SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT MID-YEAR REFLECTION 2016
Directions for School Leadership Team: As part of the February School Improvement Training we will engage in collaborative conversation and share best practices based on each school’s Mid-Year School Improvement Reflections. After input from the leadership team, each school is asked to bring this completed form to the training.
1. Has your school made progress towards achieving the goal?
A. How do the structures and systems in place at your school ensure all facets of the school culture create
predictable environments and a school climate that supports your SIP goal?
B. What are the gaps that exist between your current state and your desired state?
C. How will you address them between now and the end of this school year?
Based on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) provisional data, our focus is in the area of Literacy and Math. In the Literacy area, we have a proficiency rating of 43% which puts us within our SES band and at number 1 in the county. When we look at the reporting categories, an area for improvement is Text-Based Writing. In terms of Math, our focus is in Algebra II as performance was in the low 30’s according to the provisional data.
With Text-Based Writing, we have scaled up a best practice with a Reading interdisciplinary approach by combining English, Reading, and Social Studies to form a Literacy Department with common learning goals that all 3 subjects work on. There is essentially a common curricular focus and/or skill that the Department uses to address the gaps in Writing. English classes primarily focus on teaching the structure, rubric, and various components that incorporate Writing, while Reading and Social Studies focus on supporting what English is doing. We have a PLC structure where all 3 areas meet on a weekly basis to share best practices, collaborate, and ensure that there is a portion within the curriculum to address Text-Based Writing. In Math, we have also implemented a PLC structure on a weekly basis to make sure that there is an alignment with addressing the gaps in Algebra II. In addition to that, we have acquired the services of an Instructional Coach to support and provide feedback to teachers on the instructional practices that are taking place. We are also looking into common assessment data to determine which practices are most effective and how they are impacting our student achievement.
We have incorporated a full-time Literacy Coach, Math Coach, and a Part-Time Social Studies Coach. These 3 coaches have implemented Push-ins and Pull-outs for the mid to lower quartile. The additional interventions address areas of need throughout the English, Math, and Social Studies Department. The curriculum focuses on test taking strategies in preparation for the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA).
2. Have alterable barriers been eliminated or reduced? (Alterable barriers are in-house infrastructure mechanisms such as scheduling, class structures, teacher attendance, student attendance, staff development plan, etc.)
A. What evidence do you see that a barrier has been reduced or eliminated?
B. What evidence do you have that the barriers are wide-reaching and will help you achieve your goal?
C. If progress towards eliminating the barrier is not sufficient, where or what is the breakdown?
D. Did you identify other barriers that could serve as effective re- entry points into the plan?
The specific strategies that we are implementing are the previously mentioned in terms of revamping the curriculum structure and the way we provide feedback. We will not know the extent of the impact on academic improvement until we have new data. Those assessments will not be until the end of the year. Yet, in looking at common assessment data and comparing it to last year, we have seen significant improvement in both Literacy and Math. There seems to be a correlation. However, we cannot definitively say, until we get more FSA data this academic school year.
In aggregating the data over the school year, an increase in student proficiency is evident. We are in the process of longitudinal data collection with our monthly mini-assessments as they have been developed in strategic alignment with the FSA this year. These assessments serve as a baseline tool for the following year in order to close achievement gaps. They are incorporated in 3 different Departments, including English, Reading, and Social Studies. We feel at this point this will eliminate any barriers.
One of the challenges we saw has been our continual effort to have a close alignment as possible with the FSA. Not having the long term data has been a barrier, but we already created an assessment plan, where the assessments of this year will be adjusted accordingly to align more with the FSA for more valid and reliable data moving into the next year. Once this year’s scores come back, that will also allow us over the summer to reposition ourselves for a stronger school year.
3. Are your strategies being implemented with fidelity?
A. Were decisions to continue, intensify, modify, or terminate strategies or action steps based on specific evidence?
All decisions are made based on specific Literacy and Math data. Analysis is shared within PLCs, Department and Leadership meetings to share best practices and ideas. We also have Cadre meetings for English and Math where we collaborate with other schools that are within our SES band. We take this opportunity to share, revise, and improve upon our implemented strategies and come back to report what our findings were.
We are in a constant reflective process of reevaluation as we receive more information on the FSA. This forthcoming data will allow us to either continue, intensify, modify, or terminate strategies or action steps based on specific evidence from our current action plan. Our curriculum will also be evaluated to meet the needs that best fit our students.
4. What are your benchmarks for success?
A. How will your progress towards your goal impact student achievement?
B. What is your desired state?
C. What gaps exist between your current state and your desired state?
Our goal is for all students to graduate with preparatory skills for higher education, vocational institutions, and attainment of industrial certifications as well as acquire work force employable skills. We will continue to work on having a close alignment as possible with the FSA by holding weekly and bi-weekly meetings among teachers and the Leadership team, collecting data and carefully determining which practices are most effective, choosing appropriate interventions, creating a supportive environment, and evaluating outcomes for the next school year.