The Macon Telegraph (Georgia) February 2, 2009

HEADLINE:  State Director has settled in to help Southwest High turn things around

By Julie Hubbard

Feb. 2--Steve Olive stands out at Southwest High School, with his navy blue suit and Georgia Department of Education name tag.

He also draws attention pulling a carry-on bag down the hallway that's full of books and school data.

Olive started working as a "state director" at Southwest a month ago, commuting from Columbus on Tuesdays, Thursdays and every other Friday. Mostly, he monitors teachers in their classrooms and checks whether they're covering the state curriculum -- and doing it correctly.

But he's also good at crunching test scores and giving advice on school improvement.

In the last seven years, Southwest hasn't had enough students graduate or pass state exams. As a result, the state Department of Education put the school in "state-directed status" this school year.

There are 47 other such schools statewide with the same status, and they're also required to have state oversight.

"Initially when it came across, it came across as a negative," said Southwest's principal, Tyrone Bacon, who said parents saw the label as a school failing their children and needing supervision. "Every year we're making progress, but it's not enough."

Both men hope the community will see Olive's presence at the school as another set of hands, bringing new ideas to help move the needle.

"I want to support the school and the teachers, remove any barriers and enable them to make Adequate Yearly Progress," said Olive, who used to work helping improve low-income schools in Muscogee County. "I'm more of a staff member, part of the team."

This past summer, Georgia was notified that it was one of six states to be granted new flexibility in No Child Left Behind mandates from the federal government. The change allowed the state to step in sooner and take charge of schools that repeatedly fail to make certain goals, called Adequate Yearly Progress. Now the state steps in when a school is in "needs improvement" status after five years.

Before the change, the state didn't get involved until a school was in "needs improvement" status for seven years, and even then involvement was limited.

State officials don't expect the directors to swoop in and help the 48 schools meet testing goals miraculously.

"The key word is support," state spokesman Matt Cardoza said. "Our goal would be for these schools to show steady growth in student achievement with the support of state directors."

Even Bacon says it might be hard for Southwest to meet testing goals again this year, in part because of a new, harder math curriculum. Also, the bar the state sets rises each year.

Under the law, when it comes to making Adequate Yearly Progress, schools either hit the target or they don't. They don't get recognized for just making progress.

"A high school is a big, huge ship, and to turn it around on its axis takes time," Bacon said. "We think we have a fair shot. If we miss, it'll be math."

At Southwest, 97 percent of the teachers have a degree in the subject they teach, and there is more math-focused instruction. The school also uses its $500,000 in federal money on student tutoring programs and training.

Scores are on the upswing. In 2006, just 38 percent of Southwest's junior first-time test takers passed math on the Georgia High School Graduation Test. By 2008, 58 percent of juniors had.

Graduation rates have also increased from 40 percent of seniors graduating on time in 2006 to 50 percent in 2008.

The school will need at least 60 percent to graduate by this summer to meet state goals.

The state directors don't cost the state or school systems, since they're paid from federal funds. Their beginning salary is $70,000. Most of them have experience in areas of school improvement.

In the midstate, Crawford County Middle School also has a part-time state director, Carol Caison, helping with school improvements.

Oak Hill Middle School in Milledgeville is in "needs improvement" year seven and also struggling with math. Janet Lee, a full-time state director working with the school, came in September.

"Sometimes it's good to have another perspective," principal Linda Ramsey said.

Schools in "needs improvement" status for five or six years share a state director. Only the 48 state-directed schools in "needs improvement" status for seven to nine years get a state director full time. Seven of those 48 schools still have vacancies for state directors.

Some workers are "doubling up" for now so that all schools are being served, Cardoza said.

The vacancies are in Atlanta public schools and Richmond, Butts, Muscogee, Calhoun and Terrell County school systems.