Largest achievement gaps
MY SCHOOL IS A
FOCUS SCHOOL
What does this mean?
• For elementary and middle school students, learning gaps based on academic progress on the
WESTEST 2 between student groups are too large.
• For high school students, the graduation gap between student groups is too large.
What are the expectations of a Focus School?
• A Focus Assistance Support Team (FAST) made up of staff with school-level expertise
related to each student group will be formed at the local, regional and state levels to support
appropriate interventions to improve student group achievement and graduation rates.
• The school will implement the West Virginia School Improvement Framework. The framework
includes the following components:
• Diagnostic visit/report with a concentration on identified gaps
• Improvement plan
• Memorandum of Understanding designating the responsibilities of each supporting agency
• Implementation of targeted student group interventions
• Monitoring/progress reports/redirection
• The school can exit this status when the school meets its academic goals on the WESTEST 2
and:
• an elementary/middle school no longer has the largest academic achievement gaps between
student groups OR
• a high school no longer has significant graduation rate gaps.
How often are school designations determined?
• If a school can decrease the gap between student groups for two consecutive years and show
sufficient progress, it can earn a different designation.
How do I find out more?
For a more detailed explanation of how your school was designated, visit
http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/performance/ or http://wvde.state.wv.us/esea/support/
West Virginia has a new accountability system that categorizes schools according to
academic progress and acheivement gaps. A school will be designated as
a SUCCESS, a TRANSITION, a FOCUS, a SUPPORT or a PRIORITY School.