Several Lacey schools are on the state’s list of schools that need improvement based on the Department of Education’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports.
Schools holding the status of “need improvement” include Cedar Creek, the Forked River School, the Lacey Middle School and Mill Pond.
In 2010, no Lacey schools made AYP. In 2011, Cedar Creek and the Lanoka Harbor School did.
AYP is a mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) and is based on statewide assessments and benchmarks implemented by the Department of Education. The benchmarks mark the percentage of students in a grade expected to test proficient or advanced proficient. For grades three through five the benchmark is 59 percent while the benchmark for grades six through eight is 72 percent.
If a group does not make AYP but has improved 10 percent, they make Safe Harbor, which also qualifies the grade as sufficient under AYP.
In 2010, the total and general populations, excluding special education students, in all grades that tested made AYP in language arts and math, Assistant Superintendent Vanessa Clark reported last year.
“That’s big,” former Superintendent Richard Starodub previously said.
But that’s not the case this year. The total populations, excluding special education students, at Lanoka Harbor School, Cedar Creek and the high school made AYP in language arts and math.
At least one parent is happy with Cedar Creek's progress.
“They’re doing something right,” said resident and Cedar Creek Parent Teacher Association member Christine James, since the district showed improvement from year to year.
This is James’ daughter’s first year in the public school district after she was taken out of a private school.
“I’ve been happy with her progress,” she said. “It’s my first experience with the public school district. I’m very pleased.”
The Lacey Middle School did not make AYP in any category.
The Department of Education has a continuum chart that measures district improvement. The chart is as follows:
- Early Warning- a school did not make AYP for one year; no intervention.
- LEA Improvement (DINI 1)- Did not make AYP for two years; intervention includes parent notification and the development of a district improvement plan.
- LEA Improvement (DINI 2)- Did not make AYP for three years; intervention includes parent notification, conduction of needs assessment, evaluate and revise district improvement plan.
- District Corrective Action (DINI 3)- Did not make AYP for four or more years; intervention includes parent notification, conduction of needs assessment, evaluate and revise district improvement plan, state notification to the district which can result in the following actions: deter funding, implement new curriculum, replace LEA personnel, appoint a highly skilled professional or mandatory technical assistance.
The Department of Education also has a “hold” status, spokesman Richard Vespucci said. It takes two consecutive years of making AYP to be removed from the NCLB sanction status. It also takes two consecutive years of under-performance to be placed in a sanction status.
While Cedar Creek, Forked River and Mill Pond have been on the “needs improvement” list for two years, the middle school is on year three. If it misses another year of AYP, the district and state will need to take corrective action.
The state’s school report card as well as the NCLB report card will be released later this year.
Superintendent Sandra Brower declined to comment, saying she was unavailable and Board of Education President Jack Martenak did not return calls for comment.
The 2011 AYP report is attached to this article as a PDF.
Below is a table breaking down AYP for each Lacey school over the last four years.
| 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |
| Lacey Township High School | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cedar Creek | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Forked River School | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Lacey Middle School | No | No | No | Yes |
| Mill Pond | No | No | No | Yes |
| Lanoka Harbor School | Yes | No | Yes | No |
The Lacey Patch
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In This article
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Cedar Creek Elementary School
220 Western Blvd, Lanoka Harbor, NJ -
Lanoka Harbor Elementary School
281 Manchester Ave, Lanoka Harbor, NJ -
Forked River Elementary School
110 Lacey Rd, Forked River, NJ -
Lacey Township Middle School
660 Denton Ave, Forked River, NJ -
Mill Pond Elementary School
210 Western Blvd, Lanoka Harbor, NJ -
Lacey Township High School
73 Haines St, Lanoka Harbor, NJ
Wise Owl
1:51 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Let's face it, the BOE is in trouble. I wonder who knew who to get Dr. B a five year contract. Lacey is in need of true leadership, not a coffee clutch leader who doesn't have any experience leading. Her contract was up last July at Wall...did they renew it??? Wall's gain is our loss.
Oscar Wilde
1:58 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
give everyone raises and bigger pensions.......i am sure that will help the children
lacey voter
4:03 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
We need more upper managment at $110,000.00 a year plus great benefits
ynot
4:18 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Superintendent Sandra Brower declined to comment, saying she was unavailable, you should have invited her for coffee.
Board of Education President Jack Martenak did not return calls for comment. He will return your call once he is told what to say.
Ltown
4:56 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Cedar creek made ayp im not sure where you get your facts but this is false
Beach Girl
5:18 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
If you look through the PDF file attached, you will see that there are many schools, not only in Lacey, who did not make AYP. This is just a sad picture of the education system in this country. We need to do something revolutionary, and do it quickly, because we have been lagging far behind other countries for years and it is not getting any better. I have friends from England who know more about American history than many college students, and this was taught in their primary schools. Even though it's frowned upon, home schooling is starting to look better and better.
