A majority of public schools in Davenport have been identified by the state as under-performing and in need of additional support, according to a new state review.
The Iowa Department of Education scored the state's 1,302 public schools in its Iowa School Performance Profiles report, released Tuesday. The results show whether each school did or did not meet state benchmarks, as determined by a number of factors including standardized tests, English-language proficiency, and student improvement, among others.
In all, 307 schools across the state are identified as needing targeted support for one or more specific groups, such as low-income students or racial minorities. These students performed as low as the lowest five percent of students in the state. Another 34 schools are listed in a more severe category, in need of comprehensive support for all students. These schools' overall scores fall within the lowest five percent of Iowa schools
WVIK analyzed the new state data, taking a look at the performance of school districts in the Iowa Quad Cities and other parts of eastern Iowa.
Davenport Community School District: 18 of the district's 27 schools are listed as falling behind. This includes 14 identified as needing targeted support. Central, West, and North high schools all fall into this category. Another four schools in Davenport were listed in need of comprehensive support for all students.
- Targeted support needed: Adams Elementary, Buchanan Elementary, Central High School, Fillmore Elementary, Hayes Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, North High School, Sudlow Intermediate, Walcott Intermediate, Washington Elementary, West High School, Williams Intermediate, Wilson Elementary, Wood Intermediate
- Comprehensive support needed: Frank L. Smart Intermediate, Madison Elementary, Mid City High, Monroe Elementary
Bettendorf Community School District: two of the district's eight schools are listed as needing targeted support: Bettendorf Middle School and Grant Wood Elementary School.
Clinton Community School District: four of the district's six schools are listed as needing targeted support: Clinton High School, Clinton Middle School, Eagle Heights Elementary School Elementary School, and Jefferson Elementary School.
Dubuque Community School District: ten of the district's 18 schools are listed as needing either targeted or comprehensive support.
- Targeted support needed: Eisenhower Elementary, Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School, George Washington Middle School, Irving Elementary, John Kennedy Elementary, Prescott Elementary, Table Mound Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Middle School
- Comprehensive support needed: Fulton Elementary, Lincoln Elementary
None of the schools in the North Scott Community School District and the Louisa-Muscatine Community School District were listed on the report as struggling.
All schools identified as needing either targeted or comprehensive support are required to create a special improvement plan. They will be eligible for a portion of $6 million in special federal funding provided to these struggling Iowa schools.
The Iowa Department of Education was required by the federal government to put together the state assessment in order to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which is the school performance law succeeding the No Child Left Behind program.
The Iowa School Performance Profiles database can be accessed here.