Whitehall District Schools
District Annual Education Report (AER)  


Dear Parents and Community Members:

We are pleased to present you with the Annual Education Report (AER) which provides key information on the 2010-2011 educational progress for Whitehall District Schools and our individual schools. The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and some requirements of state laws; however, our staff is available to help you understand this information. Please contact David Hundt, Director of Accountability and State and Federal Programs, at 231-893-1005 for help if you need assistance.

The AER is available for you to review electronically by visiting the links on this page or you may review a copy in the principal’s office at your child’s school.

Whitehall District Schools is the fiscal agent for White Lake Area Community Education which includes Adult Education students from the five consortium districts (Holton, Montague, Whitehall, North Muskegon and Reeths-Puffer).  Additionally, our District is responsible for providing educational services to students who are temporarily assigned to the Muskegon County Youth Detention Facility.  We feel that it is important to note that the data included in this District AER includes test results from these programs, along with our K-12 schools.  For school specific AER data, please refer to the AER located on each school’s website.

The report contains the following information:

Student Assessment Data− Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP), Michigan Merit Exam (MME), and Michigan’s Alternative Assessment Program (MI-Access)    
           

·        Presents achievement data for English language arts and mathematics for grades 3 to 8 (MEAP), for grade 11 (MME) and science for grades 5 and 8 compared to targets for all students as well as subgroups of students

·        Provides achievement data for English language arts, mathematics and science for students with significant disabilities (MI-Access) compared to targets for all students with disabilities as well as subgroups of students

·        Helps readers understand achievement progress within schools and compare these to district and state achievement 


Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) – Detail Data and Status
 

Provides information from assessments, graduation and attendance rates and AYP status in relation to four criteria:

 

·        The district must test 95% of students in total and in each required subgroup

·        The district must attain achievement goals in English language arts and mathematics or reduce the percentage of students in the non-proficient category of achievement significantly ("safe harbor") annually

·        The district must attain achievement goals for each subgroup that has at least 30 students in the group

·        The district must meet or exceed the other academic indicators set by the state: graduation rate for high schools and attendance rate for elementary and middle schools


Teacher Quality Data    
 

·        Identifies teacher qualifications at district and school levels

·        Reports percentage of core academic classes taught by teachers not considered highly qualified to teach such classes

NAEP Data (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

·        Provides state results of the national assessment in mathematics and reading every other year in grades 4 and 8.

·        Cannot be compared with MEAP results for grades 4 and 8 because there are no national standards

For 2009-2010, Whitehall District Schools made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in English language arts and mathematics.  All schools in the district also made AYP.  None of our schools were identified for school improvement, corrective action or restructuring. 

 

At Whitehall District Schools, we hold pride in the accomplishments of our students and staff.   As a school community, we are committed to continually evaluating and improving our educational services and programs for students.  From the Board of Education, to the District’s 21st Century Education Council and respective building-level School Improvement Teams, we strive to equip staff and students with the strategies, resources and knowledge to ensure the high levels of achievement for each learner that leads to a diploma and post-secondary opportunity.


Sincerely,  


 

Jerry McDowell,
Superintendent

Other Information

For a printed version, you may contact the Superintendent's Office at 231-893-1005

Michelle Pulver
Administrative Assistant