NO TIME TO WASTE: Getting Serious about High School Transformation Education Trust National Conference Washington, DC November 3, 2005

First, some good news. After more than a decade of fairly flat achievement and stagnant or growing gaps, we appear to be turning the corner.

NAEP Reading, 9 Year-Olds: Record Performance for All Groups

African American-White Gap Narrows to Smallest Size in History NAEP Reading, 9 Year-Olds 26 35 29

Latino-White Gap Narrows to Smallest Size in History NAEP Reading, 9 Year-Olds 21 28 24

NAEP Math, 9 Year-Olds: Record Performance for All Groups

Latino-White Gap Narrows to Smallest Size in History NAEP Math, 9 Year-Olds 17 26 21

NAEP Reading, 13 Year-Olds

NAEP Math, 13 Year-Olds: Increases and Record Performance for All Groups

Bottom Line: When We Really Focus on Something, We Make Progress

Clearly, much more remains to be done in elementary and middle school Too many youngsters still enter high school way behind.

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Reading All Students, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Reading by Race/Ethnicity, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Reading by Family Income, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Math All Students, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Math by Race/Ethnicity, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Math by Family Income, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/

But at least we have some traction on these problems.

The Same is NOT True of High School

High School

High School Achievement: Math and Science: NAEP Long-Term Trends Source: NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress.

HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT: READING AND WRITING NAEP Long-Term Trends

NAEP Reading, 17 Year-Olds 21 29

NAEP Math, 17 Year-Olds 28 20

Value Added in High School Declined During the Nineties

Value Added Declining in High School Math... Age 13-17 Growth Source: NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress

…Still Age 13-17 Growth Source: Main NAEP 1996, 2000

Reading: Students Entering Better Prepared, But Leaving Worse Source: NAEP 1996 Trends in Academic Progress

Not just a pattern on NAEP. State assessments show similar trends. Take a look at a few examples.

Florida

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Grade 4 Reading Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 25 31 38 Data Source: Florida State Department of Education, http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcatscor.htm

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Grade 8 Reading Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 32 34 35 Data Source: Florida State Department of Education, http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcatscor.htm

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Grade 10 Reading Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 33 30 25 Data Source: Florida State Department of Education, http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/fcat/fcatscor.htm

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, Grade 5 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 33 43 Data Source: Pennsylvania State Department of Education, http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/Statewide_disag_4_year_perf__grade_31.pdf

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, Grade 8 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 37 44 Data Source: Pennsylvania State Department of Education, http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/Statewide_disag_4_year_perf__grade_31.pdf

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, Grade 11 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 36 37 Data Source: Pennsylvania State Department of Education, http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/Statewide_disag_4_year_perf__grade_31.pdf

Kansas

Kansas State Assessment, Grade 4 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 20 34 Data Source: Kansas Department of Education, http://www.ksde.org/ayp/2004_assessment_charts.htm

Kansas State Assessment, Grade 7 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 33 40 Data Source: Kansas Department of Education, http://www.ksde.org/ayp/2004_assessment_charts.htm

Kansas State Assessment, Grade 10 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 35 34 Data Source: Kansas Department of Education, http://www.ksde.org/ayp/2004_assessment_charts.htm

Virginia

Virginia Standards of Learning, Grade 5 Reading/Language Arts Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 17 26 Data Source: Virginia Department of Education, http://pen2.vak12ed.edu/cgi-bin/broker?_service=doe_prod&_program=prodcode.doerp101rcdp001.sas

Virginia Standards of Learning, Grade 8 Reading/Language Arts Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 20 26 Data Source: Virginia Department of Education, http://pen2.vak12ed.edu/cgi-bin/broker?_service=doe_prod&_program=prodcode.doerp101rcdp001.sas

Virginia Standards of Learning, End of Grade Reading/Language Arts Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 15 14 Notes: The high school Reading/Language Arts end-of-course SOL exam is first administered in grade 11. The results of this administration are used for AYP purposes. Data reflect results from this administration. Data Source: Virginia Department of Education, http://pen2.vak12ed.edu/cgi-bin/broker?_service=doe_prod&_program=prodcode.doerp101rcdp001.sas

