True Reform and

Guaranteed Success

It’s Time for a ChangePresented by

Mary M. Hall-Rayford © 2/2009

What’s Wrong With the Traditional Way?

• Low Graduation Rates• Lack of Student Interest and Parental

Involvement• Inequitable AYP Standards• Low Teacher Morale• Apathetic Administrative System• Irrelevant Testing

Low Graduation Rates

• Overall graduation rate of less than 70% for Detroit High Schools (2006-2007)

• Why is that?

Lack of Student Interest

• Instructional Delivery • Lack of relevance to goals• Lack of goal-setting by and for individual

students (other than Special Needs Population)

• Lack of parental involvement in a measurable way

• Lack of an authentic learning environment

Inequitable AYP Standards

• Inequitable resources• Inequitable student demographics• Inequitable control of student participation

Low Teacher Morale

• Direct result of failures to meet AYPs• No control over curriculum development and

delivery• Overwhelming burden to comply with

inadequate standards of teaching—teaching to a test instead of teaching the student

Apathetic Administrative System

• Board members with personal agendas that are not student-centered

• Lack of true oversight and leadership• Administrators with top-heavy salaries that

have proven to have no positive effect on the production of relevant education

Resolving the Issues

• Focus on the student • Create a student-centered-inquiry based

curriculum• Allow teachers autonomy in delivery of

instruction• Reduce class sizes to “true teachable” levels• Reduce in-house student population to

manageable levels without top-heavy administration

Focus on the Student

• Determine what the student needs and wants to succeed beyond high school

• Involve the students at every level of their education

• Assist the students in creating plans that can be monitored from stage-to-stage of mastery other than through a grading system

• Mandate Parental Involvement with a signed commitment

Student-Centered Curriculum

• After discovering students’ needs, make learning relevant to what they plan to do

• With the use of placement tools—determine where students are, where they want to be, and how soon they want to graduate—with their input

• Encourage, challenge, mandate students to explore knowledge and learn to apply it

Teacher Autonomy

• Allow teachers to teach—by whatever method that works—direct instruction, facilitator, etc.

• Allow “out of the box” thinking and use of resources and materials

• Allow teachers to modify instruction and placement of students as needed (movement of students from one phase to another within a standard school-year)

Reduce Class Sizes

• For maximal production of effort—there should be no more than 25 students in any class

• Research has shown—smaller classes can produce greater levels of understanding and retention rates in high schools

Reduce in-house Population

• Reducing the number of students in a building effectively--

• Reduces: conflicts, absenteeism, and strain on budgets (in some instances)

• Enhances: Overall learning barometer, environmental concerns about safety, and graduation rates

150 Club

• Within the public school system, a pilot program can be established to validate the resolutions offered and to deter declining enrollment.

What’s needed?

• Financial Resources• Creative, innovative, teacher team• Facility to house 150 students, plus support

staff and teachers• Freedom to get the job done

Evaluating Viability

• Use of reporting systems--Attendance

--Accomplishments --Test Scores --Student Goals --Parental Involvement

Yes, We Can!

• Reverse the trend that is currently established• Challenge students, parents, teachers, and

administrators to succeed—holding all accountable

• Make a difference in the lives of students who live in the city of DetroitOur students can be the CEOs of Industry and we can help them accomplish their goals!

About Mary M. Hall-Rayford•Current Ph.D. Student at Wayne State University, completing coursework by 5/2010 and Dissertation work by 5/2012.•MAT English Education—Wayne State University•BA Sociology—Wayne State University•Teaching experience includes 5 years with Detroit Public Schools, 2 years with Catholic Archdiocese, 2 years with public charters, and 2 years substitute teaching with Grosse Pointe Public Schools, and 2 years as a Teaching Assistant with Detroit Board of Education•Published Author—7 books in print, 2 in-process•Ordained Minister of the Gospel•Mother, Grandmother, wife, and lifelong student•Affiliations—Wayne State Writing Project—Coordinator and Workshop Presenter, Meadow Brook Writing Project –Fellow; MCTE—Co-editor for 4 years, Poet-in-Residence for Detroit Public Library for 2 years.•Founder/Exec. Dir—Children of Joy, Inc. Non-Profit Youth & Family Organization—10 years.

SourcesBest High Schools Gold Medal Listhttp://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2008/12/04/best-high-schools-gold-medal-list.html

Brown University Student-Centered High Schoolhttp://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/perspectives/stdntctrhs.pdf

Michigan Merit Curriculum High School Requirementswww.michigan.gov/mde

Teacher Power: Designing a Student-Centered Schoolhttp://www.ed.gov/pubs/Voices/desstud.html What are learner-centered Schools? Memorial University of Newfoundlandhttp://www.mun.ca/educ/faculty/mwatch/vol1/delaney2.html

2007-2008 Michigan Schools Report Cardhttp://oeaa.state.mi.us/ayp/Index.asp