Lower scores no surprise

The news isn't good, but we're not necessarily wringing our hands over Thursday's report that more Nebraska public schools failed to meet federal improvement standards last year than the year before.

According to a report from the Nebraska Department of Education, 61 of Nebraska's 1,200 schools needed improvement when judged by federal No Child Left Behind guidelines. That's nine more than the year before.

In math and reading, 42 schools are considered "persistently lowest achieving schools," judging by the federal benchmark, but that's an improvement over the 52 that made the list in May.

Why not worry?

The difference is, prior to 2009-10, Nebraska school districts created their own tests to measure No Child Left Behind and state compliance. In 2008-09, the last year we set our own standards, 93 percent met or exceeded standards in reading.

The new report showed 93 percent of students in grades 3-8 and 11 were proficient in math, up one percentage point from the previous year.

In reading, however, only 69 percent of students tested in those grades were found to be proficient, based on the state's first statewide, uniform reading tests, under a law passed by the Legislature.

It stands to reason we won't do as well if we are measured by higher standards.

But that doesn't mean we should pat ourselves on the back, either. The low scores make the districts eligible to apply for $6 million in federal school improvement grants.

Nebraska Education Commissioner Roger Breed said the schools could apply for plans like professional development, additional staffing and newer technology.

We'd like to see the money go toward additional class time, with fewer interruptions for peripheral activities.