Building on the “Success” of Small Schools

PPS Superintendent Smith and school board members continue to push the idea that they’re building on the success of the small schools at Marshall by closing the 3 small schools and opening a focus school.  I’d like to know how they define “success”. 

Here’s a profile of Biz Tech on the Marshall campus:

• 32% of all students met math benchmark
• 28% of poor children met math benchmark
• 25% of limited English proficient students met math benchmark
• Zero Black students met math benchmark
• 20% of Hispanic students met math benchmark
• 16% of students with disabilities met math benchmark
• Oregon 2008/09 school report cards show Biz Tech has a 46% graduation rate.
• A  story in the Oregonian in 2008 reported that Marshall students missed an average of more than five weeks of school each year. 

 Maybe I have unrealistic standards but I don’t see those results as being successful.