Post by Okwes on Mar 2, 2006 11:12:56 GMT -5
Indian pupils excel Test scores among highest compared to similar
districts By Russ Keen
www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/13979579.htm
<http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/13979579.htm>
In several areas of academic testing, American Indian students in
Aberdeen public schools outshine their counterparts in other South
Dakota districts.
Aberdeen fifth-graders who are Indians rank first in math scores among
10 districts with comparable Indian Education programs, said Doug
Neuharth, coordinator of Aberdeen's program. These same fifth-graders
rank second out of the 10 in reading scores on standardized testing for
No Child Left Behind, a federal law that requires schools to improve the
academic performance of their students.
Furthermore:
• Indian students at Central High School rank second in math and
third in reading among the 10 districts.
• Indian students in Aberdeen's public middle schools rank third out
of 10 in reading and sixth of 10 in math. This math ranking is an area
of concern, Neuharth told the school board Monday night.
Ninety percent of the credit for these generally high rankings goes to
teachers, not the Indian Education program, he said. Contrary to a
misconception, the program does not mean Indians study in classes
separate from students from other cultural backgrounds.
But his department does providing evening tutoring, a service that
continues to grow. When it started six years ago, 12 people showed up,
Neuharth said. The most recent session this year attracted 74 - 19
tutors, 50 students and five parents, Neuharth said.
The number of Indian students in the district continues to grow, too. It
currently runs between 325 to 335, which is 9 percent of the total
student population.
That compares to 8.5 percent last school year, 7 percent in 2003-04 and
about 5 percent when Neuharth started his job six years ago.
He offered an explanation: "More American Indian families are moving off
reservations
districts By Russ Keen
www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/13979579.htm
<http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/13979579.htm>
In several areas of academic testing, American Indian students in
Aberdeen public schools outshine their counterparts in other South
Dakota districts.
Aberdeen fifth-graders who are Indians rank first in math scores among
10 districts with comparable Indian Education programs, said Doug
Neuharth, coordinator of Aberdeen's program. These same fifth-graders
rank second out of the 10 in reading scores on standardized testing for
No Child Left Behind, a federal law that requires schools to improve the
academic performance of their students.
Furthermore:
• Indian students at Central High School rank second in math and
third in reading among the 10 districts.
• Indian students in Aberdeen's public middle schools rank third out
of 10 in reading and sixth of 10 in math. This math ranking is an area
of concern, Neuharth told the school board Monday night.
Ninety percent of the credit for these generally high rankings goes to
teachers, not the Indian Education program, he said. Contrary to a
misconception, the program does not mean Indians study in classes
separate from students from other cultural backgrounds.
But his department does providing evening tutoring, a service that
continues to grow. When it started six years ago, 12 people showed up,
Neuharth said. The most recent session this year attracted 74 - 19
tutors, 50 students and five parents, Neuharth said.
The number of Indian students in the district continues to grow, too. It
currently runs between 325 to 335, which is 9 percent of the total
student population.
That compares to 8.5 percent last school year, 7 percent in 2003-04 and
about 5 percent when Neuharth started his job six years ago.
He offered an explanation: "More American Indian families are moving off
reservations