Now is not the time to shift the blame

It’s disappointing to learn only seven of Brunswick County schools met the most recent nationally mandated Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmark.

Last year 11 of the county’s schools made AYP. Through the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act the goal is for all schools in the nation to be at a 100 percent proficiency level by the year 2014.

Superintendent Edward Pruden, who is just passing his first year on the job, said it’s not accurate to compare this year’s AYP scores to last year’s, saying the needed scores to make AYP this year “jumped considerably.”

We recognize there are a lot of problems with NCLB—specifically how challenging it is for schools with large subgroups or many subgroups to make the same goals as schools with less. But it doesn’t change the fact that parents who send their children to Brunswick County schools and each and every taxpayer here in this community expect each school to be accountable and meet the success measures set before them.

Saying the deficiencies are a result of a “substantial increase” in standards in a single year is a copout, and we’re disappointed to see Pruden shifting the blame to the system. Instead he should be making a public commitment—and forging a better plan—to ensure all of our schools are making the goals that are mandated for them.

The reality is the window to achieve 100 percent proficiency is narrowing and before long, this district will be held accountable for making—or not making—the goals that have been given to it.

We hope in the future to hear more about progress and planning and less explanations. Our children deserve the very best education our community can provide, and looking at this latest round of scores, we’re not close to being there yet.