Reducing the Gap in Achievement & Graduation: Start With Monitoring Chronic Absence
Southern Regional Education Board HSTW MMGW Improve Graduation and Achievement Ten Lessons Learned...
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Transcript of Southern Regional Education Board HSTW MMGW Improve Graduation and Achievement Ten Lessons Learned...
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Ten Lessons Learned About Improving Graduation Rates and
Achievement:
Implications for Middle Grades and High Schools
Gene BottomsSenior Vice President
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Reflection Questions
As a middle grades principal, counselor or teacher leader, what three actions could you take that would have the greatest impact on preparing more students for challenging high school studies?
As a high school principal, counselor or teacher leader, what three actions could you take that would have the greatest impact on ensuring more students graduate from high school and graduate prepared for a range of postsecondary options – advanced training, two-year or four-year college, employer certification and the workplace?
Mobile 6-8-10 2
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Reflection Questions
For high school and middle grades leaders, teachers and counselors: What support and assistance would you need from the district office to take these actions, in terms of staff development, resources and other assistance?
Mobile 6-8-10 3
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Reflection Questions
As a middle grades principal, counselor or teacher leader, what steps would you take to engage your faculty in examining the problems that are keeping your school from preparing more students for challenging high school studies? How would you engage the faculty in addressing the three actions that you believe could result in positive changes to students’ readiness for high school?
Mobile 6-8-10 4
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Reflection Questions
As a high school principal, counselor or teacher leader, how would you engage the entire faculty and faculty teams in examining the problems that are keeping your school from graduating more students prepared for a range of postsecondary options? How would you assist them in identifying and implementing three actions that will have the greatest impact on students’ success in high school and readiness for college and careers?
Mobile 6-8-10 5
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Key Concepts
Mobile 6-8-10 6
Mission Acceleration Engagement Motivation Purpose, goals,
interest, aspiration Relevance Mastery Support for
students/faculty
Leadership – district/school
Failure not an option
Connections Ownership of
problems/solutions Instructional
planning Reading and writing
as ways of learning
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Why Give Equal Emphasis toGraduation Rates and Achievement?
The current focus is on meeting minimum achievement levels, not graduation.
Many students enter high school unprepared.
Many high school graduates are unprepared for college and work.
Dropouts are costly to states.
Mobile 6-8-10 7
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Can Middle Schools and High Schools Do?
Action 1: Get your school mission right.
Middle School: Prepare students for success in a college-preparatory core in grade nine.High School: Graduate students, and graduate them prepared for a range of postsecondary options
Mobile 6-8-10 8
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
How do Middle and High School Faculty See Their Mission?
33% of middle school teachers believe their primary mission is to prepare students to succeed in college preparatory academic courses in grade 9, compared with 59% at most-improved middle grades schools.
42% of high school teachers believe their primary mission is to graduate students and graduate them prepared for a range of postsecondary options compared with 65% at high-graduation schools.
Mobile 6-8-10 9
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Do Student Aspirations Match Educators’ Mission and Beliefs?
More than 9 out of 10 eighth-graders expect to graduate from high school and 85% expect to enter postsecondary studies.
More than 9 out of 10 ninth-graders expect to graduate from high school and 84% expect to enter postsecondary studies.
Mobile 6-8-10 10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
How Do You Close the Gap between the School Mission and Student Aspirations?
Engage the faculty, parents and community in discussion about the school mission.
Examine the lives of adults who failed to graduate from the school.
Develop understanding among faculty, parents, students and community about effort required to achieve the mission.
Measure progress annually against the mission.
