Red Bank Regional High School made progress last year toward its goal of exiting the New Jersey Department of Education’s list of districts “in need of improvement”, data released by the state agency yesterday showed.

The district was one of four in Monmouth County — along with Monmouth Regional High in Tinton Falls, Asbury Park and Neptune Township — and 44 statewide tagged with the label under provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind law. Tests for this year’s list were taken by students in March and April of last year.

According to today’s Asbury Park Press, RBR made improvements from last year that, if continued next year, would enable it to escape the purgatory of it’s present ‘hold’ status and get off the list.

From the article:

Red Bank Regional High School officials said they are half way to getting off the list, after test scores jumped 30 percent on average for the 2007-08 school year.

“The official designation is we’re on hold. We have to make the AYP [Adequate Yearly Progress] for two years,” said Edward Westervelt, Red Bank Regional Superintendent of Schools. “We have to score higher (next year). We must make 41 indicators to get off the list.”

Red Bank Regional officials have implemented a number of programs, including a four-week summer school program run by the school’s Youth Based Services Program.

The district, which accepts tuition students and serves Red Bank, Little Silver and Shrewsbury, also phased out lower-level classes and offered more honors and AP classes. Tutoring is also offered during the school year.

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