Academy of Dover test scores justify faith by State Board
May 22nd, 2008 by DavidAnderson
I am pleased to pre-release the fact that the Academy of Dover has doubled its passing percentage of DSTP test takers. In addition a financial audit is positive. All the previous negative findings were addressed. Some critics wanted to close the Academy of Dover during its charter renewal in spite of the fact the school was fundamentally sound. It needed improvement not closure.
A state auditors report took some small items and blew them out of proportion. Some money had been accidentally put in the wrong line, it was not missing. The management firm had significant turnover of financial people. Three different employees took care of the school’s books over the course of the year.
Third grade test scores were not good. Morale was low among staff. Enrollment was falling. The state Board of Education, in its wisdom, decided to require changes starting with a new board and moving through other areas.
Now the morale has improved. The test scores are up. Enrollment is up. The new audit report is glowing. Parent satisfaction is high. The press is positive. The school is on the cutting edge of student tracking and curriculum mapping. A plan exists for further improvement.
The lesson is that educational change can happen in a quickly if the will exists and a sound plan is implemented. We sometimes become discouraged when we hear about education reform. We have been talking about it for 25 years since the Nation at Risk Report. Let’s not be discouraged. If we can overcome bureaucratic inertia. We see that change can happen where there is will and proper leadership.
I thank the dedicated staff, my fellow board members, and parents for their involvement. It took a team to get the results and next year’s will be better yet. Congratulations to my son Levi for helping the scores by getting a top DSTP rating. (No bragging or anything.) 
Were there actually real problems with the school, or just vicious back-stabbing by the DSEA and their schill Daniello?
Sounds like the Academy of Dover is on the right track. I love to hear reports like this.
Congratulations, and to Levi too for his achievement!
David: Congratulations to Eli, and thank you for keeping this issue alive. With Democrats running rampant, charters will be under great pressure. I might be a loony liberal about a lot of things, but when it comes to public education, the more options people have, the more likely they are to be satisfied with the product.
There’s all the proof you need I”m not a morning person. I meant congratulations to LEVI! (So much for my reading comprehension score).
David please wish Levi my best this is great news. The more options people have when it comes to getting a good education the better chances there are for their success! Thanks for the update, and I also love this kind of story.
Congratulations to those individual high achievers - sincerely.
Now for the analysis:
Enrollment: 425 in FY05, 386 in FY06, and 283 in FY07.
The exodus from AOD tracks roughly with a slight decline in DSTP scores at South Dover Elementary, which were previously stable. Did those 250 kids who left AOD end up at South Dover?
Any word on whether the kids who left were low test performers?
Oops, 142, not 250. Need more coffee.
Dis, as I hinted the problems were over blown, but I must say that they were real. As usual the problems were focused upon while the strengths were ignored. I knew the underlying strengths made this the art of the possible. I thank the state board for listening to the people not just some of its experts. The DOE seems committed to helping AOD succeed though they are sometimes annoying overall they are a net positive.
Noman, More of the students went to West Dover and Fairview and some went to Providence Creek or Campus Community. It is a good question, (did we just shed low scoring students and raise the average?) but we have Iowa scores which track individual student achievement at the beginning and end of the school year in addition to the state testing. The state testing doesn’t give a good picture because it measures a grade and doesn’t measure the student’s progress during the academic year. You may have a class of geniuses one year and the next have a class of underachievers. Are you a good teacher? Testing at the beginning and end of the year (with our new program in the middle as well) gives you a picture of teacher and student achievement.
Anyway, the population of students which started the school year did not score significantly higher than the students last year. The new techniques and improved curriculum implemented seems to be more responsible.
David, are you actually allowed to release those data so soon? My wife works in education and I was under the impression that the test score are not yet released.
I didn’t release any scores except Levi’s. He has a certificate from the school. I only gave a broad brush of information. There is a big difference. It is like saying the economy is not in recession because soon to released information shows growth and saying that the economy grew in this sector by 1 percent and the unemployment rate fell by .2%. One is relating general information, the other is giving results. Besides, I am just a guy blogging.
Congratulations on your kids scores. That’s fine to talk about, but I thought it was the case that comparisons and such were not yet to be released. However, you appear to be flogging a point, so go for it.
For clarity: I refer above to *your* kid’s score. That part is OK to talk about. My having left the apostrophe out of “kid’s” might have confused my meaning.