William J Moss
5:50 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
This was on Mr Starodub watch . Not Dr Browers Give her a chance Voice your opinion at the school board meeting March 19 at 7:00pm
T.
10:02 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
it does not help they change the curriculum and went from one style of writing skills to another mid year and then expect the children to learn a new way to write and a new way to do math. What is up with all the new cubes and weird ways to do math? Basic skills are that basic. The teachers can not teach what they have not mastered.
Jeff Casloste
8:42 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
The only school that does its job is Lanoka Harbor school. My 7 year old always has homework my 14 year old never has homework never brings home books gets straight A s but not being put to task. My older child stopped having homework after 3rd grade. I find it astonishing when you are with family from other parts of the state how busy their kids are with school work compared to ours. This report is no surprise.
Nickie O.
10:52 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Lacey Twp. Schools have always valued SPORTS above Academics. The children have never been rewarded for their scholastic abilities and the “Jocks” seem to get all the accolades (and honor awards). I think its time to reassess our priorities and educate our children.
tiredofthehaters
11:00 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Every time a comment is made about the schools some one HAS to comment about "jocks". Get it through your heads - if the kids don't have good enough grades - they can't play!!! I do not believe there is a single teacher in our high school (and I say HS because that is where most of the organized sports are) who will pass a child just so they can play on the tennis team (or any other team). The only accolades the "jocks" get are sports related, outside of the Outstanding Student Athlete award. Most of those recipients have over a 4.0 so, again, get a grip. Yes, our schools need improvement, but don't blame a sports team, that is just dumb
Nickie O.
1:40 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
My comment is not to blame any of the students or belittle their talents and abilities. They should all be commended. We have some really great kids in our community and all their talents should be recognized. My concerns are about a school district that does not praise all the children for their unique and special gifts. I have been to the High Schools “awards ceremonies” and watched as the Valedictorian walked away almost unrecognized. I have witnessed gifted students getting prestigious honors from the State (I.E. acceptance into the prestigious Governors School) with not even a mention from the School District or a write up in the Yearbook. I have know children with incredible music abilities who have graced the stage and shared their voices with us in the school plays. All of these kids need the schools recognition equally.
Just N. Observer
12:47 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Basically, the State of N.J. has put on the record that 4 out of 6 Lacey schools failed to teach our children basic skills consisting of reading, writing, and arithmatic. Our Board of Ed. and the Lacey Superintendent of Schools have no comment. Their inability to make a statement speaks volumes about their ability as educators. When will our school system be able to consistantly sustain an acceptable level of education that does not warrant the " Needs Improvement" tag from the state? When will we learn from the mistakes made year after year? Stop thinking of an answer for the Press and get our kids on the right path to success!
TP
1:07 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
The government run education system in the town and in this country either goes back to teaching and focusing on the basics or they'll continue to dumb down the children. From the get go the students are treated with kids gloves as if they are too fragile to be challenged. We can't leave family out of the equation. Too many students don't have the support needed at home to ensure that they achieve what they are capable of. The age of "plugged in" kids will prove to be a negative. Electonics are used to "babysit" kids at a young age. Rather than reading and interacting they are vegatating with tv's, computers, and ipods. Between that and schools losing focusing on the basics we are in a very bad situation. Yes, many, many educators have the best interest of the students in mind, but their hands are tied. There are the others that have been "comfortable" in the positions and are skating to retirement and the nice pension . . . . not good.
tr
2:44 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
(4) four out of (6) schools are below standard as reported.
Under 2% we cannot vote on the budget.
The new Superintendant needs time to adjust and let her plan work
The teachers are all godsends and saints acording to respondants.
Let's see what is left to do?????
CHANGE EVERYONE ON THE EXISTING BOE ASAP!!!!!!
Remember in November!!!!! All other CHOICES have been taken away from US.
Elaine Piniat
3:01 pm on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Ltown, the story states that Cedar Creek and the Lanoka Harbor School made AYP in 2011. But Cedar Creek remains on the state's list of schools that need improvement because of their hold.
tr
4:56 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
Does anyone know when the new school report card will be on the District website so that we can see, first hand, other FAILURES in our school district. 2010 is long gone, and that is what is posted. It clearly says ,again, enrollment going down but, taxes going up???? Less students cost more money??? I can't be there tonight or I would ask the BOE myself.
Favorite Teacher
5:37 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
The info in the article is from Title I Accountability, you can also see the individual school status from 03-04 school years till 2010/2011, the most recent year available:
http://www.nj.gov/education/title1/accountability/ayp/1112/profiles/ayp/29_profiles.pdf