ExCEL Excellence: A Commitment to Every Learner Hesperia Unified School District (760) , ext. 209

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND  100% of Students Proficient by the year 2014  At least 95% of Special Education Students participating in State Assessments

THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON, D.C April 16, 2002 Jim Huckeba, Ph.D. Director of Special Services Hesperia Unified School District 9144 Third Avenue Hesperia, CA Dear Dr. Huckeba: It was an honor to meet you recently in New Orleans at the National School Boards Association annual convention. I am looking forward to receiving the information on IDEA that we discussed during the convention. It is an honor to be serving our great nation as the Secretary of Education. As Secretary I am enjoying the opportunity to work to fulfill President Bush's vision for restoring local control to America's school systems and to provide a safe and fair learning environment for every child. We are at a pivotal time for education in America, and I am grateful to be able to be working with so many people across the country dedicated to improving America' s education system. Thanks for all that you are doing to ensure that no child in Hesperia is left behind. Our mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the Nation.

Purpose  To increase the opportunity for all students at-risk of school failure to become at-promise within the general education environment.

Strategies  To increase the capacity of teachers to serve at-promise youth in the general education classroom.  To improve the reading performance of at- promise youth.  To improve the personal responsibility and behavior of at-promise youth.

WHERE TO START  Belief system that is proactive.  Focus on what is important.

 Traditional service delivery models are inefficient and expensive  Fragmentation  Overregulation Why ExCEL?

Fragmentation  Categorical Programs  Resource Pull Out  Traditional Reading Groups

Overregulation  Learning Disability Discrepancy Formula  Fail First Approach  School On The Mesa  Special Education Data

A Search for Solutions  Success for All  Neverstreaming  ExCEL

What is ExCEL?  Early Intervention, Prevention and Acceleration Using Research Proven Strategies  Based on frequent assessment of all students  Students are clustered by assessed instructional need

What is ExCEL?  Ongoing Staff Collaboration  Data Based Decision Making  High Academic Expectations  Belief That All Students Can Learn

Benefits of ExCEL  No more waiting for students to fail before receiving services  No more falling through the cracks  No more waiting for a label to receive services

Benefits of ExCEL  Improved Academic Achievement  Decreased Special Education Expenses  Decreased Behavior Problems  Improved Student and Staff Morale  Improved Student and Staff Attendance  New Teacher Support  No Additional Cost

Staff Collaboration COLLABORATION WEDNESDAYS  Minimum day each week.  Promotes collaboration between whole staff, grade levels, and curriculum committees.  Offers ongoing dialogue relating to curriculum, instruction, and student achievement.  Provides opportunities for lesson planning and data review.  Commitment to decrease Staff Absences. Staff recognizes the importance of consistent attendance.

Staff Collaboration COLLABORATIVE TEAM MEETING  Meet in grade level teams  Review assessment data to determine: u Achievement levels of students in reading and math u Establish team goals

Standards Based Instruction  K-12 Pacing Plans based on the California Content Standards.  Fontana Focus Lessons

Growth From Base Average 147

K-12 SST REFERRALS--54%

Elementary RSP & SDC Students HUSD Pupil Count -- 55%

Elementary Special Ed Percentage