California

California Standards Test, Grade 4 English Language Arts Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 36 35 Data Source: California Department of Education, http://star.cde.ca.gov

California Standards Test, Grade 8 English Language Arts Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 35 32 Data Source: California Department of Education, http://star.cde.ca.gov

California Standards Test, Grade 10 English Language Arts Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 33 33 Data Source: California Department of Education, http://star.cde.ca.gov

Colorado

Colorado Student Assessment Program, Grade 5 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 17 22 Data Source: Colorado Department of Education, http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/csap/as_latestCSAP.htm

Colorado Student Assessment Program, Grade 8 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 32 34 Data Source: Colorado Department of Education, http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/csap/as_latestCSAP.htm

Colorado Student Assessment Program, Grade 10 Math Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 38 38 Data Source: Colorado Department of Education, http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/csap/as_latestCSAP.htm

Kentucky

Kentucky Core Content Test, Grade 4 Reading Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 22 24 27 Source: Kentucky Department of Education, http://apps.kde.state.ky.us/secure_cats_reports_05/

Kentucky Core Content Test, Grade 7 Reading Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 21 25 24 Source: Kentucky Department of Education, http://apps.kde.state.ky.us/secure_cats_reports_05/

Kentucky Core Content Test, Grade 10 Reading Disaggregated by Race/Ethnicity 20 17 14 Source: Kentucky Department of Education, http://apps.kde.state.ky.us/secure_cats_reports_05/

Hormones?

Students in Other Countries Gain far More in Secondary School

PISA

US 15 Year-Olds Rank Near The End Of The Pack Among 29 Participating Countries: 2003 Source: NCES, 2005, International Outcomes of Learning in Mathematics, Literacy and Problem Solving: 2003 PISA Results. NCES 2005-003

2003: U.S. Ranked 24th out of 29 OECD Countries in Mathematics Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/

Problems are not limited to our high-poverty and high-minority schools . . .

U.S. Ranks Low in the Percent of Students in the Highest Achievement Level (Level 6) in Math Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/

U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29 OECD Countries in the Math Achievement of the Highest-Performing Students* * Students at the 95th Percentile Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/

U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29 OECD Countries in the Math Achievement of High-SES Students Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/

Problems not limited to math, either.

2003 PISA Problem-Solving Results: US #24 Source: NCES, 2005, International Outcomes of Learning in Mathematics, Literacy and Problem Solving: 2003 PISA Results. NCES 2005-003

Countries Getting More Than TWICE as Many 15 Year-Olds to Highest Problem Solving Level Finland Korea Hong Kong-China Japan Macao-China Australia New Zealand Canada Lichtenstein Belgium Switzerland France Denmark Netherlands Czech Republic Source: OECD. Problem Solving for Tomorrow’s World. 2004

One measure on which we rank high? Inequality!

Performance Of U.S. 15 Year-Olds Highly Variable *Of 27 OECD countries Source: OECD, Knowledge and Skills for Life: First Results From PISA 2000, 2001.

These gaps begin before children arrive at the schoolhouse door. But, rather than organizing our educational system to ameliorate this problem, we organize it to exacerbate the problem.

By giving students who arrive with less, less in school, too. How? By giving students who arrive with less, less in school, too.

Some of these “lesses” are a result of choices that policymakers make.

Nation: Inequities in State and Local Revenue Per Student Gap High Poverty vs. Low Poverty Districts -$868 per student High Minority vs. Low Minority Districts -$797 per student Source: The Funding Gap, 2004, by Kevin Carey. Data are for 2002

New York State: Huge Inequities in State and Local Revenue Per Student Gap National Rank High Poverty vs. Low Poverty Districts -$2,040 per student #1 High Minority vs. Low Minority Districts -$1,797 per student #3 Source: The Funding Gap, 2004, by Kevin Carey. Data are for 2002

Gaps of This Sort Translate Into… Per Typical Classroom of 25 -$65,375 Per Typical Elementary School of 400 -$1,046,000

Thinking about “lesses” this way is somehow comforting to many educators.

But some of the “lesses” –indeed, perhaps the most devastating ones— are a function of choices that we educators make.

