"We did much better than last year," McCaskill said. "We are pleased with the results. We are looking good as a district."
McCaskill said after his district received an At Risk of Failing rating last year, the administration and teachers at Montgomery County Schools regrouped and created programs to assist students in weak areas.
Montgomery County High School's 21st Century Grant-funded after school program began focusing on tutoring, and this year, Montgomery County Elementary School began after school tutoring as well.
"The program is funded with Title 1 money, but we hope to get a 21st Century Grant to expand the program like the high school's," Cox said.
Created for fourth and fifth grade students, MCES holds after school tutoring from 3 until 5:30 p.m. each afternoon. The schools teachers as well as volunteers from the America Reads program conducting the tutoring.
"Presently we have 20 students participating," said MCES principal Patricia Cox. "However, we expect more to join in the future."
Cox said student participation comes from teacher recommendations and student requests. However, she said once students get settled in the school year and progress reports are sent home to parents, she feels more students will get extra help from the after school tutoring.
Cox said after the state's accountability model changed last year, the school district hired a consulting firm to assist in creating a plan to improve test scores and the teachers better prepare students for state tests.
"The Bailey Group came in and gave us great advice," Cox said. "They truly helped us a whole lot."
Cox said the first year, her teachers were surprised at the difficulty level of the new state tests, but with the advice of the consulting firm and instituting the Buckle Down program, designed to prepare students for the test's format, students improved greatly.
"Basically, we now know how to teach the tests," Cox said. "Now we can format tests just as the state tests do, and our kids can better interpret questions on the MCT2."
Cox said her teachers have added test taking skills to their curriculum to engage the students into learning critical thinking, a skill much needed to be successful in testing.
"The first year, that test was a shocker to us," Cox said. "Now we have a better perception of what the test is going to ask. We also try to keep the students alert and refreshed by scheduling breaks during test days. The kids can go eat a snack and drink some juice and go back refreshed."
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