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Thursday, July 21, 2005

Student progress may be checked online

By Linda Trimble | News-Journal Education Writer

DAYTONA BEACH — Parents soon will have a new way to keep tabs on how well their children are doing in Volusia County public schools.

Superintendent Margaret Smith announced plans Wednesday to add a section to the school district´s Web site later this year that will allow parents to track report card grades, attendance and standardized test results.

By the 2006-07 school year, plans call for parents to have access to an "electronic grade book" where -- with a password -- they´ll be able to monitor their child´s grades on a daily basis. Some classes at Spruce Creek High School use a version of an electronic grade book.

The parent connection planned for the Web site -- www.volusia.k12.fl.us -- is part of efforts to improve communication between Volusia schools, parents and the community at large.

Such improved communication is one of a half dozen goals Smith spelled out when she took over as superintendent last year.

She reviewed progress to date and next steps for accomplishing the goals at a Wednesday breakfast meeting at the Daytona 500 Club that was the official kickoff for the 2005-06 school year. Classes will resume Aug. 8.

Smith said she´s encouraged by early results on goals ranging from closing the achievement gap between white and minority students to promoting high-quality staff training and innovative leadership.

Five-year trends show a drop in Volusia students´ failure rate on state reading and math tests, and an increase in the number scoring at or above grade level, Smith reported. While still there, the gap between the performance of white and minority students has narrowed a bit during that period.

Smith said she´s convinced minority students can achieve at a higher level than they are now. "We just need to find ways to help them," she said.

Encouraging more minority students to enroll in academically challenging courses and expanded mentoring programs are among plans for this school year.

And to ease the transition from one school level to the next, all Volusia high schools are making plans to keep their ninth-graders on track better this year.

Smith also announced plans Wednesday to develop a pilot program for 2006-07 through which some fifth-grade teachers would move up to middle school along with their students and some eighth-grade teachers would make the transition to high school with their students.

Sites to See

Students and parents can track grades, attendance and standardized test results later this school year at: www.volusia.k12.fl.us

Spruce Creek High School posts an electronic version of a grade book. The school´s home page is: www.sprucecreekhigh.com

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