Mobile 6-8-10 11
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Change in Percentages of Eighth-Grade Students Meeting Performance
Goals from 2006 to 2008
Least-Improved Schools
Most-Improved Schools
Change Change
Reading -19 +16
Math -11 +17
Science -7 +20
Source: 2006 and 2008 Middle Grades Assessments, SREB
Mobile 6-8-10 12
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Percentages of Students Meeting College-Readiness Goals at High-Graduation and
Low-Graduation Schools
Mobile 6-8-10 13
Low-Graduation
Schools(64 to 79)
High-Graduation
Schools(86 to 99)
Reading 44% 79%
Mathematics 53 69
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Enrolling More Middle Grades Students into an Accelerated
Curriculum Matter?Comparative Study of Most- and Least-Improved
Middle Schools
Mobile 6-8-10 15
Increase in % of Students Experiencing Accelerated Curriculum 2006 and 2008
Least-Improved Most-Improved
Accelerated English
-1% 14%
Algebra I/Pre-Algebra
1 12
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Enrolling More High School Students in a College-Ready Core
Matter?Comparative Study of High-Graduation Low-
Graduation Schools
Mobile 6-8-10 16
Percent of Students Completing aCollege-Ready Core
Low Graduation (Rate from 64 to 79%)
High Graduation (Rate from 86 to 99%)
4 Years CP English
42% 78%
4 Years Math Algebra I and Higher
53 73
3 Years CP Lab Science
49 77
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Why Does One Set of Schools Do Better Than the Other Set of Schools?
Agreement on a readiness missionAgreement on what it means to
teach students to standards
A belief that with EFFORT and support, most students can achieve readiness standards
Mobile 6-8-10 17
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
How Do You Align Both Middle and High Schools to College-Readiness
Standards? Take time to:
Align middle grades English/reading and math curriculum to high school readiness standards.
Align high school to college- and career-readiness standards.
Plan and align classroom learning activities, student assignments and assessments to readiness standards.
Create a schedule and organization that provides time for teachers to plan standards-based units and lessons and formative and summative assessments.
Mobile 6-8-10 18
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Can Middle and High Schools do to Engage and Motivate Students to
Achieve Readiness Standards?
Action 3: Engage students in learning infour ways:
Engage students intellectually to work with new concepts, explain their reasoning, defend their conclusions and explore alternative strategies.
Engage students emotionally by giving them opportunities to choose projects or areas of further study related to their interests and goals.
Mobile 6-8-10 19
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Can Middle and High Schools do to Engage and Motivate Students to
Achieve Readiness Standards?
Action 3: Engage students in learning inFour ways:
Engage students socially to work in teams in class, participate in extracurricular activates, have friends at school, feel a sense of loyalty and belonging to the school, and believe in the legitimacy of school.
Engage students behaviorally to attend class prepared and actively participate, seek assistance when needed, take challenging classes and practice habits of success.
Mobile 6-8-10 20
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Student Level of Engagement Matter?
Percentages of Middle Grades Students Meeting High School Readiness Goals and Level of Engagement
Mobile 6-8-10 21
Intellectual Reading Math
Low 27% 33%
Intensive 54 54
Emotional
Low 36 40
Intensive 52 55
Source: 2008 Middle Grades Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Student Level of Engagement Matter?
Percentages of Middle Grades Students Meeting High School Readiness Goals and Level of Engagement
Mobile 6-8-10 2222
Behavioral Reading Math
Low 33% 37%
Intensive 53 54
Social
Low 40 43
Intensive 50 52
Source: 2008 Middle Grades Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Student Level of Engagement Matter?
Percentages of High School Students Meeting College- Readiness Goals Based on Level of Engagement
Mobile 6-8-10 23
Intellectual Reading Math
Low 44% 43%
Intensive 65 61
Emotional
Low 39 39
High 64 66
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Student Level of Engagement Matter?
Percentages of High School Students Meeting College- Readiness Goals Based on Level of Engagement
Mobile 6-8-10
Behavioral Reading Math
Low 42% 43%
High 70 66
Social
Low 49 47
High 76 64
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment24Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Why Do Some Schools Engage Students in the Four Ways of Learning
and Others Do Not?
District and school articulate a vision of instruction beyond a pure test-prep model.
Schools purposefully plan standards-based units and lessons that stress four types of engagement.
Teachers understand that effort is the great equalizer and that it requires student motivation.
School leadership stresses four types of engagement through professional development, instructional planning, classroom observations and feedback.
Schools join academic and CT studies.
Mobile 6-8-10 25
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Can Schools Do to Help More Students Meet Readiness
Standards and Graduate?