Students in Poor Schools Receive ‘A’s for Work That Would Earn ‘Cs’ in Affluent Schools Source: Prospects (ABT Associates, 1993), in “Prospects: Final Report on Student Outcomes”, PES, DOE, 1997.

Fewer Latino students are enrolled in Algebra 2 Source: CCSSO, State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education, 2001

Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned Teachers Source: Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities: The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and Science (Rand: 1990)

Poor and Minority Students Get More Inexperienced* Teachers *Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience. “High” and “low” refer to top and bottom quartiles. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Monitoring Quality: An Indicators Report,” December 2000.

Results are devastating. Kids who come in a little behind, leave a lot behind.

By the end of high school?

African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Do Math at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds

African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Read at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds

And these are the students who remain in high school. What do those numbers look like?

Students Graduate From High School At Different Rates Students Graduate From High School At Different Rates * 4-Year Graduation Rates Source: Jay P. Greene and Greg Forster, “Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the United States,” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, September 2003.

So What Can We Do?

Many educators have concluded that we can’t do much.

But everybody in this room knows differently But everybody in this room knows differently. Over the past year, we’ve had a chance to: Get to know some high schools that are proving that these kids can achieve at high levels; and, Work with some others that are on the way.

At this conference, you’ll have a chance to get to know some of these high-achieving, high- gaining and high-impact schools.

University Park High School Worcester, MA Grades 7-12; 70+% poverty; 50% ELL; Most students enter at least two grade levels behind.

University Park Results: 2004 Only one 10th grader didn’t pass MA high school exit exam on first attempt (turned out, didn’t attend the school). 87% passed at advanced or proficient level. Fifth most successful school in the state, surpassing many schools serving wealthy students.

Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High Elmont, New York 75% African American 12% Latino 11% Asian/Pacific Islander/American Ind. 3% White 24% Low-Income Source: http://emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/cir/280252070002.pdf

Elmont Memorial High Achievement in Mathematics Source: http://emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/overview-analysis/280252070002.pdf

Elmont Memorial High Achievement in English Source: http://emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/overview-analysis/280252070002.pdf

Jack Britt High School Fayetteville, North Carolina 1,820 Students in Grades 9-12 47% African American 7% Latino 41% White 24% Low-Income Source: School Information Partnership, http://www.schoolmatters.com

Jack Britt High School Higher Proficiency Rates than the State 2004 Grade 10 Reading Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/

Jack Britt High School Higher Proficiency Rates than the State 2004 Grade 10 Math Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/

Granger High School Granger, Washington 301 Students in Grades 9-12 81% Latino 6% Native American 12% White 84% Low-Income Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, http://www.k12.wa.us/

Granger High School Improvement Over Time, Grade 10 Math Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, http://www.k12.wa.us/

Granger High School Improvement Over Time, Grade 10 Reading Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, http://www.k12.wa.us/

What have we learned? These Schools Think Differently About Almost Everything.

#1. Higher performing high schools have very clear goals #1. Higher performing high schools have very clear goals. Even when they start with high dropout rates, they focus students on college.

That’s Good, Because Education Pays: Annual Earnings of 25-34 yr-olds by Attainment, 2001 Source: US bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, March 2002

75% OF NEW JOB GROWTH REQUIRES SOME LEVEL OF POST-SECONDARY TRAINING

Employment Change by Education 1992 – 2002 Source: Employment Policy Foundation tabulations of Bureau of Labor Statistics / Census Current Population Survey data; MTC Institute.

GROWING WAGE GAP Income: 1980, College Grad earned 50% more than HS Degree 2004, College Grad earns 100% more. Wage Gap Continues to Widen

#2. Higher performing high schools put all kids—not just some—in a demanding high school core curriculum.

Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education. REMEMBER: Single biggest predictor post-high school success is QUALITY AND INTENSITY OF HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education.

But are most of our kids getting anything that even remotely resembles INTENSE?

