The South Pike school board on Thursday discussed Superintendent Dr. Estes Taplin’s proposal to label schools with color codes based on different criteria in an effort to improve performance.
He said blue would mean the school is performing adequately and red would mean there is room for improvement.
“What it does is it makes the principal become more aware of what we expect of them,” Taplin said.
Schools will be classified quarterly, he said.
In a presentation to the board, Taplin said, “The blue/red zone concept is intended to serve as a tool for holding all principals accountable for educating students in the South Pike School District.”
He said one of the main criteria for being classified as a blue school is having at least two distinguished educators on staff.
Taplin described a distinguished educator as someone who is doing an exemplary job of educating students.
He said “distinguished educator” is the top step in the rating process. Educators also can be labeled as “effective,” “emerging” and “unsatisfactory.”
Other criteria include student achievement, safe and orderly environments, home-school relations and instructional leadership.
Taplin said meeting each of those requirements earns a school points. A school with 90-100 points is considered an A blue zone school, 80-89 points is a B blue zone school, 70-79 points is a C red zone, 60-69 points is a D red zone and below 59 is an F red zone school.
“This is not a mandate from the state and it is not a directive from the board,” Taplin said.
The Mississippi Department of Education already gives grade levels to schools based on students’ performance on standardized tests.
According to state education records, for the 2011-12 school year, Magnolia Elementary received an F, while Osyka Elementary, South Pike Junior High and the high school each got a C.
Since Eva Gordon Elementary School teaches kindergarten through third grade, it does not qualify for a letter grade from the state.
In a special called board meeting after Thursday’s work session, the board:
• Approved the use of the high school football field by the Pike County Iron Horse semi-pro football team for five weeks in May.
• Approved adding Margaret Godbold and Leslie Hurst as substitute teachers.
• Received the 2013-14 calendar for review and approval at the April board meeting.
