Blaine School District

Details

Budget Planning Work

The Blaine School District Board of Directors took action April 23, 2009 on a resolution supporting a 2009-10 Reduced Educational Program Plan, and authorizing the Superintendent to move forward with any staffing reductions that are necessary to support a net (expenditure and revenue) adjustment of $1,240,000. We are confident that this number represents our worst case scenario. As soon as we receive final revenue numbers from the State Legislature, we will be able to make the applicable adjustments and move forward with the budget planning process.

The specifics of the 2009-10 Reduced Educational Program Plan can be accessed under the "Details" heading included in this narrative.

Each and every recommendation that is included in the Program Reduction Plan will have an unintended impact on program. In these unprecedented, fiscally challenging times, we continue to be committed to making every effort to protect the classroom and assure for the safety and supervision of our students.

2009-10 Budget Review and Approval Timeline

July 10, 2009 Draft 2009-10 Budget Document available to public

(posted to web site or hard copy available @ District Office)

July 16, 2009 Public Hearing; 2009-10 Budget overview (5:00-6:00pm)
July 27, 2009 Board approval of 2009-10 Budget (7:00pm)

Questions specific to the 2009-10 Budget development process should be addressed to Donna D'Angelo,

Blaine School District Business Manager, @ ddangelo@blainesd.org, or by calling 360-332-5881.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

The term AYP comes from the federal requirement that all schools and districts will have a certain – and growing – percentage of the students passing the state’s reading and math tests each year, so that 100 percent of students in all schools nationwide will be proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014.
AYP calculations are based on reading and mathematics scores from the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, and the breakout of results by nine student profiles: all students, the five major ethnic groups, low-income status and inclusion in special education or English language learner programs. Other factors, such as unexcused student absences for elementary and middle schools or high school graduation rates, are also included in a school’s calculation.

(click here for more information)

If a school or district misses the goal in a single category, it fails to make AYP. A school moves into “improvement” status after it misses its AYP goals for two consecutive years in the same subject – reading or mathematics. A district moves into “improvement” status when it misses making AYP for two consecutive years in all three grade spans (elementary, middle, secondary) in any subgroup in the same subject area. Schools are evaluated in up to 37 categories, and districts in up to 111. They must meet achievement targets in every category to make AYP. To exit improvement, a school or district must meet AYP goals in each category for two consecutive years.

This year in Blaine School District, Blaine Middle School moved into Step I in improvement as per AYP. For detailed information on how all schools in our district performed, click on the following link: http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us

Our bottomline goal in Blaine School District is to continuously improve no matter our results. Our focus as a district is to increase system alignment. Math is a priority with science close behind. Our goal is to focus on these two areas while maintaining our success in literacy. There are a variety of specific actions we are taking so every student is successful. These include Professional Development for teachers in math and science, specific interventions programs for students who struggle academically and teachers working collaboratively to review common assessments and plan aligned, effective lessons.
“There is wonderful, heroic work going on in our schools, and I want parents and other members of our communities to know that they should look far beyond a school’s AYP status to determine the real quality of education that is being delivered there,” said Terry Bergeson, Washington State Superintendent.

AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination)

At Blaine High, AVID is a ninth through twelfth-grade system to prepare students in the academic middle for four-year college eligibility. The students who volunteer, apply and are accepted into the program are students who are capable of completing a college-prep curriculum but for some reason(s) may be falling short of their potential. The core component is the AVID elective (offered one hour during the regular school day), which supports students as they tackle the most rigorous classes.The three main components of the program are academic instruction, tutorial support, and motivational activities. AVID’s teaching strategies, curriculum, and trainings are used not only in the AVID elective class, but also by subject-area teachers schoolwide.

Almost all AVID students who participate for at least three years are accepted to college. AVID is used by over 2,700 schools representing 39 states.

[For more information please visit Number Crunching at www.avidonline.org]

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs)

GEAR UP is a national effort to encourage and prepare more students to enter and succeed in post-secondary education, and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. At the state level, Washington State GEAR UP is a partnership of the Office of the Governor, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the University of Washington, and the College Success Foundation. The state has named Blaine High School a “GEAR UP for Student Success” school, which means that the high-school staff has developed plans for all students to further increase awareness and readiness for post-secondary education; these plans have been approved and funded by Washington State GEAR UP. Specifically, the grant funds the AVID program, educational fieldtrips (is year Boeing and U. of Washington), Family Advisory Group, college and technical school visits and fairs on campus, before and after-school homework center, paid tutors, advisories (with enhanced curriculum), and advanced teacher training.