Jefferson Elementary receives transfer requests for 38 students

Thirty-one families requested to transfer their children from Cape Girardeau's Jefferson Elementary to a higher-performing school. A total of 38 students, roughly 12 percent of the school population, will be affected.

Of the 31 families, nine requested a move to Clippard Elementary, seven to Alma Schrader Elementary, six to Blanchard Elementary and nine to Franklin Elementary.

The transfer is allowed because for two consecutive years students at Jefferson did not meet targets on Missouri Assessment Program tests in communication arts. This year students also failed to meet targets in math.

District administrators did not immediately respond to questions about transportation arrangements for students whose parents requested transfers. Assistant superintendent Pat Fanger said last week that administrators would be contacting affected parents Wednesday. School begins Thursday.

The district must appropriate up to 20 percent of its Title I federal funding to provide transportation for school choice. Cost estimates were unavailable Tuesday.

Jefferson principal Mark Cook has spent time reassuring parents that "Jefferson is a good school to be at." While gearing up for a back-to-school parent orientation Tuesday evening, Cook listed a string of positives: "a great facility, great class size, dedicated teachers, a wonderful culture. ... We have solid learning strategies, after-school tutoring, reading coaches."

He said he found the age of the students transferring interesting. Out of the 38 students, 12 will be entering kindergarten, five first grade, six second grade, eight third grade and seven fourth grade.

"It was available to any grade level. Lots of people who chose had never taken the MAP test. A vast majority had not even taken the MAP test. In other words, their kids are doing fine," Cook said. The test is first given in the third grade.

According to the Department of Education's Web site, a district must allow a student to stay in the new school until the student has completed the highest grade there. But if the original school eventually makes adequate yearly progress and exits school improvement status, the district no longer has to provide transportation.

Throughout the district, wide discrepancies in performance exist between schools that are wealthier with fewer minorities and those with more low-income and minority students. At 92.8 percent, Jefferson by far has the highest percent of students who qualify to free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of poverty. It is also the only school in the district where a minority population is actually the majority; 55 percent of students are black.

The number of parents requesting transfers is much higher this year than in the past. In 2006, both Jefferson Elementary and Blanchard Elementary notified parents of the option of school choice because of low test scores. Between both buildings, 12 requests were filed. None was fulfilled, however, because a recalculation of scores with a new provision showed the schools made adequate yearly progress. While scores won't be finalized until next month, it is unlikely there will be any changes this time, Fanger said.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

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