Northwest ISD School Improvement Steele Accelerated HS Northwest ISD Public Hearing October 28, 2013

2013 Northwest ISD and Steele Accelerated High School

Identified and Prioritized Needs Need 1 Decrease the number of students who qualify as drop outs according to state to state standards Need 2 Increase Level II and Level III Writing Scores

Need: Decrease the number of students who qualify as drop outs according to state standards Index:4 Critical Success Factor: School Climate Annual Goal: Decrease the number of dropouts by increasing attendance to 95%. Strategy: Improve school climate by implementing quality, individualized advisory program. How will addressing this need impact the index/CSF or major system identified? By providing a supportive and welcoming environment, students will be motivated to improve attendance and meet graduation requirements. There is a strong correlation between poor attendance and dropping out on this campus. Regularly scheduled, personalized planning and attention to academic requirements will promote student ownership of learning and follow through to graduation.

Dropout--Actions Quarter 1 Conduct personal calls to all non-returning students before start of school; Conduct personal calls to all students coded as drop- outs in prior years; Conduct individual conferences with students and parents of existing minimum plan students; Place staff member as Advisory Coordinator.

Dropout—Actions for Quarter 2 Increase attendance by.5% Interventions Student Goal setting Student grade tracking Implement team building one day per week Student Satisfaction Survey

Dropout—Actions for Quarter 3 Increase attendance by.5% Interventions Continue interventions 1-3 from Quarter 2 Increase opportunities for co- and extracurricular activities and community service Student/staff monitoring of credit attainment towards graduation

Dropout—Actions for Quarter 4 Increase attendance by.5% Interventions Continue interventions from Q2 and Q3 Individual conferencing/goal setting with 11th graders for college applications and testing Student Satisfaction Survey-year end progress monitoring

Dropout-Progress Monitoring Weekly Student goal setting chart Weekly grade tracking on chart Team grant writing, campus attendance percentage on team days Compare attendance records between six weeks. Collect community service hours from students and attendance at student-created clubs Personal graduation plans Advisor tracking sheet Number of 11th graders signed up for SAT/ACT testing

Need: Increase Level II and Level III Writing scores Index: 2 Critical Success Factor: Improve Academic Performance Annual Goal: Increase structured writing opportunities evaluated with standardized rubric in each academic class to one per six weeks Strategy: Enhance cross-curricular writing program through staff development, feedback training and calibration to standardized writing rubric. How will addressing this need impact the index and CSF identified? Students will produce samples of critical writing in all academic classes. Through training and calibration, staff will use state expectations for writing as basis for feedback. A scaffold implementation process is in place, beginning with English and Social Studies classes, but including all classes by quarter 4. Writing across the curriculum will increase the rigor of student writing. As a result, student scores in Index 2 will increase.

Writing-Actions for Quarter 1 Staff development ("Writing Across the Curriculum"); Creation of standardized, campus-wide writing rubric for use by all staff; Campus walk-throughs Instructional Rounds Staff Development

Writing—Actions for Quarter 2 Staff development ("Writing Across the Curriculum"); Creation of standardized, campus-wide Writing rubric for use by all staff; Campus walk-throughs Instructional Rounds Staff Development English will write essays each six weeks and evaluate based on campus developed rubric Social Studies will write to Document-Based Questions each six weeks and evaluate based on campus developed rubric Interventions Staff will develop, collect, and provide feedback for no less than one structured written response per six weeks in English and Social Studies, scored by accepted rubric.

Writing—Actions Quarter 3 Staff will develop, collect, and provide feedback for no less than one structured written response per six weeks in Math and Science (as well as previous courses), scored by accepted rubric. Interventions Instructional Rounds data collections Continue Interventions from Quarter 2 Science and Math will write structured written responses each six weeks and evaluate based on campus developed rubric

Writing Actions Quarter 4 Staff will develop, collect, and provide feedback for no less than one structured written response per six weeks in elective classes (as well as previous courses,) scored by accepted rubric. Interventions Instructional Rounds collection All classes including electives will write structured written responses each six weeks and evaluate based on campus developed rubric

Writing Progress Monitoring Graph of specific feedback from walk-throughs Comparative study of writing across curricular areas by six weeks

Our Vision The best and most sought-after school district where every student is future ready: Ready for college Ready for the global workplace Ready for personal success The best and most sought-after school district where every student is future ready: Ready for college Ready for the global workplace Ready for personal success