Action 4: Embed reading and writing standards and strategies into all courses to advance reading and academic achievement in middle and high school.
Why: Learning how to learn is dependent upon
mastering the language of both academic and technical disciplines.
Deeper subject matter understanding is dependent upon an ability to comprehend, paraphrase and analyze content both orally and in writing.
Mobile 6-8-10 26
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Percentages of Students Experiencing an Intensive Emphasis on Literacy Across the
Curriculum and Meeting High School Readiness Goals
Source: 2006 and 2008 Middle Grades Assessments 27Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does a Schoolwide Emphasis on Reading and Writing for Learning
Impact Readiness for College and Careers?
Mobile 6-8-10 2828
Low-Graduation Schools
High-Graduation Schools
Students Experiencing Intensive Literacy
14% 45%
Meeting Readiness Goals
Reading 44 79
Math 53 69
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does a Schoolwide Emphasis on Reading and Writing for Learning Impact
Readiness for College and Careers?
Mobile 6-8-10 29
75% Minority/Low Implementation
Sites
75% Minority/High Implementation
Sites
Students Experiencing Literacy
13% 40%
Meeting Readiness Goals
Reading 44 79
Math 53 69
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Why do Most Improved Middle Schools Have a Greater Emphasis on Reading and Writing
Across the Curriculum?
Sequoyah MS, GA – Principal-led campaign to read a million words and professional development for teachers.
In addition to implementing a 25 Book, Read a Million Words campaign, the principal challenged students to read more books during the school year than she did. This school focused on incorporating reading and writing strategies across the curriculum to raise student achievement in all subject areas.
Willard MS, OH – Hired a full-time literacy coach who worked with all teachers to embed reading and writing standards and strategies into all courses to improve students’ reading skills.
Admiral Thomas H. Moorer MS, AL – Developed a schoolwide literacy plan that encourages students to read and write for learning in all classes, including academic, exploratory and physical education classes.
Literacy guidelines for reading and writing to learn were used to help all core area teachers to integrate literacy into all classes.
Mobile 6-8-10 30
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
How Do High-Graduation and High-Performing Minority High Schools Make Reading for Learning a Priority Across
All Subjects?
Mobile 6-8-10 3131
Train faculty to embed reading and writing standards and strategies into all courses.
School and teacher leaders stress engaging students in reading and writing in each discipline area as a way to making them independent learners.
School principals stressed the importance of reading and writing in an information-based economy.
School and faculty leaders make reading for learning a priority, and all teachers are expected to do it.
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
How Do Most-Improved Middle Grades and High Graduation/High-Performing High Schools Make Learning Relevant
?
Action 5: Connect real-world learning opportunities and students’ interests to rigorous courses.
More students at most-improved middle grades schools make greater use of technology, hands-on learning and career exploratory opportunities.
More students at high-graduation and high-performing high schools experience more hands-on learning in academic classes, use academics in CT classes and more complete a ready CP Core with a career/technical concentration.
Mobile 6-8-10 32
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
At Most-Improved Middle Schools More Students Experienced Relevant
Learning Opportunities
More students:Had opportunities to use technology
integrated into the curriculum for learningHad hands-on lab sciencesUsed technology in mathematics classes
and experienced real-world mathematics problems
Had some type of career exploratory class with embedded technology
Mobile 6-8-10 33
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Joining a College-Ready Academic Core with High-Quality CT Studies Matter?
Mobile 6-8-10 3434
High-Minority High Schools
\ High-Performing Low-Performing
Complete 4 credits in CT 65% 59%
4 CP English 74 34
4 Math, Alg I/Higher 74 44
3 Lab CP Science 80 40
High-GR/High-Perf Low-GR/Low-Perf
Six or More CT 54% 28%
4 CP English 78 42
4 Math, Alg I/Higher 73 53
3 Lab CP Science 69 44
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does Purposefully Embedding Academics into High-Quality CT Studies Matter?
