LEONARDTOWN, Md (Aug. 15, 2008)—The St. Mary's County Public School System this week announced that all St. Mary's County public elementary and middle schools met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements for 2008. AYP measures student performance in reading and mathematics.
Each year, MSDE sets AYP targets which school systems must achieve for all populations of students, including minorities, special education, poverty, and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) expects all students to meet 100% proficiency by 2014.
This is the first time since the inception of NCLB, that all elementary and middle schools in the school system have made AYP.
Lexington Park Elementary made AYP in both reading and mathematics for the second consecutive year. As a result, Lexington Park Elementary has exited the list of schools in need of improvement, say school officials.
The troubled Spring Ridge Middle School met the AYP requirements in both reading and mathematics. The school will need to make AYP for an additional year before it can be removed from the needs improvement list.
"We as a school system are absolutely elated with these magnificent results. Such remarkable results are due to the highly qualified and hard working staff, the talented students in our schools, and the active involvement of our parents and community," stated Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools.
High school and school system AYP status will be released this fall.