Top Ten in State
by Kim Buryanek
November 18, 2009
West Sioux High School has recently been recognized as one of Iowa’s Rapidly Improving Schools (IRIS). Of the 361 school districts in the state of Iowa, West Sioux is one of ten Iowa high schools that have been selected for the IRIS program.
The focus of the IRIS program will be to provide professional development and coaching to continue the selected school’s improvements and for the schools to serve as models for other Iowa schools. The Iowa Department of Education is sponsoring the IRIS program. The Iowa Department of Education is moving its focus from awareness of reform efforts to a focus on schools that are implementing initiatives that have led to documented success.
West Sioux has been involved in the Iowa High School Project grant for the last three years. This grant was sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education. The focus of the West Sioux reform efforts has been the implementation of the A, B, C, Incomplete grading policy and 9th period reform initiatives.
Along with West Sioux, the following
high schools were selected as representative of Iowa high schools
that are making substantial progress toward reform and reinvention
efforts, with a focus on struggling learners:
AHST High School
Central Clinton High School
Bellevue High School
Davenport North High School
Muscatine High School
Sumner Fredericksburg High School
Union High School
Manson NW Webster High School
West Delaware High School
The IRIS project provides at least $7,000/year in funding to schools to support their professional development and reform efforts.
