PETERSBURG -- Petersburg schools have made great strides in student achievement, but programs at three of them will go under alternative governance immediately for failing federal academic benchmarks for several consecutive years.

School officials have replaced principals, hired new teachers and implemented many academic strategies and programs trying to get schools to meet the No Child Left Behind's Adequate Yearly Progress targets.

But a report presented to the School Board tonight showed that only one of seven met the annual measurement objectives. Most of them improved greatly in some core subjects.

Alvera J. Parrish, assistant superintendent for instruction, said in her presentation that to make Adequate Yearly Progress, 29 indicators have to be met.

"If you miss one, one, you do not meet AYP," she said. "That is a tall bar."

For Vernon Johns Junior High, which was a middle school until this summer, Peabody Middle School and J.E.B Stuart Elementary School, failing to meet those targets has brought about sanctions. They will go under alternative governance for math and English as required by No Child Left Behind after five to seven years of failing.

Proposals to hire restructuring contractors went out in May. Sopris West Educational Services has been hired to provide the academic supplemental services to the three schools at a cost of about a half-million dollars for the school year. Those funds will come from the federal government.

Vernon Johns Middle went into alternative governance for math two years ago after entering its fifth year of failing Adequate Yearly Progress. An oversight committee for math was created.

Last year, the principal was replaced and a number of new teachers were hired. This year, alternative governance will start for English in addition to math.

The report showed that Vernon Johns Middle had a 28.8 percent improvement over the previous year.

Peabody Middle School has entered year five of improvement for missing Adequate Yearly Progress in English. It missed the mark by less than half a point in English this year. It met the benchmark in science and math, where it made a 43.31 percent gain compared to last year. Alternative governance for English will be implemented.

Restructuring planning in the school has included replacing the principal last fall and hiring several new teachers.

J.E.B Stuart Elementary School also entered its fifth year of improvement in English this year. The principal was replaced in January. The school missed the target in the subject by less than a point. It made a 45.64 percent improvement in math from last year.

Alternative governance will be implemented for English too.

Petersburg High School did not meet the targets in math and graduation rates. However, it made a 38.47 percent gain in math from last year.

Robert E. Lee Elementary School was the only school that met Adequate Yearly Progress. Last year, Walnut Hill Elementary also met the benchmarks, but not this year. A.P. Hill Elementary School also did not meet the benchmarks.

-- Juan Antonio Lizama