Fall Schedule, Freshman Year English Health Ed/Academic Foundations (Required Course for all freshmen) Conceptual Physics Volleyball

Spring Schedule, Freshman Year Algebra Auto Shop Volleyball

Fall Schedule, Sophomore Year English Spanish Chemistry Open Period (required)

Spring Schedule, Sophomore Year Geometry W. History Volleyball Open Period (required)

Fall Schedule, Junior Year Mythology Algebra Auto Shop Career Choices

Spring Schedule, Junior Year Algebra 2 American History Arts Tech English

Too embarrassing to even show Senior Year? Too embarrassing to even show

Ed Trust Transcript Study: Our Current Favorites Pre-Spanish; Future Studies; Exploring; Principles of PE; Teen Living; Life Management; Food Fundamentals; Winter Activities. Source: Education Trust Analysis of High School Transcripts; 2005

We can do better.

#3. Higher performing high schools work very hard on the quality, consistency and rigor of high school courses.

High vs. Average Impact HS: Math Assignments High Impact Skills 50% on level 74% on level Application 23% on level 57% on level

Differences in Assignments across High Schools Average HS High Impact HS High Achieving HS Content Covered Below Level On Level Level of Challenge in Assignment Low Middle High

The Odyssey Ninth Grade Low-level Assignment Divide class into 3 groups: Group 1 designs a brochure titled "Odyssey Cruises". The students listen to the story and write down all the places Odysseus visited in his adventures, and list the cost to travel from place to place. Group 2 draws pictures of each adventure. Group 3 takes the names of the characters in the story and gods and goddesses in the story and designs a crossword puzzle.

The Odyssey Ninth Grade High-level Assignment Comparison/Contrast Paper Between Homer's Epic Poem, The Odyssey and the Movie "0 Brother Where Art Thou" By nature, humans compare and contrast all elements of their world. Why? Because in the juxtaposition of two different things, one can learn more about each individual thing as well as something about the universal nature of the things being compared. For this 2-3 page paper you will want to ask yourself the following questions: what larger ideas do you see working in The Odyssey and "0 Brother Where Art Thou"? Do both works treat these issues in the same way? What do the similarities and differences between the works reveal about the underlying nature of the larger idea?

Some "larger ideas" you might want to consider: Your thesis will take a position on the "larger idea" then you'll break that larger idea into smaller, but related ideas, i.e., components of the larger idea. Those will form the basis for the topic sentences of each of your body (or developmental) paragraphs. Then, in the space of your body paragraphs, you'll use specific, concrete support from both The Odyssey and "0 Brother Where Art Thou.“ Some "larger ideas" you might want to consider: Women, or the feminine elements in the works/ Men, or the masculine elements in the works/ War, or fighting, aggression Mentors, teachers, leaders/ Fortune, wealth/ Fate, free-will The role of characters' personas, shadows, animas/The role of characters' ids, egos, superegos/ Love, Lust, desire/ Homecoming/ Journeys/ Relationship between parents and children/ Stupidity, Ignorance/ Intelligence, Scheming/ Manipulation, Persuasion/ Your Ideas!

Teacher work is at the heart of student work Teacher work is at the heart of student work. Higher performing high schools have vehicles to help teachers improve their assignments.

#4. Higher performing high schools think very hard about how to deploy their resources…both people and time.

Take, for example, the matter of reading. Kids who arrive behind in reading…often simply assigned to courses that don’t demand much reading.

Average High School: Percent of Instructional Time in Reading Intensive Courses Below Grade Level Students On Grade Level Students Advanced Students 24% 29% 35%

Surprise: Gaps Grow.

Higher Performing High School: Percent of Instructional Time in Reading Intensive Courses Below Grade Level Students On Grade Level Students Advanced Students 35% 33%

Higher Performing High Schools: “Behind” students spend 60 additional hours (25% more time) over 1 year in reading related courses) “Behind” students get 240 additional hours over 4 years!

In other words, use of instructional time not left to chance.

There is also the matter of how we deploy our people. 9th Grade Bulge: Largely about “poor preparation” and “difficult transitions?”

One Colorado High School: Student/Teacher Ratio by Grade 9th 10th 11th 12th Average number of students per teacher 30.3 16.7 11.6 12.1 Source: Jovenes Unidos & Padres Unidos; March, 2004.

Same Colorado High School: Counselor Deployment by Grade 9th 10th 11th 12th Number of Counselors 1 Number of Students 572 366 309 213 Source: Jovenes Unidos and Padres Unidos; March, 2004

Is this school structured around student, or adult needs? And what about time for teaching and learning?

