Calvert high schools meet adequate yearly progress

More than 90 percent of students listed as graduating

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

This was determined following yesterday's release of the 2009 High School Assessments or HSA exams by the Web site MDreportcard.org, which indicated that Calvert, Huntingtown, Northern and Patuxent high schools all met AYP, which is defined by the Web site as "the gain that schools, school systems and states must make each year in the proportion of students achieving proficiency in reading and math."

Calvert High School in Prince Frederick, however, did not make AYP in the category of special education reading, though the school's principal, Susan Johnson, said that all students, including those in special education programs, who were eligible to graduate, met HSA requirements for graduation.

Johnson said that students could meet said requirements by either passing all four exams in algebra, biology, English and government; having a composite score of 1,602 in all four exams; or participating in a series of Bridge projects and taking the required course work, as set up by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Throughout Calvert County high schools, while 100 percent of 12th graders met HSA requirements during the 2008-2009 school year, 97.8 percent of juniors and 85 percent of sophomores met the requirements.

For the 2007-2008 school year 94.3 percent of Calvert County public high school seniors passed their HSAs.

In the state of Maryland — according to MDreportcard.org — 99.9 percent of seniors, 89.5 percent of juniors and 85.5 percent of sophomores took all four tests and met the HSA requirements.

The state of Maryland did not make AYP for special education reading, MDreportcard.org indicated.

The Web site also showed that in both 12th and 11th grades in Calvert County, students performed highest on the government exam, while 10th graders scored highest in algebra.

MDreportcard.org also released graduation and dropout rates for the 2008-2009 school year, listing Calvert County seniors as having a 91.99 percent graduation rate.

The individual graduation rates per high school were 92.21 percent for Calvert High School; 94.87 percent for Huntingtown High School; 92.55 percent for Northern High School in Owings; and 88.55 percent for Patuxent High School in Lusby.

The dropout rate for students in grades 9 through 12 in Calvert County was 1.60 percent, with 1.25 percent at Calvert; 1.28 percent at Huntingtown; 0.93 percent at Northern; and 2.77 percent at Patuxent.

For the 2007-2008 school year Calvert County seniors had a 91.88 percent graduation rate, according to MDreportcard.org.

Northern High School Principal George Miller said he was happy with his school's results.

"We're pleased … and we hope to maintain the direction in which our student body is moving," Miller said.

According to Calvert County public schools spokeswoman Gail Bennett, the school system is currently putting together a press release and summary information to be released today.

lbuck@somdnews.com