http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... /608030339

Middle schools struggle to meet higher standard
None in Greenville County make AYP

Published: Thursday, August 3, 2006 - 10:58 am


By Ron Barnett
STAFF WRITER
rbarnett@greenvillenews.com

None of Greenville County's 16 middle school made AYP or "Adequate Yearly Progress" last year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, and only 15 percent of middle schools statewide did.

And, based on last year's results and preliminary scores from the most recent Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test, the Greenville County school district predicts that none of the county's middle schools will make AYP this year either.

But, Dennis Dotterer, new principal at Tanglewood Middle, welcomes the challenge.

"There is some difficulty there, but that's kind of the joy and the challenge," he said. "I mean, that's the reason most people got into education is to make that difference.

"That's the reason I took this job."

Check GreenvilleOnline.com later today for updates on the challenges ahead for Tanglewood and other middle schools.