Second Front (What Else is News) Page -- The Le Flore County Guardian

This is not a feel good story, but it is news you need to know.

The Guardian has made an attempt to keep you posted of the progress and performance of the school districts in Le Flore County.

In the June 7 issue, Why Oklahoma Kids Can’t Read, we covered the fraudulent manipulation of test scores by Secretary of Public Instruction, Sandy Garrett, and in the September 2 issue, Test Scores Mixed For County Schools, we reported the progress made by each school site on reading and math scores.

The Guardian warned at that time, total Academic Performance Index (API) scores when released for Le Flore County might not be pretty.

Oklahoma’s API scores were mandated by law to measure the performance and progress of each school district, primarily using state assessment scores. Other factors are taken into consideration including: attendance, drop outs and graduation rates. Additionally, academic excellence within the district is considered such as: ACT scores, advanced placement credit, and college remediation rates in math and reading.

Schools which fail to meet adequate yearly progress are placed on the school improvement list.

How did our schools perform on the total API score?

You be the judge. Keep in mind that the state average score on the API was 1092.

Hodgen
Poteau
Whitesboro
*** STATE AVERAGE ***
Monroe
Wister
Fanshawe
Heavener
Arkoma
Talihina
Pocola
Howe
Spiro
Panama
Shady Point
Cameron
Bokoshe
LeFlore

Only three schools performed above the state average in Le Flore County.

Dark clouds rolled in Saturday afternoon at the 6th Annual Poteau Balloonfest, and heavy cold rain began to fall shortly afterward, dampening the clothing but not the spirits of those who were there. Fortunately much of the festival took place without rain, though it grounded the hot air balloons on Saturday.