Schools chiefs point to tougher standards

School superintendents whose districts were identified by the state as in need of improvement said Thursday that they weren't surprised by the designation.

New, tougher standards, they say, pushed success out of reach for many students.

Paul Casciano, superintendent of William Floyd, said the country is trying to satisfy two sets of regulations -- those established by the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law and those outlined in President Barack Obama's Race to the Top initiative.

"It is almost like we are serving two masters," he said.

Still, he said, his district has a plan to address shortcomings identified by the state. William Floyd is making an effort to better meet the needs of special education students and black students, two groups identified as lagging behind proficiency standards, he said.

And the report brought some good news to the district: Its high school has made it back to good standing.

Kishore Kuncham, head of Freeport schools, said the district struggles to meet standards for its English Language Learners, some of whom arrive at his schools a grade or two behind. He said, too, that current measures don't take student growth into account.

"As much as I support the higher standards and accountability reforms, districts should be given recognition for the efforts they are making," Kuncham said.

He likened the requirements to forcing all state residents to run the New York City Marathon "whether you are fit or not."

Likewise, Allan Gerstenlauer, head of the Longwood district, said special needs, English Language Learners and poor students "struggle with state-administered assessments, and I believe they are being disadvantaged by the new accountability system."

Peter Scordo, Elwood's superintendent, said Boyd Intermediate School was identified as needing improvement based on the test scores of its special education students. He pledged to "remain committed to improving academic achievement among all subgroups of our student population."

Joseph Cipp Jr., superintendent at South Country, said his district has started offering extra help to students in need. Teachers are collaborating more and a new system to monitor student attendance is addressing truancy more efficiently.

"Some reform efforts are quick, while others need time to truly take shape and draft a new culture," he said. "It is our goal that this will happen here."