Mobile 6-8-10 35
Indicators High-GR/High-Performance
Low-GR/Low-Performance
Intensive Embedding of Reading in CT
40% 13%
Intensive Embedding of Mathematics in CT
48 20
Quality CT 59 21
Student Perceived Importance of HS 59 36
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Embedded Academics into CT Improves to Achievement
Mobile 6-8-10 36Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Why do more teachers do in high-graduation high schools that fewer do in low-graduation schools?
Students Report:
High-Graduation Schools
(Grad Rate Range 86-99%)
Low-Graduation Schools
(Grad Rate Range 64-79%)
Their teachers often clearly indicated the amount and quality of work that are necessary to earn a grade of "A" or "B" at the beginning of a project or unit.
71% 49%
They read an assigned book outside of English class and demonstrated understanding of the significance of the main ideas at least monthly.
64% 46%
They completed a project that used mathematics in ways that most people would use mathematics in a work setting at least monthly.
44% 29%
Teachers cared about them enough that they would not let them get by without doing the work.
52% 30%
Career/technical teachers often stressed mathematics. 60% 39%
Mobile 6-8-10 37Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Mastery Learning Motivates
Action 6: Create a culture where ‘failure is not an option’ through:
Re-teaching Tutoring Extra help and extra time Opportunities to relearn and redo Formative assessments
Mobile 6-8-10 38
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Major Challenges Middle and High Schools Faced in Implementing
‘Failure Is Not an Option’ Policies
Percentages of Schools Experiencing a Challenge
Middle Schools High Schools
Teacher resistance
54% 34%
Student resistance
47 25
Parent resistance
11 10
Source: 2009 SREB Special Survey
39Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Major Strategies Middle and High Schools Use in Implementing
‘Failure Is Not an Option’ Policies
Percentage of Schools Implementing Strategy
Middle Schools High SchoolsA redo requirement for doing below-standard work 68% 42%
A re-take exam requirement for below-standard results on assessments
51 33
Students are required to attend extra help 49 36
Zeroes are not possible (students are required to complete assignments to certain standards)
46 19
Students receive an I (incomplete) on report cards 32 20Source: 2009 SREB Special Survey 40Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Major Benefits Middle and High Schools Experienced as a Result of their ‘Failure is
Not an Option’ Policies?
Percentage of Schools Experiencing Benefit
Middle Schools High Schools
Increased student grades 84% 80%Increased student effort/motivation 78 73Increased communication with parents/parent satisfaction 67 62
Decreased course failure rates 58 56Increased math/reading achievement 43 44
Increased graduation rates 45
53% of schools reported decreased Algebra I failure.Source: 2009 SREB Special Survey
41Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Action 7: Identify at-risk students early and provide them with special support.
Mobile 6-8-10 42
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What indicators can middle grades schools use to identify, as early as grade
6, students needing extra support?
Poor AttendanceFailing English/Reading,
Mathematics or BothDiscipline Problems
Mobile 6-8-10 43
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What indicators can high schools use to identify ninth-grade students at risk of not completing high school
or graduating unprepared?
Missing more than two-day per month34%
In-school or out-of-school suspension23%
Failing at least one subject16%
Mobile 6-8-10 44
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Actions Taken by Middle Grade Schools to Provide Additional Support
to At-Risk Students
Teach to grade level standards with support
Assign teachers with history of success to teach at-risk students
Extended day, week and year Focus on most essential high school
readiness standards Use daily formative assessments Teach basic skills and more
Mobile 6-8-10 45
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Strategies Are Used by High Schools to Reduce
Ninth-Grade Failure
Create ninth-grade academies with cross discipline planning time
Enroll most students into CP-level courses with a scheduled extra support class on alternate days (English/math)
Schedule a 90-day/90-minute catch-up class with special training and planning of staff
Use extended day, week and year Enroll in career/technical classes with
embedded academics
Mobile 6-8-10 46
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Works in Reducing Ninth Grade Failure Rates and Getting More Students Through Algebra I and CP English by the
End of Ninth Grade
Mobile 6-8-10 47
9th-Grade English Catch-up Classes
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Works in Reducing Ninth Grade Failure Rates and Getting More Students Through Algebra I and CP English by the
End of Ninth Grade
Mobile 6-8-10 48
9th-Grade Math Catch-up Classes
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What can high schools do to make better use of the senior year to graduate more
students and to graduate them prepared?
