Making an Impact

If schools seek to be effective they must employ strategies based on relevant research.

Making an Impact Western Christian Schools has the opportunity to dramatically impact the academic experience of our students.

Making an Impact Effective schools have a direct impact on student achievement. Effective schools have a direct impact on student achievement. ◦“…Schools account for 20% of the variance in student achievement…” (What Works in Schools, Marzano, 2003, p. 7)

Making an Impact Highly effective schools “produce results that almost entirely overcome the effects of student background” (Marzano, 2003, p. 7) Highly effective schools “produce results that almost entirely overcome the effects of student background” (Marzano, 2003, p. 7)

Making an Impact We cannot allow the background of our students (i.e. their incoming proficiency in subject areas, their home lives, their country of origin) to function as the reason for unsatisfactory results. We cannot allow the background of our students (i.e. their incoming proficiency in subject areas, their home lives, their country of origin) to function as the reason for unsatisfactory results. Interventions at all school levels are needed to overcome background characteristics that impede learning (Marzano, p. 8). Interventions at all school levels are needed to overcome background characteristics that impede learning (Marzano, p. 8).

7 Factors Affecting Student Achievement

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum A combination of “opportunity to learn” (OTL) and “time” A combination of “opportunity to learn” (OTL) and “time”OTL OTL has the strongest relationship with student achievement of all school-level factors (p. 22) OTL has the strongest relationship with student achievement of all school-level factors (p. 22) An important question: Did students have the opportunity to study or learn what they were tested on? Did students have the opportunity to study or learn what they were tested on?

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum What is needed for OTL? (p ) Clear guidance for teachers regarding the content to be addressed. Clear guidance for teachers regarding the content to be addressed. Teachers who are committed to the assigned content, who do not disregard or replace the assigned content. Teachers who are committed to the assigned content, who do not disregard or replace the assigned content.

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum Viability = Time (p. 24) The content that teachers are expected to address must be adequately covered in the instructional time teachers have available. The content that teachers are expected to address must be adequately covered in the instructional time teachers have available. An important question: Do teachers have enough time to cover content? Do teachers have enough time to cover content?

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum ACTION STEPS 1. Identify and communicate the content considered essential for all students (p.25-27). ◦Increasing the amount of instructional time is an obvious but impractical solution for U.S. schools (and private Christian schools ) ◦“Schools should drastically reduce the amount of content teachers are required to address in class” (p. 27).

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum ACTION STEPS 2. Ensure that content can be addressed in the amount of time available. 3. Sequence and organize content in a way that provides an opportunity for students to learn it.

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum ACTION STEPS 4. Ensure that teachers address the content. 5. Protect available instruction time.