Chapter I: Student/Community Profile Supporting Data and Findings

Demographic Data

Student Performance Data

Process and Perception Data:

Chapter II: Student/Community Profile Overall Summary from Analysis of Profile Data

implications of the data with respect to student performance

critical academic needs based on the data

important questions raised by analysis of student performance, demographic, and perception data.

Chapter III: Progress Report

Chapter IV: Self-Study Findings

Category A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership and Staff, Resources

Category B: Standards-Based Student Learning: Curriculum

Category C: Standards-Based Student Learning: Instruction

Category D: Standards-Based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability

Category E: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth

Chapter V: Schoolwide Action Plan

Goal #1: Expand NOVA’s Board of Trustees and extend the knowledge base and skills of Board members.

Goal #2: Expand NOVA’s curriculum to support at-risk students by focusing on college and career preparation.

Goal #3: Improve student achievement in all curricular areas with particular attention to Math and Science and to meeting the needs of students with special needs.

Goal # 4: Increase availability of, access to, and use of comprehensive student achievement data.

Goal # 5: Enhance student engagement and school-culture by increasing emphasis on college and career readiness.

Appendix

Student Survey Results – Spring 2009

Student Survey Results – Summary of Comments – Spring 2009

Student Discussion Forum - Middle School - January 2010

Student Discussion Forum – High School – January 2010

Parent Survey Results – Spring 2009

Staff Survey Results – June 2009

National Survey – NOVA Results – November 2009

North Valley Charter Academy – Master Schedule 2009-2010

North Valley Charter Academy –School Accountability Report Card 2008-09

North Valley Charter Academy – CBEDS School Information Form October 2009

North Valley Charter Academy – Graduation requirements and Academic Planner

North Valley Charter Academy – Textbooks 2009-2010

North Valley Charter Academy – Three-Year Budget 2009-2012

Chapter I: Student/Community ProfileSupporting Data and Findings

Demographic Data

Introduction:

North Valley Charter Academy (NOVA) is a small independent charter middle and high school, enrolling approximately 250 students in grades 6-12. Strongly focused on college and career readiness, personal growth, and the development of positive interpersonal relationships, NOVA is characterized by a welcoming atmosphere and inclusive environment that crosses grade levels, racial boundaries, and ethnic differences. Students value NOVA as a place where they can be accepted and valued for who they are.

Located in Granada Hills, NOVA draws students from throughout the San Fernando Valley with approximately 85% of the student population residing within a six mile radius of the school, representing the communities of Sylmar, San Fernando, and Pacoima to the east, and Mission Hills, North Hills, and Panorama City to the south and southeast. NOVA’s student population reflects the demographics of these communities with 77% self-identifying as Hispanic, 8% African-American, 12% White, and 3% as Asian. While half of NOVA’s parents report having attended some post-secondary education, 45% of area residents are foreign born and fewer than 50% speak English in the home. Additionally, although the median household income for the area is $51,000, more than 70% of NOVA’s students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Although considered to be suburban neighborhoods, these communities nevertheless are plagued by many of the same problems afflicting the inner city: high unemployment, gang activity, active drug dealing, significant numbers of single parent households, lack of affordable housing, and abandoned businesses.

Perhaps most significantly, major reasons parents cite for choosing NOVA are its strong academic support program, small size, safe campus, and positive school culture. Many of NOVA’s students have been unsuccessful in previous public, private, and home-school environments, frequently transferring to NOVA in high school with credit deficiencies and low GPAs, and parents turn to NOVA to provide a second or third chance for their students.

Founded in 2003 as Imagine Academy, the school opened with 60 students in grades 6-9 leasing space in the North Valley Jewish Community Center at 16601 Rinaldi Street. In May of 2005, the owners suddenly sold the building, leaving the school administration four months to relocate. Imagine Academy’s Board of Trustees subsequently established a long-term lease with the neighboring Episcopal Church of St. Andrew and St. Charles, and the school relocated on an undeveloped 3+-acre lot on the church property with modular classrooms. However, moving delays forced the school to operate for four months from the church’s parish hall. By May of 2006, struggling to meet the financial challenges resulting from costly delays and low enrollment, the Imagine Academy Board of Trustees was reconstituted and a new financial management and administrative team was installed. Renamed North Valley Charter Academy, the school opened in the fall of 2006 with at-capacity enrollment. Through careful fiscal management, NOVA was able to repay its debt within two years and convert a substantial deficit to a 5% reserve. The school made facility improvements, including the addition of two classrooms, a computer lab, and a sports field. Additionally the influx of an HPSG grant, allowed NOVA to restructure and make the necessary improvements to the academic program resulting in a 98 point increase in the 2007 API. Most recently, the school has partnered with the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce to support NOVA’s Career Choices program and provide students with business information and opportunities in the community.