Identify juniors failing to meet readiness standards for advance training, postsecondary studies or industry certification
Redesign senior English/reading/writing course to focus on expository reading and key reading standards most essential to succeed in postsecondary studies
Mobile 6-8-10 49
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What can high schools do to make better use of the senior year to graduate more
students and to graduate them prepared?
Redesign senior mathematics course to focus on those mathematics concepts most fundamental to avoid remedial studies in advanced training or college-level work
Support teachers to redesign courses by training them to prepare standards-based units and daily lessons using research-based instructional strategies
Reduce by 1/3 to 1/2 students having to take remedial courses through the redesign of senior English and mathematics courses
Mobile 6-8-10 50
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
How to Build a Personal and Supportive Relationship with Each Student
Action 8: Emphasize guidance and advisement that connects each student to an adult in the building.
Middle Schools: Most-improved middle schools stress involving parents in discussions about their child’s performance and readiness for high school, helping students understand what will be expected of them in high school and helping students develop a six year plan for high school and secondary studies.
High Schools: High-performing/high-graduation schools connect each student to a counselor and to a teacher-advisor mentor with planned scheduled time to meet built into the curriculum and a planned program of studies by the end of grade 9 aligned to a postsecondary goal that has been approved by the student and the parents .
Mobile 6-8-10 51
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Teachers Report: Least-Improved Schools
Most-Improved Schools
A required parent-student school conference
55% 74%
An introduction course on college and career opportunities
32 46
A structured guidance/advisory program
38 47
Advised a core group of students
36 47
Assigned to mentor students 36 48
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card52
MMGW Teacher Involvement in Guidance at Most- and Least-Improved Middle Grades
Schools
Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Do more students at high-minority/high-performing high schools experience high-
quality guidance and advisement?
67% of students at high-performing, high-minority high schools receive intensive guidance and advisement assistance, compared with 48 percent at low-performing, high-minority high schools.
Mobile 6-8-10 53Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Do more students at high-graduation/high-performing High schools experience high-
quality guidance and advisement?
At high-graduation/high-performing high schools, 74% of students had an intensive guidance and advisement experience, compared with 56% at low-graduation/low-performing high schools.
Mobile 6-8-10 54Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What can high schools do to connect each student to an adult adviser/mentor, to a goal beyond high school, and to an extracurricular activity or community learning experience?
Mobile 6-8-10 55
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What Can Schools Do to Provide Experiences that Enable More Students to Meet Readiness Standards for High School and to Graduate from High School Prepared
for a Range of Postsecondary Options?
Action 9: Provide extensive professional development to staff, aligned with the school’s mission and improvement plan, with emphasis on implementation of new learning strategies.
Mobile 6-8-10 56
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Differences in Professional Development Provided at Most-Improved Middle Schools
Compared with Least-Improved Middle Schools
Teachers at most-improved schools spent significantly more time in professional development activities on the following topics: (2008 data, difference between groups in parenthesis)
Using applied, hands-on strategies to teach algebra or pre-algebra (20%)
Working with a group of students as a mentor and adviser through the eighth grade (17%)
Supporting all students to master complex content in algebra (15%) Using project-based learning to deepen understanding of content
(13%) Using interdisciplinary themes or units (12%) Having students design and conduct research investigations (10%) Getting students to elaborate on their understanding, explanations or
conclusion through extended writing (9%)
Source: 2006 and 2008 MMGW Teacher Surveys
Mobile 6-8-10 57
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Professional Development Provided at High-Implementation/High-Minority Schools vs.
Low-Implementation/High-Minority Schools
Had 21 hours or more professional development in past 3 years in:
20 High- Implementation/
High-Minority Sites
20 Low- Implementation/
High-Minority Sites
Additional study to gain greater depth incontent areas
32% 27%
Establishing a classroom environment that actively involves students in the learning process
24% 19%
Using a system of extra help to improve the achievement of all students
21% 15%
Staff development experiences have resulted in holding my students to national standards in my fields. 26% 20%
There are incentives that encourage me to participate in staff development a great deal.
