EDITORIAL: Tentatively schools improve

District students showed a great deal of improvement, according to preliminary scores from its proficiency tests. Results from the D.C. Comprehensive Assessment System show improved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for District-elementary school students by as much as 8 percent in reading and 11 percent in math and 9 percent increases in both categories for secondary school students - pretty good for the District.

School Chancellor Michelle Rhee and Mayor Adrian Fenty didn’t wait until summer’s end to tell the city about the progress, unlike last year when the scores were a disappointingly low 38 percent in reading and 29 percent in math for elementary students; 30 percent and 27 percent respectively for middle and high schoolers.

Last school year, students took small interim assessment tests that did not accurately gauge how students would perform on the actual test - certain math skills and fractions were emphasized, when the test emphasized integers. The results of those pre-tests were supposed to give teachers an idea of how the students were progressing and an opportunity to revamp their lesson plans to help students improve in areas where they did poorly. This year, that changed as the tests were better synchronized, and the students did much better.

Now, there is a level of competency we have not seen in D.C. Public Schools for a very long time, and the results, “the largest gains in District of Columbia student achievement” in almost a decade, are proof positive. Why did the city ever let Arlene Ackerman go - the last superintendent to improve so much? The past is behind us, and while the political players are patting themselves on the back, the real kudos should go to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education directed by Deborah Gist. It is her job to make sure the schools have the right testing systems in place to test the students, which helps Mrs. Rhee get her teachers on the right track.

This is very good news for D.C. parents, students and teachers, and Mr. Fenty whose reelection is riding on better school performance. Mrs. Gist is also the voice of perspective in the system.

She pointed out that the preliminary results showed 56 schools met AYP standards, compared to 42 schools during the 2006-2007 school year. That’s not bad, but we won’t know until next year if those increases will hold up since a school must achieve AYP for two consecutive years to be considered as actually improving.

So yes, everyone should be happy about the perceived progress, but this is no time to be happily satisfied.