When the state Department of Education released the results of the 2011-12 PSSA results Friday, it showed that Lycoming County performed well, with Jersey Shore Area School District being the only district not meeting state standards.
Jersey Shore did not meet adequate yearly progress (AYP), which resulted in a warning. Three of the district's buildings also received warnings from the state for not meeting AYP - Jersey Shore Elementary, Jersey Shore Area Middle School and Jersey Shore Area High School.
In the state's report for the district, graduation rate was the dooming aspect for the district warning, not academics. The report showed passing marks for the district in attendance, academic performance and test participation.
The PSSA is given yearly to students in third through eighth and 11th grades in math and reading. Fifth, eighth and 11th grades also are given a writing test, and a science test is given to fourth-, eighth- and 11th-grade students.
Even with the state requiring a higher percentage of proficiency among the schools - 72 percent in reading and 67 percent in math last year, and 81 percent in reading and 78 percent this year - the county had one district not meet AYP, which is down from last year's two.
Jersey Shore did meet AYP last year.
Although Williamsport Area School District did meet AYP, five of its buildings did not. But the district's high school did meet AYP after being on corrective action II for the last five years.
"We're really excited about the high school making AYP," said Dr. Kathleen Kelley, superintendent. "Anytime we show improvement we're heading in the right direction."
The district implemented a new core reading program this year in the elementary schools and hopes other programs it will introduce will help all schools grow.
Besides academic programs, the district is working on behavior to make "sure students are here and ready to learn so that when they are in classes they will attend to learning instead of other activities."
South Williamsport Area School District and Muncy School District were the only districts to have all of their buildings meet AYP.
Although the county improved overall, the state did see a drop in scores. It is believed that alleged cheating inflated the scores the past three years, which caused the decrease in scores.
According to Ron Tomalis, state education secretary, complaints against about 100 educators will be filed in the coming weeks as part of the state's investigation.
Six districts and three charter schools remain under investigation.
Calls to Richard Emery, Jersey Shore superintendent, seeking comment were not returned.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