Founded upon the ideals of Academic Excellence, Democratic Leadership, and Personal Growth, North Valley Charter Academy provides a psychologically safe environment which facilitates personal growth through self-reflection and behavioral and emotional awareness. At NOVA all students develop the academic and practical skills necessary to graduate career-focused, college-ready, and prepared to be contributing citizens of a global society.

To this end, the NOVA community has developed the following Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs). NOVA Graduates will be:

Effective Communicators able to read, write, speak, and listen in a variety of contexts

Informed Thinkers able to locate, access, organize, evaluate, and apply information in a complex and technological world

Productive Problem-Solvers able to apply acquired analytical skills to find solutions topractical and hypothetical problems

Active and Capable Citizens able to demonstrate emotional intelligence and collaborate effectively as members of the diverse global community

Lifelong Learners able to establish and achieve educational and career goals, accept responsibility for making choices, and value learning as a lifelong process

NOVA currently holds candidacy status with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, awarded for three years after the initial visit in December 2006. This self-study represents NOVA’s application for full accreditation. The ESLRs were developed by the faculty and administration in 2006 with input from student leaders, parents, and Board Members and have been reviewed and revised annually.

NOVA is a targeted assistanceTitle I school. While NOVA has shown a gain of 110 API points in three years, the school is in Program Improvement (PI 1), having not made AYP for the 2008 and 2009 academic years. In 2008 the sole AYP criterion not met was achievement in Mathematics for the Hispanic subgroup. In 2009 NOVA met schoolwide targets in English-Language Arts achievement, but failed to meet subgroup targets and did not meet schoolwide or subgroup achievement targets in Mathematics. NOVA is notan II-USP or CSR school, but is part of Cohort 2 of the no longer funded High Priority Schools Grant Program (HPSG), having entered in the fall of 2006.

The following data charts were examined by the school leadership team, faculty, and administrators. Preliminary findings were discussed and analyzed in focus groups of faculty, staff, and administration.

Enrollment Data by Grade Level, Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status and Student Mobility:

The academic year 2005-06 represents the final year in which the school operated as Imagine Academy. In the summer of 2006, North Valley Charter Academy’s new leadership team made a concerted effort to publicize the school in and recruit students from neighboring areas, resulting in substantial increases in enrollment and changes in the demographic composition of the school. In 2008, two additional classrooms were added, enabling the school to further increase enrollment. In the spring and throughout the summer of 2009, NOVA contended with a variety of facilities issues (See Safety, Cleanliness, and Adequacy of School Facilities p. 12). In September of 2009, although projected sixth grade enrollment had been at capacity throughout the summer, with additional students on the wait-list, fewer than half actually registered on the first day of school. Although the school had applied for an increase in the enrollment limit imposed by the school’s Conditional Use Permit (CUP), the increase had not been approved by the opening date of the academic year, and it was decided not to pursue further recruitment for grades 10 and 11 throughout the summer nor accept additional students from the sixth grade wait list in September.

Number of Students Enrolled by Grade 2005-2009
6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12* / Total
2005-06 / 23 / 30 / 27 / 31 / 30 / 7 / 0 / 148
2006-07 / 73 / 35 / 28 / 41 / 34 / 28 / 2 / 238
2007-08 / 30 / 68 / 30 / 48 / 29 / 32 / 5 / 240
2008-09 / 29 / 30 / 53 / 50 / 52 / 30 / 27 / 271
Fall 2009 / 16 / 31 / 29 / 58 / 45 / 36 / 16 / 231

* Includes only students with sufficient credits as of October to graduate in Spring Semester

Percent of Students Receiving Free/Reduced Lunch 2006-2009
% of enrollment
2004-05 / ~40% *
2005-06 / ~40% *
2006-07 / 56% **
2007-08 / 61%
2008-09 / 71%
Fall 2009 / 72%

* Approximate data ** Incomplete data

Student Mobility 2006-2009
# Students Enrolled / # New / %
Enrollment New / Prior Year Enrollment / # Prior Year Seniors / # Possible Return / # Actual Return / % Return from Prior Yr
2005-06 / 148 / 70 / 47% / 130 / 0 / 130 / 58 / 45%
2006-07 / 238 / 160 / 67% / 148 / 0 / 148 / 81 / 55%
2007-08 / 240 / 106 / 44% / 238 / 4 / 234 / 136 / 58%
2008-09 / 271 / 95 / 35% / 240 / 8 / 232 / 184 / 79%
Fall 2009 / 231 / 72 / 31% / 271 / 25 / 246 / 162 / 66%

Preliminary Finding:

North Valley Charter Academy is notably different from the original Imagine Academy, both in enrollment numbers and demographic composition. While Imagine Academy had been roughly equally composed of Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, Hispanic students comprise nearly three-fourths of NOVA’s enrollment. Additionally, the current percentage of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch has nearly doubled from four years ago. Responding to these differences has necessitated significant changes in the academic program.