Instructional Time Per Course Block 7 Period 6 Period Total Instructional Time Per Year 135 hours 153 hours 180 hours Available Instructional Time (Total minus 20% for interruptions ) 108 hours 122 hours 144 hours

Bottom Line: Students who take, say, 4 years of math or English in 6 period day schedule, get equivalent of one full year of additional instruction over those who take 4 years in block schedule.

New Illinois Study: New Schedules Resulting in Lower Performance on ACT

DOUBLING UP: Available Instructional Time Block 6 Period Day Available Instructional Time Per Subject (Total – 20% for interruptions) 216 hours 288 hours

Important to “do the math” before rushing to new scheduling.

One School That Did the Math—And Decided to Deploy Its People Differently Source: Marilyn Crawford

Results? Students had extended day; Teachers worked same number of hours; Academic teachers had common planning/pd time.

#5. Higher performing high schools plan for how to use that extra instructional time. To achieve maximum benefit from extra instruction, need carefully designed “catch up” curriculum.

Talent Development Kansas City, KS First Things First MDRC Study Talent Development Kansas City, KS First Things First

Must combine systematic instruction in the basics with higher level instruction that will truly engage students.

#6. Higher performing schools identify students who need help EARLY #6. Higher performing schools identify students who need help EARLY. They don’t just offer that help—they make certain that students take advantage of it.

#7. In higher performing schools, leaders know that teachers matter a lot. They work hard to attract and hold good teachers. And they work hard to get strong teachers to the students who need them most.

LOW ACHIEVING STUDENTS IN TN GAIN MORE WITH EFFECTIVE TEACHERS: One Year Growth Sanders and Rivers, Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Academic Achievement, 1998.

TN Graduation Exams “Students who fail 4th grade exam are six times more likely to pass the exit exam if they have four highly effective teachers in a row, compared to those who have four low-effectiveness teachers in a row.” Rivers, June. “The Impacet of Teacher Effects on Student Math Competency.” Univ of TN, 1999

Granada Hills High School A Tale of Two Schools Locke High School Los Angeles Unified 99% Latino & African American 66% of students receive free or reduced price lunch Academic Performance Index = 440 Granada Hills High School Los Angeles Unified 32% Latino & African American 27% of students receive free or reduced price lunch Academic Performance Index = 773 Source: CA Department of Education, 2003-04 data

The average teacher at Locke High School gets paid an estimated $8,034 less every year than his counterpart at Granada Hills High School. If Locke spent as much as Granada Hills on teacher salaries for its 119 teachers, the school budget would increase by nearly a million dollars ($956,056) every year.

Washington High School A Tale of Two Schools Mission High School San Francisco Unified 67% Latino & African American 75% of students receive free or reduced price lunch Academic Performance Index = 518 Washington High School San Francisco Unified 13% Latino & African American 37% of students receive free or reduced price lunch Academic Performance Index = 760 Source: CA Department of Education, 2003-04 data

The average teacher at Mission High School gets paid an estimated $9,901 less every year than his counterpart at Washington High School. If Mission spent as much as Washington on teacher salaries for its 57 teachers, the school budget would increase by $564,357 every year.

Classes in High Poverty High Schools More Often Taught by Misassigned Classes in High Poverty High Schools More Often Taught by Misassigned* Teachers *Teachers who lack a major or minor in the field Source: National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future (p.16) 1996.

Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned Teachers Source: Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities: The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and Science (Rand: 1990)

Poor and Minority Students Get More Inexperienced* Teachers *Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience. “High” and “low” refer to top and bottom quartiles. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Monitoring Quality: An Indicators Report,” December 2000.

Principals in higher performing schools: Work hard to attract and hold good teachers; Build a culture that honors those who teach students who are behind; Use more than seniority and preferences in assignments; Are driven by data on teacher impact.

Finally. We also need to promote and support innovation in our high schools and careful evaluation…because we don’t yet know even close to all the answers.

But these, certainly, are some basic lessons But these, certainly, are some basic lessons. We should be acting on them now.

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