CAPE SCHOOL PROGRAM EARNS A+

The A+ program at Cape Girardeau Central High School lived up to its name this week when it earned top scores during a state evaluation.

The Cape Girardeau School District was designated an A+ school, one of 27 school districts in the state to earn the rating.

The district has spent the past three years moving toward the designation. Five people from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education looked at the program and its plan for the future and gave the stamp of approval.

Jerry Witvoet, A+ coordinator, said the A+ designation is good for one year.

The Outstanding Schools Act of 1993 established the A+ School Program to improve the education of students in Missouri's high schools.

Cape Girardeau was one of 38 schools to receive grant money the first year it was available. The district has received grant funding each of the past three years. Money has been used to develop plans and buy equipment needed to implement the plans.

Over the past three years, the district has received nearly $400,000 in state grant money to fund the A+ program.

For next year, no grant money is available so the district will have to absorb costs of maintaining the program. But Witvoet expects the state to make money available for the following school year.

The state set three major goals for A+ schools in hopes of improving high school education.

-- All students must graduate from high school.

-- All students must complete a rigorous curriculum in high school.

-- All students are prepared to enter post-secondary education, technical school or employment upon graduation.

"All of our local goals were directed at those three major points," Witvoet said.

The A+ designation also means that Cape Girardeau students have a chance to earn free tuition to community college, technical school of vocational school after graduation.

At Central High, nine seniors have been completing requirements for these A+ tuition grants.