Failing Secondary Schools
Since the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was signed into law in 2002, schools across the country have had to adhere to strict guidelines with different determinants. The primary intention of NCLB was to improve the reading and math scores in schools across the country. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports determine where students fall and schools that do not meet AYP are classified as failing.
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California
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Over 40 middle and high schools have been identified as the lowest five percent by the California Department of Education. Referred to as Tier I and Title I Improvement Schools, these failing secondary educational facilities span from Northern California's Oakland Unified School District to the San Diego Unified School District. Schools that specifically have a graduation rate of below 60 percent are located in Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside and Santa Clara Counties.
Missouri
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For numerous years, the St. Louis Public Schools have been, indisputably, one of the worst school districts in Missouri. For instance, from 2003 to 2010, Beaumont High School has not met AYP in mathematics, not once. During this time, the communication arts state standard was met one time only. As a direct result, the district is unaccredited and the Missouri Supreme Court has affirmed any student's right to transfer from failing schools.
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Ohio
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Located in the Near East Side of Columbus, Ohio, Champion Middle School has been branded as the worst middle school in the area. This failing learning institution was likened to a ladder with missing rungs. At one point, only 11 percent of the seventh-grade student body passed the math portion of the state test. Simultaneously, the student body of 300 accumulated 2,300 discipline reports. One of the primary issues is the students dropping out of Champion Middle School and opting into street life.
Reformation
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Since 1954, the United States has been seeking to reform schools by lessening the disparities between the failing and successful schools. One initiative involves the firing of teachers and administrators in failing schools in order to give students a chance through newness. Other initiatives include those that change school curricula, alter the focus of teacher professional development and involve parents and the community.
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