42% 38%
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card58Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and AchievementProfessional Development Provided at
High-Implementation/High-Graduation Sites vs.Low-Implementation/Low-Graduation Sites
Had 21 hours or more professional development in past 3 years in:
20 High- Implementation/
High-Graduation Sites (Grad Rate 86-99%)
20 Low- Implementation/
Low-Graduation Sites(Grad Rate 64-79%)
Using reading and writing for learning in the content area and across curriculum 28% 23%
Using student portfolios across the curriculum 15% 8%
Working with groups of students as a mentor and adviser during their high school career
19% 12%
Holding my students to the current national standards developed by teachers in my fields. 28% 17%
Reflecting on what I learn in staff development programs and applying it in the classroom.
44% 35%
Mobile 6-8-10Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card
59
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
What can school principals do to obtain greater results from professional development?
Attend with teachersSelect teachers who can train othersStress implementation (recognition,
observation, feedback)Create professional learning
communitiesEstablish demonstration
classrooms.Mobile 6-8-10 60
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Does a Learning-Centered School Principal Make a Difference?
Action 10: Ensure schools have a learning-centered school principal who keeps the school community focused on the school’s mission, serves as instructional leader to ensure that students are engaged in a rigorous curriculum, supports and reviews instructional planning, and gives feedback to the faculty continually to keep everyone engaged in ongoing, research-based school improvement efforts.
Mobile 6-8-10 61
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Do principals in most-improved middle schools stress continuous school improvement more
than at least-improved schools?
Teachers Strongly Agree that:
Change 2006 to 2008
Most-Improved
Least-Improved
Goals and priorities for this school are clear.
+19% -4%
Teachers in this school maintain a demanding yet supportive environment that pushes students to do their best.
+12 +1
Teachers in this school are always learning and seeking new ideas on how to improve student achievement.
+17 +0
Mobile 6-8-10Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card
62
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Do principals in most-improved middle schools stress continuous school improvement more
than at least-improved schools?
Teachers Strongly Agree that:Change 2006 to 2008
Most-Improved
Least-Improved
Teachers and school administrators work as a team to improve the achievement of students in this school.
+23 -3
Staff uses data reports to continuously evaluate what is being taught and how it is being taught.
+18 +3
Intensive emphasis on continuous improvement
+21 +7
Mobile 6-8-10Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card 63
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Do principals at high-implementation/high-minority high schools vs.
low-implementation/high-minority schools stress continuous improvement?
Teachers Strongly Agree that:
20 High- Implementation/High-
Minority Sites
20 Low- Implementation/High-
Minority Sites
There is an intensive emphasis on
Continuous Improvement 38% 22%
Goals and priorities for their school are clear. 50 38Teachers in the school maintain a demanding yet supportive environment.
47 36
Teachers and administrators work as a team. 36 30Teachers use data to evaluate school’s programs and activities.
47 31
Mobile 6-8-10Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment 64
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
High-Implementation/High-Graduation Sites vs. Low-Implementation/Low-Graduation Sites
Stress Continuous Improvement
Teachers Strongly Agree That:20 HIGH
Implementation/High Graduation Sites (Grad Rate 86-99%)
20 LOW Implementation/
Low Graduation Sites(Grad Rate 64-79%)
Intensive Emphasis on
Continuous Improvement 49% 25%
Goals and priorities for their school are clear. 56 42Teachers in the school maintain a demanding yet supportive environment.
53 26
Teachers in this school are continually learning and seeking new ideas.
59 37
Teachers and administrators work as a team. 56 37Teachers used data to continuously evaluate school’s programs and activities.
48 30
Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment and State Report Card 65Mobile 6-8-10
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
HSTWMMGW
Improve Graduation and Achievement
Key Concepts
Mobile 6-8-10 66
Mission Acceleration Engagement Motivation Purpose, goals,
interest, aspiration Relevance Mastery Support for
students/faculty
Leadership – district/school
Failure not an option
Connections Ownership of
problems/solutions Instructional
planning Reading and writing
as ways of learning