The Jackson Public School District is pleased to announce that the Michigan Department of Education has released Sharp Park Academy from its Focus School Status Report Card Category.
In 2012, the Michigan Department of Education added a “focus” category to its Michigan School Report Card. The state report card lists the federal Adequate Yearly Progress, the Education YES grades and the overall top-to-bottom rankings of all school buildings. Focus status designation was given to schools in Michigan who have large achievement gaps between their top 30 percent of students and the bottom 30 percent of students. At that time JPS’s Sharp Park IB World School was notified of its “focus” status. Release from “focus” status mandated significant accountability and reporting requirements by the State of Michigan’s Department of Education.
Jackson Public Schools received a letter from Brian J. Whiston; Michigan State Superintendent today August 12, 2015. Mr. Whiston stated “Congratulations! The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is releasing the following 2012 Cohort school from Focus School status:
Sharp Park Academy. Your school’s hard work and emphasis on data-driven decisions have narrowed the achievement gap between the top and bottom performing 30 percent of students in the above named focus school(s). Student achievement among the bottom 30 percent has improved and we hope this trend continues.”
Superintendent Jeff Beal is pleased with the dedication of the Sharp Park IB World School staff and students to the International Baccalaureate program. “At Jackson Public Schools we are all committed to excellence in student achievement. Sharp Park’s release is a very tangible result of our district’s collective efforts to provide a world class education for all students. Principal Jennifer Oswalt is a highly effective administrator and her leadership, direction and guidance has been instrumental in obtaining this significant achievement. I am confident that the path of concentrated efforts in all of our buildings will yield similar results through the day when JPS has no focus or priority schools.”