Paula Feynman Cambridge Public Schools pfeynman@cpsd.us Excellence Gaps 3 Easy Steps to Measure and Address Them at the District Level Paula Feynman Cambridge Public Schools pfeynman@cpsd.us
Step 1: Define the Excellence Gap
What is the Excellence Gap? The Excellence Gap refers to the disparity in the percent of marginalized verses privileged students who reach advanced levels of academic performance.
% Advanced NAEP 4rth Grade Reading Talent on the Sidelines, Plucker, Hardesty and Burroughs (2012)
% Advanced NAEP 8th Grade Reading Talent on the Sidelines, Plucker, Hardesty and Burroughs (2012)
% Advanced 2011 NAEP 4rth Grade Math % advanced correlates with % disadvantaged students in each state
% Advanced 2011 NAEP 8th Grade Math
Step 2: Inspire Action!
Step 3: Bridging the Excellence Gap Using a Response to Intervention (RtI) Model
Improvement Cycle What are we trying to accomplish? How will we know that a change is an improvement? What changes can we make that will result in improvement? http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/HowtoImprove/default.aspx
“WIN”ning Strategy to Address Gaps Biggest Areas of Gap: Math Technology Literacy Students need more than Academic Support: Family Engagement, Guidance, Counseling Cohort Building Leadership and Scholar Identity Development
Multi Tiered System of Support Model (MTSS) Consistent with existing RtI Framework Identification, goal setting, progress Monitoring Facilitates knowledge of model Research shows that the number one variable in determining the success of the model is staff knowledge of the model. One advantage of using RtI is that our staff is already familiar with it, so this image and the process of identification, goal setting and progress monitoring all align with what they already know.
“WIN”ning Strategy to Address the Excellence Gap
Identification Not real data! Image from http://www.fastbridge.org/amath/
Next Steps 1) Coordinate Summer Programs 2) Mentor Connections 3) Look for existing opportunities Math Clubs National History Day Morning Announcements