Pittsburg Junior High excels in state testing scores

Pittsburg Junior High is setting the standard for Pittsburg Independent School District, Region 8 and the state.

Final scores from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness standardized tests are in and it's nothing but good news for PJH. Out of 8,600 school campuses in the state of Texas, only 153 earned all seven of the “star” designations available. PJH earned all seven and is the only campus in this area to do so.

Each “star” on the final report is a distinction designation. Campuses that receive an accountability rating of “met standard” were eligible to received a starred distinction designation for the following categories, if applicable to its campus:

–        Academic achievement in reading/English language arts

–        Academic achievement in mathematics

–        Academic achievement in science

–        Academic achievement in social studies

–        Top 25 percent student progress

–        Top 25 percent closing performance gaps

–        Postsecondary Readiness

PISD Deputy Superintendent Beth Anne Dunavant, congratulated the campus during a recent meeting of the PISD Board of Trustees.

“It is the dedicated staff members on the campuses – those that work with children every day – who are responsible for this success,” she said. “It is certainly a great time to be a pirate.”

PJH principal Terri Brown can't talk about the news without excitement showing all over her face.

“When I saw the accountability summary with the seven stars on it – I knew…,” she said. “I texted Ms. Dunavant and I was like...seven...stars.”

Elated, proud and thrilled were just a few of the words Ms. Brown used to describe the feeling she got when she realized her campus had earned every distinction designation it could.

“Earning seven out of seven distinction designations is indicative of the commitment our teachers have to our students at PJH,” she said. “Every staff member gives 100 percent every day to ensure learning is occurring for all our students.”

Ms. Dunavant said teacher and staff involvement is paramount at PJH and the students see the effort their educators put forth.

“I just think our teachers engage our kids. I think our kids know our teachers care about them,” she said. “Our students don’t want to disappoint their teachers.”

Children who are English as a second language learners, those who are economically disadvantaged or who are in special education courses often have to overcome those obstacles before and during the learning process.

“Every child is important,” Mrs. Brown said. “Every child needs to be given the tools to be successful. I think our staff delivers that.”

When Ms. Dunavant got the news that PJH had excelled in its scores, she was attending a training session.

“When (Ms. Brown) texted me, I just threw my phone up,” she said, laughing. “I just immediately got off task and started looking at the data. I had an idea that they were going to do really well.”

Other campus highlights include:

–        Pittsburg ISD with an 85 percent STAAR passing rate for all tests

–        Pittsburg High School with a 77 percent STARR passing rate for all tests

–        Pittsburg Primary and Elementary campuses with an 85 percent STAAR passing rate for all tests

–        Pittsburg Intermediate with a 92 percent STAAR passing rate for all tests

–        PJH with an 88 percent STAAR passing rate for all tests

Many parents and educators disagree with the idea of holding each child in the state to the same standard – the same test – over the course of the same days. Ms. Dunavant has a unique perspective on standardized testing, however, as she sits on the Accountability Technical Advisory Committee for the state. The ATAC consists of 25 administrators across the state who meet three to four times a year in Austin to look for unintended consequences of the testing and the way results are reported back to districts.

“Accountability is not a bad thing,” she said. “This is something students need to do well on so it will reflect good on the school on the whole. It can be abused, just like anything else. It is a one day snapshot, but you have to have accountability in place. Otherwise, how do you know if you're educating the kids?”

Ms. Brown agreed and said she's grateful for the opportunity to see how well her campus is doing from year to year.

By Tori Lyle, news@campcountynow.com -- To continue reading this article, purchase the print edition of The Pittsburg Gazette or go to our online e-edition at: http://www.etypeservices.com/Pittsburg%20GazetteID315/default.aspx