The Whole School Success Partnership Summer 2012

improve teachers’ subject- matter knowledge in mathematics, science, and English Language Arts improve principals’ and assistant principals’ instructional leadership skills specific to mathematics, science, and English Language Arts TWSSP Goals

Ensure that all schools have an articulated and shared vision that reflects a belief in students’ capacity to learn. All students, teachers, and principals share responsibility for improving student achievement and recognize the importance of professional development and high quality collaboration in ensuring student success.

Understand characteristics of successful schools and the role of principals, teachers, and students in achieving success

What Do Successful Schools Do? What characteristics do successful schools share? What is the role of a principal in a successful school? What is the role of a teacher in a successful school? What is the role of a student in a successful school?

“What do we know about the characteristics and practices of schools that are especially effective at improving the academic performance of previously low- performing students?” Education Trust, 2005

Greater than expected growth over 3 years At least average performance Achievement gaps smaller than state average High poverty; High non- White enrollment Selection Criteria

Consider the practices in high and average practice high schools. What strategies or ideas might you implement in your school?

Education Trust, 2005 High ImpactAverage Impact Focus on academics Consistent views about achievement goals Embrace external standards and assessments Focus on rules Inconsistent views about achievement goals Tolerate or oppose standards and assessment

Education Trust, 2005 High ImpactAverage Impact Assessment data used to inform planning Student encouraged to take high-level courses Assessment data used to measure past performance Hurdles to overcome to “gain access” to high-level courses

Education Trust, 2005 High ImpactAverage Impact Academic support provided in ways that keep students “on track” Academic support is expected and required Support is preventative and proactive Academic supports often delays entry into grade- level coursework Academic support is offered, but optional Support is remedial after failure

Education Trust, 2005 High ImpactAverage Impact Teaching assignments based on criteria and student needs New teacher supports focused on instruction and curriculum Teaching assignments based on seniority and teacher preference New teacher support is personal and social in nature

HOW IT’S BEING DONE: Urgent Lessons from Unexpected Schools Karin Chenoweth Resources and data from the Education Trust (

What’s an “It’s Being Done” School? school that is either very high achieving or rapidly improving and has substantial enrollments of students from low- income families or students of color or both. schools that are not expected to be high performing, but they are

Source: Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High Elmont, New York 1,919 students in grades % African American 13% Latino 8% Asian 1% White 21% Low-Income New York Department of Education

Source: Graduation rates at Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High, Class of 2008 New York Department of Education State goal

Source: Regents Test Results, 2009 Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High New York Department of Education Percentage of students scoring above 65

Source: Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High Secondary-level Math New York Department of Education

Imperial High School Imperial Valley, California 850 students in grades 9-12 Source: California Department of Education Latino 71 % Low-Income 27 % ELL 13 %

Imperial High School California Academic Performance Index (API) Growth API

These are the schools the entire education field should pay close attention to because we know they are doing a good job.

22 So what do these schools do that makes them so successful?

They have figured out the essential things necessary to help all children learn. “It’s Being Done” schools have done the educational equivalent of “inventing the wheel.”

Keep a “laser-like” focus on what students need to learn; Collaborate on how to teach it; Assess frequently to see whether students have learned it; Use data to inform instruction; Build personal relationships. Briefly,

What does that look like?

Schools focus on what they can change, rather than what they can’t. What they can’t change: Pre-natal care Low birth-weight Parental drug use Neighborhood Crime Rates

What they can change: How they use time Quality of instruction School environment and atmosphere

Graham Road Elementary School uses a “fish head” My Challenge Lack of background knowledge Lack of exposure Poverty of family Little experience outside class Hasn’t read the right books Lack of vocabulary Parents don’t know much about subject Incorporate the right books in guided reading lessons. Video background knowledge project. Consciously develop vocabulary through reading, vocabulary lessons, and field trips. Next Steps

#1 Focus on what students need to learn successful schools focus on state standards or college preparatory standards – successful schools do not focus instruction on the state tests, they focus on the standards

#2 Teacher collaboration teachers spend collaborative time focusing on what students need to learn teachers “unpack” the standards, map out instruction, develop common lessons and assessments, analyze student thinking, and design interventions for students who don’t yet “get it” collaborative time is structured with a clear agenda and rules of engagement

#3 Assess frequently to see if students are learning Successful schools use frequent formative assessments--not to give a grade but to see if students are learning what they need to know

#4 Use data to inform instruction Teachers bring together data from assessments to do three important things: – gauge how instruction is going overall; – figure out who is struggling and needs extra help and who has mastered the material and needs extra challenge; – to see patterns of instruction that would be otherwise invisible—or, at least, difficult—for classroom teachers to discern.

#5 Build personal relationships daily advisory periods morning meetings teachers working individually with students

What is different in these schools that are successful? What strategies might you consider implementing in your schools? What strategies are in place in your schools that others might consider?

“The research is unequivocal: When schools build collaborative cultures, commit to all students’ learning, and use data systematically through ongoing inquiry into improving instruction, they improve results for students” Nancy Love (2009), citing research from: Elmore, 2003; Loucks-Horsley, Love, Stiles, Mundry, & Hewson, 2003; Louis, Kruse, & Marks, 1996; Love, 2004; McLaughlin & Talbert, 2001; National Staff Development Council, 2001.