18 Wyoming schools land on list of worst in state

When Casper’s Roosevelt High School landed on a list of the worst schools in the state this week, Principal Mike Pickett’s heart sank.

Everything seems to be looking up for Roosevelt: Attendance is up, more students made the honor roll, last year’s dropout rate was well below the national, state and district averages. Students in an innovative reading program have improved three or four grade levels.

But the method used to calculate the bottom 5 percent of the state’s schools used graduation rates and standardized test scores, indicators that don’t always mean success in alternative schools such as Roosevelt.

“If they were to look at our measurements from when the kids walk in the doors as freshmen to the time they walk out as seniors, you would have a different look than comparing our whole school,” Pickett said.

By JACKIE BORCHARDT Casper Star-Tribune

Full Story: http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/articles/2010/05/08/news/today/news02.txt