“An Impact School Partnership” Collaborative Partnership Proposal Alabama A & M University College of Education, Humanities, and Behavioral Sciences And The Huntsville City Schools – Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School 2012-2013 School Year

Purpose and Intent Impact and accelerate student learning in the area of reading Strengthen collaborations between higher education and P-12 Establish an “impact” professional development school (PDS) partnership

Distinguishing Characteristics of Project Clinical faculty specialists, university supervisors, AAMU interns and pre-service field experiences candidates will play collaborative roles in work that will result in improved student learning in the area of reading.

Project Goal Development and implementation of strategies selected with the expressed purpose of increasing student performance in reading

Project Goal Engagement of pre-service field experiences candidates and interns in the total school environment, the digital initiative, and the individualized reading program (Specialized Program Individualizing Reading Excellence -SPIRE)

Project Goal Implementation of “ scaffolding” and support for the classroom teachers through collaborations with AAMU faculty, interns, and field experiences candidates

Project Goal Development of a Collaborative Teaching Classroom or laboratory at MLK, JR. school

Intended Outcome from the Partnership Inquiry-based learning opportunities that result in ( reduced student achievement gaps in reading) significant increases in reading scores in impacted classes at MLK, Jr. Elementary School by the end of the 2012-2013 school year

Intended Outcome from the Partnership An infrastructure within the P-5 and higher education system to support institutional change/sustainability, specifically to create a cadre of pre-service and in-service teachers who are well prepared to teach reading at MLK, Jr. Elementary School by the end of the 2012-2013 school year as evidenced by a significant improvement in reading for impacted classes

Assessment and Evaluation Performance - Students, at each grade level, impacted by the collaborative efforts will demonstrate a significant increase in reading scores on the STAR assessment (or other assessment measures). Process – An examination of partnership activities between higher education and P-12 for significantly enhancing school performance and P-5 student learning

Research Question That Guides the Collaborations Will intensive intervention and collaborative efforts of a professional learning community (pre-service candidates, college professors, in-service teachers, and administrators) result in increased student achievement in reading?