0. Secondary School Reform (SSR) Phase III Forums
February 3, 2010
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • 

1. Prince George’s County Board of Education
Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., Chair
Ron L. Watson, Ph.D., Vice-Chair
Donna Hathaway Beck
Pat J. Fletcher
Heather Iliff
Rosalind A. Johnson
R. Owen Johnson, Jr.
Linda Thornton Thomas
Amber P. Waller
Edward Burroughs, III, Student Member
William R. Hite Jr., Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools and Secretary/Treasurer

2. High School Clusters FIVE CLUSTERS CLUSTER 1 CLUSTER 2
Dark Blue (CLUSTER 1)
Yellow (CLUSTER 2)
Light Blue (CLUSTER 3)
Pink (CLUSTER 4)
Red (CLUSTER 5)
CLUSTER 2
CLUSTER 3
CLUSTER 5
CLUSTER 4

3. Space Availability By Cluster
Schools
Capacity
Seats
Bowie
2,734
-279
DuVal
2,254
575
Eleanor Roosevelt
2,164
-558
Laurel
1,870 -7
Total Capacity: Seats

4. Space Availability By Cluster
Schools
Capacity
Seats
Bladensburg
1,923
119
High Point
2,253 64
Parkdale
1,896
-276
Northwestern
2,053
-490
Total Capacity: Seats

5. Space Availability By Cluster
Schools
Capacity
Seats
Central
1,118 30
Fairmont Heights
1,139
189
Charles H. Flowers
2,200
-456
Largo
1,849
424
Total Capacity: 187 Seats

6. Space Availability By Cluster
Schools
Capacity
Seats
Frederick Douglass
1,283
202
Friendly
1,505
-22
Gwynn Park
1,203 65
Surrattsville
1,235
276
Dr. Henry A Wise, Jr.
Total Capacity: 329 Seats

7. Space Availability By Cluster
Schools
Capacity
Seats
Crossland
1,947
504
Forestville
1,015
157
Oxon Hill
1,902
-13
Potomac
1,410
120
Suitland
2,635 73
Total Capacity: 841 Seats

8. Why do we need to reform grades 6-12?
23 out of 30 middle schools are in school improvement
11 out of 22 high schools are in school improvement
85% graduation rate
Of the students that drop out, 57% of them are 9th graders
Average SAT Score 1296 (National Average )
Only 43% of students passed the Algebra HSA on the first attempt

9. What is Secondary School Reform?
Transforming the educational experience of all middle and high school students to ensure they are provided with the skills and competencies to compete in the 21st century.
“Graduating every student college and workforce ready.”

10. Secondary School Reform Team
The mission of the Secondary School Reform Team is to design, implement, track and monitor curricular and instructional programs that move PGCPS substantially forward in graduating all students college and workforce ready.

11. Secondary School Reform Team
Departments Represented
High School Consortium
Accountability
Curriculum and Instruction
Human Resources
Area Office
Student Services
Budget Office
Special Education

12. Secondary School Reform Plan
Diagnostic
Where are we?
Visioning
Where are we going?
Planning
How do we get there?
Implementation
How do we get it done?

13. Secondary School Reform Plan
Based on best practices in secondary school reform research
Includes a detailed profile of a PGCPS college/career ready graduate based on stakeholder input
(Stakeholder’s Meetings, Spring 2009)
Addresses chronically low-performing schools
Increases rigor in all courses to continue to move our students from proficient to advanced

14. Secondary School Reform Plan
Linked to existing PGCPS work where appropriate and relevant
Includes a detailed program that reflects both academic and personal development of students
Reflects both current financial realities and our hope for the future
Long-term plan with a phased-in approach

15. Secondary School Reform Framework
Four (4) Levers of Secondary School Reform*
Raise Expectations
Options and Opportunities
Student Transition Success
Empowered Teachers,
Leaders and Schools
Options and Opportunities
Raise Expectations
Graduating Every Student College and Workforce Ready
Student Transition Success
Empowered Teachers, Leaders and Schools
* Based upon the Advocacy Framework Model developed by the National High School Alliance (2005) and Chicago Public Schools Secondary Reform Framework.

16. Current Profile of a PGCPS Graduate
Subject Area
PGCPS Graduation
Requirements*
State College System
MINIMUM Requirements
English 4
Mathematics 3
(1 Algebra, 1 Geometry,
1 optional course)
(Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)
Science
(1 in Biology
2 that include labs)
(Two lab experiences)
Social Studies
Fine Arts 1
None specified
Physical Education
1/2
Health
Technology
None Specified
Foreign Language
None 2
* MSDE requires that students be fluent in environmental literacy, financial literacy, and career awareness as a part of their becoming informed citizens. This knowledge will become a part of the course offerings and experiences currently in place PreK-12.

