ABEC is celebrating the launch of its Arizona Higher Performing Schools recognition project with the release of the
2011 NCEA Higher Performing Schools list for Arizona. Schools that are advancing their students toward college and career readiness (CCR) more rapidly than schools of like demographics are being recognized by ABEC.
The
National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA), a department of ACT, Inc., in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), released the list in November 2011. The list identifies those elementary, middle and high schools in Arizona that have consistently outperformed their peers with similar student populations over a three-year period (the 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11 school years).
Schools recognized by ABEC fall into one of two categories:
- Arizona Higher Performing Schools - those that are advancing their students toward CCR in all grades tested in ONE OR MORE content area, and
- Arizona All Subject Higher Performing Schools - those that are advancing their students in all grades and ALL CONTENT AREAS TESTED.
All Higher Performing schools are being celebrated by ABEC, and the
All Subject Higher Performing Schools receive special recognition.
NCEA identified the Higher Performing Schools based on one or both of two measures:
1) consistent improvement in student achievement from previous years (growth), and/or
2) for those schools at the top of the performance spectrum on AIMS, absolute student achievement.
ABEC undertook this project as a way to:
- Raise public awareness about the difference between "meets expectations" as defined by Arizona AIMS and the level of performance that will be needed for college and career readiness.
- Advocate the need for systemic alignment toward higher standards in order to prepare for the Common Core Standards and Assessments.
- Identify and promote best practices at work in Higher Performing schools.
- Identify tools to assist with development of best practices, including effective school-business partnerships that increase student achievement.
As a next step, NCEA will work with ADE to do an analysis of those schools that have outperformed their peers to identify the practices at the classroom, school and district that have enabled that success.
ABEC congratulates the
2011 NCEA Arizona All Subject Higher Performing Schools:
Alhambra Elementary School District
Granada Primary School
James W. Rice Primary School
Sevilla Primary School
Westwood Primary School
Crane Elementary School District
H. L. Suverkrup Elementary School
Ganado Unified School District
Ganado Primary School
Glendale Union High School District
Moon Valley High School
Sunnyslope High School
Washington High School
Mary Ellen Halvorson Educational Foundation
Tri-City College Prep High School
Paradise Valley Unified School District
Grayhawk Elementary School
Scottsdale Unified School District
Pima Elementary School
Tucson Unified School District
University High School
NCEA began identifying Higher Performing Schools in 1998. The organization continues to annually release these lists as well as College and Career Readiness Charts for every public school in Arizona.
To view the entire list of all 2011 NCEA Higher Performing Schools in Arizona,
click here.
To search for a specific school, go to
http://www.nc4ea.org/index.cfm/e/higher_performing_schools/st/arizona.
To learn how NCEA identifies Higher Performing Schools in Arizona, visit
http://www.nc4ea.org/arizona/higher-performing-schools/methodology/.
Achieving College and Career Readiness: Arizona's Higher Performing Schools is an ABEC initiative in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education and NCEA/ACT. The initiative is sponsored by:
