MIDDLE RIDGE ELEMENTARY
TITLE I
School Wide Program
Initial Plan 2006-2007
Date of Plan Updates: September 2007
October 2008
November 30, 2009
September 15, 2010
September 20, 2011
September 20, 2012
September 20, 2014
November 20, 2014
Title I School Improvement Leadership Team Members
Parents who attended the Revision Meeting
Middle Ridge Elementary SchoolDoris Galvan
Yolanda McDonald
Chandra Mitchell
Jeanine Williams
Marie Petit-Ferer
Kristen Emerson
Amanda Jackson
Corey Jackson
Michael Forehand
Rhonda Battle
Table of Contents
School Summary
1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment Plan Page 5
2. School Reform Strategies that are Scientifically Researched Based Page 6
3. Instructions by Highly Qualified Staff Page 9
4. Professional Development for Staff to Enable Children Meet Standards Page 10
5. Strategies to Increase Parental Involvement Page 11
6. Plans for Assisting Preschool Children to Transition Page 12
7. Measures to Include Teachers in Decision Making Page 12
8. Coordination and Integration of Federal, State and Local Services Page 13
9. Activities to Ensure that Students Experiencing Difficulty Page 14
10. Description of How Student Assessment is Provided to Parents Page 15
11. Provisions for the Collection and Disaggregation of Data Page 15
12. Provisions to Ensure that Disaggregation is Valid and Reliable Page 16
13. Provisions for Public Reporting of Data Page 16
14. Plan Developed During One Year Period Page 16
15. Plan Developed with Involvement of Community Page 16
16. Plan Available to LEA, Parents and Public Page 16
17. Plan Translated for Parents in their Primary Language Page 17
18. Plan Subject to School Improvement Provisions of Section 116 Page 17
Every morning, when 750 students walk through the doors of Middle Ridge Elementary School, each are provided with the opportunity to achieve their “great perhaps,” (Green, J. 2012). Through the efforts of the staff of Middle Ridge, focus is concentrated on preparing our students for daily success, as well as productive life beyond the classroom. Middle Ridge envisions our learners as those of strength, intelligence and determination. Every child is known to have a “great perhaps” and through the energies of both the student and educator, Middle Ridge strives to assist each child in achieving their aspirations.
Middle Ridge is located 25 miles east of Atlanta, in Newton County, Ga. Once identified as the fastest growing county in the United States, it is now designated as the county with the highest number of foreclosures in the country. Newton County has a population of 100,814. The Middle Ridge School Community is made up of 690 students. It is diversely populated with students of all cultures.
Middle Ridge strives to meet the challenge of our transitory and socially-economically disadvantaged (87.43%) student needs. As a uniform school, Middle Ridge focuses the learning atmosphere on academics. Students in need are provided with a daily breakfast. The school has received a grant that affords all our students with a fruit/vegetable snack daily. Numerous philanthropic and religious organizations are generous in donating school supplies for our teachers and students.
A multiplicity of people, programs, ideas, and industry are employed in supporting students in realizing and advancing their possibilities in education. Building background knowledge for our student population is an essential component to the academic success of Middle Ridge. As our learners’ world expands in word and knowledge, so does their desire for experience and achievement. Middle Ridge offers education to students through academic instruction, modeling of successful life skill behaviors, and experiences outside of their own.
Since its inaugural opening in 1997, Middle Ridge Elementary has endeavored to develop an effective working relationship with its community. The PTO of the school involves parents daily, volunteering throughout the school. PTO programs are focused on students, championing them by sharing their achievements through displays of projects and student driven productions. Community events such as Fall Festivals, Christmas Programs, Community Thanksgiving Dinner, and school fundraisers are customary of the PTO. At different stages in the history of Middle Ridge, the school has reached out to the community through Adult Literacy Programs, and giving to families in need through our yearly Angel Tree Program.
As a Title I school, we have a plethora of technology providing our students with educational proficiencies not otherwise available to them. Middle Ridge has been the recipient of a 21st Century and Big Lots Technology Grant. Reading and math goals are a recognized part of the curriculum. The accelerated reader program is utilized in classrooms and rewarded through a community, year-end, bicycle raffle. For three years, Middle Ridge was a 21st Century After-School Program recipient. This allowed the school to provide students with tutoring in math and reading, expounded experiences in science and social studies, and a safe place to be after school. As the first school to model co-teaching in the county, Middle Ridge’s commitment to meeting all students’ educational needs in the least restrictive environment is recognized to be paramount. Our identified gifted student ratio has increased exponentially. Numerous Physical Education grants awarded have provided our school with equipment and expanded health-related programs.
Middle Ridge became a Positive Behavior Intervention Supports school (PBIS) in the 2009-2010 school year. This behavior management system was infused to develop within our students a sense of pride in their positive choices and behaviors. Students and teacher buy-in to this program was overwhelmingly affirmative. The PBIS program offers students the opportunity to participate in “Mustang Marvelous Parties” and the “Mustang Market” as incentives for their appropriate behavior. Since its inception, the PBIS program has seen a 70% decrease in office referrals for inappropriate behaviors.
The staff of Middle Ridge is exceptional. In 2004, Middle Ridge had an identified county Teacher of the Year. Our SID/PID teacher was featured on a local TV station focusing on her exceptional work with children. Administrative and teacher walk-throughs of classrooms are utilized to assist in providing teachers feedback for growth in their instruction. Professional Learning Communities are the basis for curriculum development, and are supported through weekly professional learning. Our school went for many years considered as Needs Improvement to being recognized as making Adequately Yearly Progress. Currently, we are exceeding in 4 out of the 8 categories of Exceeds under our current CCRPI. Not only are our students defined by our vision of strength and determination, but so too is our staff; which truly makes us worthy of being a school of National Blue Ribbon Status.
Component # 1: Results of Comprehensive Needs Assessment
Description of Community and School Population
- We have developed our schoolwide plan with the participation of individuals who will carry out the comprehensive schoolwide/school improvement program plan. Those persons involved were Tammy Privette, Debra Rivas, Lee Ann Gourlay, Misty Smith, Candice Davey, Casey Spires, Leslie Styles, Tabitha Studdard, Christina Lowe, Jennifer Allen, Rebecca Sizemore, Chandra Mitchell, Michael Forehand, Rhonda Battle. The ways they were involved were: review data, discuss changes based on data results, and leadership feedback.
- We have used the following instruments, procedures, or processes to obtain this information were Georgia Milestones, ThinkGate/ Gofar, Science Grades, Data Room, Reading/ ELA Plans with Science Integration, Focus Walks, Interactive Notebooks, Conduct and Analyze Common Assessments, Pre and Post Test, Check for Mastery, and Unit Assessments. The Leadership Team reviews and analyzes a variety of performance data annually to determine school-wide needs. Data sets reviewed include: Behavior and Attendance Reports, Classroom Walk-Throughs, Georgia Milestones, GAA, and CCRPI Reports.
- The Migrant Education Program is part of the Title I Program. Each year, all students receive an Occupational Survey to be completed by the parent or guardian. Once the survey is returned, the school’s designee sends all forms to the Migrant Education Liaison in the Office of Federal Programs. Upon receipt, and review of each survey, the Migrant Education Liaison sends selected surveys to the regional Migrant Education Program office. Newton County is a part of the Migrant Education Consortium which means Georgia Department of Education allows Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) to serve as the fiscal agency. The Migrant Education Program Specialist from ABAC will contact each school to provide support to any student who qualifies for these services. Classroom teachers will implement strategies for any Migrant Education student based on the areas of need.
- We have reflected current achievement data that will help the school understand the subjects and skills in which teaching and learning need to be improved. For example, while reviewing CRCT data, we identified math and science as areas of recommended growth.
Summary of GAPSS Analysis and Needs Assessment Information:
A voluntary GAPSS walk was conducted in October 2008. Newton County provided a GAPSS survey team of administrators and teacher leaders from the local schools as well as representatives from the Georgia Department of Education. Middle Ridge Faculty was commended for its focus on:
· The implementation of Georgia Performance Standards. Standards are posted in classrooms with teachers and students using the language of the standards during instruction.
· The implementation of Learning Focused Schools Strategies instruction as directed by Newton County.
· Regular use of diagnostic assessments for benchmarks and progress monitoring.
· Building relationships with their at-risk students and families within the community through a Community Outreach Program. Teachers and staff visit a local community with many at-risk students. Homework support and extra school instruction are provided.
Student Performance Data
School level staff, including principal, assistant principal, and the Student Achievement Committee, analyzes student performance data for overall strengths and weaknesses. The data is disaggregated to show the differences or gaps in ethnic groups, special and regular education students, ELL students, and economically disadvantaged students. At this time final data has not been released by Georgia Department of Education. The data provided in this document is a disaggregated look at preliminary results of grades 3, 4 and 5 Spring 2014 CRCT scores. Reports were analyzed to determine weaknesses and strengths for grade levels.
The most common standardized assessment used in our school is the Criterion- Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The performance levels used are: does not meet, meets, and exceeds. ‘Does not meet’ indicates that students have not mastered a majority of standards assessed. ‘Meets’ indicates that students were able to master a majority of standards. ‘Exceeds’ is a term used to identify those students who were able to perform above and beyond their peers. Our school considers meets and exceeds acceptable performance levels. However, through Title II A- Teacher Effectiveness, our teachers create high expectations for student achievement each year. We look closely at the performance targets stated in the College and Career Readiness and Performance Index (CCRPI) to set a baseline goal, but we "reach for the stars."
As a school, we aim to surpass the first three levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy in order to develop rigor in standards. Therefore, it is our goal for students not only to 'know and understand' but also to 'do'. Since our students are expected to apply, evaluate, and create throughout the year, we expect this rigor to lead our students to exceeding standards rather than just meeting them. Whereas most schools aim to meet standards, our school strives to exceed through rigorous and relevant instruction. In fact, we have done just that!
We are proud of our school. In analyzing Middle Ridge’s state criterion-referenced test data, one can see an apparent increase in student achievement from 2007 to 2012. Beginning with third grade mathematics, we saw a thirty-percentile gain between 2007 and 2012. In fact, a forty-six percentile gain is evident between 2007 and 2012 for our special education students. Our socio-economically disadvantaged students (SEDS) enjoyed a thirty-two percentile gain. Our African-American students improved by twenty-two percentile points. Our white students improved by forty-three percentile points over a period of five years. We are also proud of our third grade reading scores. With sixty-nine percent of our students meeting and exceeding in 2008, current data posits eighty-six percent of our students meeting and exceeding standards. We have noted an achievement gap of thirteen percentile points between the test scores of all students and the test scores of special education students. However, over a five-year period our special education students have increased thirty-seven percentile points. In order to close this achievement gap, monthly data meetings are held to discuss appropriateness of educational setting, progress monitoring of IEP goals, and common planning time is given to regular education and special education teacher to collaborate on lesson design and students’ academic needs. As stated above, our teachers expect more from our boys and girls. For third grade mathematics, only thirteen percent of our students exceeded the standard in 2008. Each year the percent of students increased to thirty-one percent of students exceeding the standard. This trend is evident in all subgroups. This trend can also be found in our third grade reading data. In April of 2008, only eleven percent of our students exceed the standards, whereas current data shows thirty four percent of our students exceeding standards. Again, this is evident in all subgroups.
Remarkable achievement can also be seen in our fourth grade data. In 2007-2008 only forty-four percent of our students met and exceeded standards in mathematics. Our most recent data shows marked improvement with seventy-six percent of our fourth graders meeting and exceeding standards. We are most proud of our gains with our socio-economically disadvantages students (SEDS) and our white subgroup. Data shows a thirty-two percentile gain for our SEDS students and our white subgroup. Fourth grade reading yields excellent data as well. We have seen extensive growth in all subgroups, especially our special education students who achieved a forty-two percentile gain over a period of five years. Our SEDS started at sixty-six percent meeting and exceeding standards, with current data showing eighty- two percent of our students meeting and exceeding the standards. A continuous improvement in the exceeds category across subgroups is evident in reading, as well. For example, the percent of students exceeding over all rose from eleven percent in 2008 to thirty-two percent in 2012. Our African-American subgroup increased from eight percent of students in the exceeds category in 2008 to twenty-eight percent exceeding standards in 2012. The percentage of students exceeding standards in fifth grade remained the same for the 2013-2014 school year. However, the percentage of students meeting decreased by three percent. Students, in fourth grade, experienced a significant decrease in reading and mathematics achievement in both the meets and exceed categories of the CRCT. African-American subgroups increased the percentage of meets and exceeds by two percent, while the white sub-group decreased by eight percent. Third grade students also experienced a significant decrease in meets and exceed categories on the CRCT. There was a decrease of nine percent in exceeds and seven percent in meets and exceeds. In the area of reading students demonstrated a significant increase of at least three percent in both exceeds and meets. Third grade SWD students gained nine percent in the area of meets and exceeds in the area of mathematics. White subgroup students decreased in the area of meets and exceeds by thirteen percent.