Student retention is affected by a variety of factors. Students frequently transition to larger traditional public high schools after eighth grade. Others, having been unsuccessful in previous academic settings, improve academically and thrive socially in NOVA’s small community. Families frequently conclude that their students, having developed stronger work habits and study skills at NOVA, are sufficiently prepared to succeed in the relative anonymity of a larger more traditional setting. Additionally, students leave NOVA to attend larger schools that offer a broader range of academic, athletic, or social options. Nevertheless, as the school enters its fourth year of operation, NOVA has shown steady improvement both in academic performance and in identifying and retaining those students for whom it is a “good fit”.

Enrollment Data by Gender:

Preliminary Finding:

Since 2005 NOVA has consistently enrolled a larger proportion of males than females in an overall ratio of about 60:40. Although data for the fall of 2009 appears to indicate a trend toward greater gender balance in grades 6 and 7, gender data over time reveals no grade level trends. Data for LAUSD, Los Angeles County, and the state report ratios of approximately 51% males: 49% females for grades 6-10, 50:50 for grade 11 and 48:52 for grade 12. In light of the fact that a considerable number of previously low-performing students enroll at NOVA and that recent studies indicate that boys in general and Hispanic and African-American males in particular, are lagging significantly behind girls in all subjects, this data serves to underscore the academic challenges NOVA faces in meeting the needs of its students.

Special Education Enrollment Data:

Students Enrolled in Special Education Programs
(IEPs and 504s) 2006-2009
# Students / % Enrollment
2006-07 / 30 / 13%
2007-08 / 32 / 13%
2008-09 / 29 / 11%
Fall 2009 / 21 / 9%
Students Enrolled in Special Education Programs by Type
Fall 2009
2006-2009 / Total Enrollment / IEPs / 504 Plans / Specific Learning Disability / Other Health Impaired / Hard Of Hearing / Speech Or Language Impairment / Autism
# Students / 22 / 16 / 6 / 10 / 8 / 1 / 1 / 1

Preliminary Finding:

Students with special education needs have comprised 9-13% of NOVA’s enrollment for the last four years. Nearly all of the students receiving special education services fall into the mild to moderate category. The 2009 decrease in special education enrollment is attributed in part to several of the prior year students having been transferred to non-public or other more specialized programs. Additionally fewer students with identified special education needs enrolled in 2009. In seeking to determine appropriate learning support strategies for NOVA’s lower-performing students, the special education coordinator is currently working with teachers to obtain information about and follow up on students with possible unidentified special education needs.

Enrollment Data by Language

Number of Students Enrolled by Primary Language 2006-2009
English / Spanish / Filipino / Arabic / Armenian / Farsi / German / Russian / Chinese / Total
2006-07 / 181 / 55 / 1 / -- / -- / 1 / -- / -- / -- / 238
2007-08 / 124 / 115 / 1 / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / 240
2008-09 / 143 / 123 / 2 / 2 / -- / -- / -- / 1 / -- / 271
Fall 2009 / 108 / 116 / 2 / 2 / 1 / -- / 1 / -- / 1 / 231
% of enrollment 2006-2009
Ethnicity vs. Primary Language
Ethnicity: Hispanic / Primary Language: Spanish
2006-07 / 59% / 23%
2007-08 / 61% / 48%
2008-09 / 68% / 45%
Fall 2009 / 76% / 50%
English Learner Students 2006-2009
EL Students / % Enrollment / Spanish / Filipino / Farsi / Arabic / Russian / Chinese
2006-07 / 39 / 16% / 37 / 95% / 1 / 3% / 1 / 3% / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / --
2007-08 / 50 / 21% / 50 / 100% / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / --
2008-09 / 58 / 21% / 53 / 92% / 2 / 3% / -- / -- / 2 / 3% / 1 / 2%
Fall 2009 / 39 / 17% / 36 / 93% / 2 / 5% / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / -- / 1 / 2%

Preliminary Finding:

While NOVA’s Hispanic student population has ranged from 59% to 76% since 2006, data shows the percentage of students identifying Spanish as their primary language has been significantly lower. Ineffective data collection methods in the early years of the school may have resulted in lower than actual numbers. Nevertheless, Spanish predominates as the primary language of those students identified as English Learners at NOVA. While Hispanic/Latino students have comprised approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of NOVA’s enrollment, less than one-third are designated as English Learners. The decline in the percent of enrollment by EL students in the fall of 2009 can in large part be attributed to a significant number of students having been re-designated as English proficient.