17. Lever 1: Raised Expectations
PGCPS staff will raise their expectations of what our students can achieve.
Revise current course and credit requirements
Profile of A Graduate sub-committee
Redesign ILP instrument to better track academic progress
(SY )
Train and hold counselors accountable for enrolling students in rigorous academic coursework (SY )
Provide information to students and parents about student course selection and college access (SY )
Provide content specific training for parents through various mediums (SY )

18. Lever 1: Raised Expectations (continued)
Develop a strategic plan for creating a systemic college-going culture that begins in PreK (SY )
Develop and implement advisories in all middle schools for transition grade (6th or 7th)
Continue, monitor and adjust implementation of advisories in all high schools (SY )

19. Lever 2: Options and Opportunities
All students will be provided quality educational options and equal access.
The County’s high schools have been divided into five (5) clusters based
upon geographic proximity.
Those clusters are as follows:
Cluster 1 - DuVal, Roosevelt, Laurel and Bowie
Cluster 2 - High Point, Parkdale, Northwestern and Bladensburg
Cluster 3 - Flowers, Central, Largo and Fairmont Heights
Cluster 4 - Wise, Douglass, Surrattsville, Friendly and Gwynn Park
Cluster 5 - Potomac, Suitland, Forestville, Crossland, and Oxon Hill (SLC)

20. Lever 2: Options and Opportunities (continued)
CLUSTER 1
FIVE CLUSTERS
Dark Blue (CLUSTER 1)
Yellow (CLUSTER 2)
Light Blue (CLUSTER 3)
Pink (CLUSTER 4)
Red (CLUSTER 5)
CLUSTER 2
CLUSTER 3
CLUSTER 5
CLUSTER 4

21. Lever 2: Options and Opportunities (continued)
Each cluster may offer the following programs:
Science and Technology
International Baccalaureate
Comprehensive Career and Technical Education (CTE) Offerings
Possible North and South Program Offerings:
Visual and Performing Arts
World Languages
Non-Traditional High School Alternatives

22. Lever 2: Options and Opportunities (continued)
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Offerings
Engineering Technologies
Pre-Engineering (PLTW)
Health & Medical Sciences
Nursing
Barbering
Cosmetology
Culinary Arts
Hospitality and Restaurant Management
Human Resources Services
Early Childhood Education
Teacher Academy
Information Technology
CISCO
Transportation
Automotive Technology
Arts Media and Communication
Graphic Design and Printing
Business Management, and Finance
Business Administrative Services
Accounting & Finance
Academy of Finance
Marketing Management
Construction and Design
Carpentry
Electricity
HVAC
Plumbing
Masonry
Architecture & Design (Drafting)

23. Lever 2: Options and Opportunities (continued)
Receive community input on high school programs through the Phase III forums
Survey students and families to solicit their input on high school programs
Determine which programs are needed for each cluster
Develop and implement the programs with equity across clusters
Ensure that criteria for program entry is the same in each cluster

24. Lever 2: Options and Opportunities (continued)
Approve and support innovative schools of choice that expand opportunities (e.g., STEM Possibility Charter School, Spanish Immersion Program (K-8))
Implement interventions to turnaround chronically
low-performing schools
Implement the Middle College Program
Increase access to dual-enrollment offerings
(SY )
Increase access to credit recovery programs

25. Lever 3: Student Transition Success
All students will successfully transition to the next educational level.
Develop and implement 6th/7th and 9th Grade Transition and Personal Management Program (SY )
Develop a model for on-going articulation between elementary, middle and high school (SY2010–2011)
Provide tuition-based summer school for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who have not yet met course outcomes
(SY 2010–2011)

26. Lever 3: Student Transition Success (continued)
Implement a quarterly “freshman on track” monitoring system
Develop and implement a comprehensive dropout prevention plan (including habitual truancy) (SY )

27. Lever 4: Empowered Teachers, Leaders and Schools
Develop staff capacity to enhance effective teaching and school–based
leadership.
Develop master schedules that support common planning in the core content areas for middle and high schools
Enhance collaborative/team planning, inclusive of frequent analysis of student work and formative assessment results
(SY )
Develop systemic formative and summative assessments for non-HSA courses needed for graduation

28. Lever 4: Empowered Teachers, Leaders and Schools
Provide, monitor and enhance professional development to
secondary teachers in the following areas: (SY )
Advanced Placement Potential
Adolescent Development
Capstone Projects for High School Seniors
College and Careers
Core Content Classes (Middle School Teachers)
Education That is Multicultural
Integrating Technology into the Instructional Program
Interdisciplinary Lesson Planning
Peer-to-Peer Support
Professional Learning Communities
Teaching Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses

29. Lever 4: Empowered Teachers, Leaders and Schools
Provide, monitor and enhance professional development to
principals in the following areas: (SY )
Identification and interventions for at-risk teachers
Identification and interventions for at-risk students
Implementing Advisories (Middle School Principals)
Secondary Reform Model
Culturally Proficient Schools

30. Next Steps for the SSR Team
Engaging additional stakeholders both external and internal
parents, community, students
principals, teachers, central office
Phase III Forums
Jan 28th - Forestville HS
Feb 3rd - Gwynn Park HS
Feb 4th - Frederick Douglass HS
Feb 16th - Parkdale HS
Defining success
Finalize metrics and determine data collection methods

31. Your Thoughts