle schools and nine high schools did not achieve AYP.