Attendance Data

Average Daily Rate of Attendance
2006-2009
ADA
2006-07 / 88%
2007-08 / 95%
2008-09 / 94%

Preliminary Finding:

NOVA maintains a high rate of daily attendance. Parents of absent students are phoned daily for confirmation of excused absence, so truancy is a negligible issue. NOVA’s staff takes seriously the obligation to know where students are at all times during the school day. To that end attendance is taken in each period and staff follow up in locating any students not present for class. The fact that it is clear to students that staff notice and care about students’ class attendance has virtually eliminated “ditching” as a discipline problem and engenders a high level of student engagement in class and commitment to the school.

Suspension and Expulsion Rates and Crime Statistics

Number and Percent of Suspensions, Expulsions, and Crimes 2006-2009
# of
Suspensions / Suspensions
% enrollment / # of
Expulsions / Expulsions
% enrollment / Crimes
2006-07 / 5 / 2.1% / 0 / -- / 0
2007-08 / 13 / 5.3% / 0 / -- / 0
2008-09 / 24 / 8.8% / 2 / <1% / 0
Number of Expulsions Shown by Reason for Expulsion, 2006-09
Type of Expulsion / 2006-07 / 2007-08 / 2008-09
Assaulted/Battered School Employee / -- / -- / 1
Willful Use of Force/Violence / -- / -- / 1
Totals / 0 / 0 / 2
Number of Suspensions Shown by Reason for Suspension, 2006-09
Type of Suspension / 2006-07 / 2007-08 / 2008-09
Sexual Harassment / 3 / -- / --
Knife /Explosive/Dangerous Object / 1 / 1 / --
Willful Use of Force/Violence / 1 / 5 / 6
Stole /Attempted to Steal Property / -- / 2 / --
Damaged Property / -- / 4 / 2
Disruption/Willful Violence / -- / -- / 2
Aiding and abetting physical injury to student / -- / 1 / --
Harassed/Threatened/Intimidated / -- / -- / 4
Harassed/Threatened/Intimidated Pupil / -- / -- / 1
Obscenity/Profanity/Vulgarity / -- / -- / 9
Totals / 5 / 13 / 24

Preliminary Finding:

A key element of NOVA’s program is its focus on students’ development and Personal Growth, emphasizing conflict resolution, peer-, advisor-, and family-mediation and setting short term goals that foster student success. The school’s achievement in this area has contributed greatly to low suspension and expulsion rates. In 200607 NOVA’s suspension rate was approximately 2%, rising to 5% and 8% in the following years. It should be noted that of the 24 students suspended in 2008-09, nine were involved in a single incident. However the general trend can be attributed to:

  • Increasing numbers of older students: NOVA’s first senior class of 6 students in 2007 increased to 25 in 2009.
  • Changing demographics: The number of at-risk students has risen significantly over the last three years
  • Change in perspective: While NOVA’s discipline program asserts that students respond best to positive discipline interventions, its success rests upon student engagement in the process. Thus the discipline committee and the Board of Trustees have come to respond more forcefully with students who either refuse to participate or persist with negative patterns of behavior.

Student Participation in Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular Activities:

Student Participation in Activities, Fall 2009
Activity / #of Students / % of enrollment
Athletics (Team Sports) / 40 / 17%
Athletics (Self-Defense) / 10 / 4%
Theater / 20 / 9%
Odyssey of the Mind / 10 / 4%
Peer Court / 5 / 2%
Spirit Club / 5 / 2%
Yearbook / 8 / 3%
PowerHour and Tutoring / 50 / 22%

Preliminary Finding:

NOVA’s most successful after-school activities focus on athletics, with the school fielding soccer, flag football, basketball and girls’ volleyball teams and becoming CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) members in the 2010-2011 academic year. The High School Theater class has participated in California Educational Theater Association and California State Thespians workshops and festivals. The members of NOVA’s Odyssey of the Mind team were regional champions in 2008. However the school has had less success in sustaining other student leadership organizations and extra-curricular activities, despite the fact that students’ report wanting greater opportunities for such activities (Student Survey 2009; Student Forum 2010). While NOVA’s small size limits the breadth of extra-curricular activities, PowerHour affects the number of students available to participate. While the percentage of students attending PowerHour and tutoring remains fairly constant at about 22% per week, the composition of this group varies from week to week, with close to 50% of the student population having been referred to PowerHour for one or more weeks during the first semester of 2009-2010. PowerHour draws upon teachers’ time as well, limiting the ability of NOVA’s small staff to adequately support both PowerHour and afterschool clubs and activities. In effect, NOVA’s intense focus on academic support compromises the school’s ability to build a sustainable afterschool extra-curricular program