supported by the national science foundation under grant no. due-0315060 welcome! washington science...

Supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-0315060

Welcome!Washington Science Teachers Association

Spring Conference

Moses Lake, WA

March 21, 2009


Contact information:

Mark Emmet

North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership

[email protected]


Session Goals:

• An understanding of factors that contribute to student success based on research from “turnaround schools”

• An understanding of NCOSP tools and resources that can help support student success


What are key factors that limit the academic success

of students in school?


Factors that limit student success

• List them here….


Why Some Schools with Latino Children

Beat The Odds…and Others Don’t

“What does it take to get great results in educational achievement in a school with a student enrollment that is mostly Latino, mostly poor, and has many students who are still learning English?”

Center for the Future of Arizona and the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, 2006




• Student scores in 3rd & 8th grade for 8 years

• Improvement that exceeded predictions

• Ethnicity and poverty indicators

• Matched comparison


Selection Criteria




12 schools• 3 Steady Performers• 9 Steady Climbers

Comparison sites


KEY FINDINGS

• Class size

• Money

• Number of school days

• Number of NCLB “Highly Qualified” teachers

• Teacher Turnover

• Parent Involvement


Common Factors:

Disciplined Thought:

• Clear Bottom Line

• Ongoing Assessment


Common Factors:

Disciplined People:

• Strong and Steady Principal

• Collaborative Solutions


Common Factors:

Disciplined Action:

• Stick with the Program

• Personalized Intervention


Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground

How Some High Schools Accelerate Learning for Struggling Students

“What do we know about the characteristics and practices of schools that are especially effective at improving the academic performance of previously low-performing students?”

Education Trust, 2005





• Greater than expected growth over 3 years

• At least average performance• Achievement gaps smaller

than state average• High poverty; High non-White

enrollment

Selection Criteria





High Impact Average Impact

• Focus on academics• Consistent views about

achievement goals• Embrace external

standards and assessments

• Focus on rules• Inconsistent views about

achievement goals• Tolerate or oppose

standards and assessment





High Impact Average Impact

• Assessment data used to inform planning

• Student encouraged to take high-level courses

• Assessment data used to measure past performance

• Hurdles to overcome to “gain access” to high-level courses





High Impact Average Impact• Academic support provided

in ways that keep students “on track”

• Academic support is expected and required

• Support is preventative and proactive

• Academic support often delays entry into grade-level coursework

• Academic support is offered, but optional

• Support is remedial after failure





High Impact Average Impact• Teaching assignments

based on criteria and student needs

• New teacher supports focused on instruction and curriculum

• Teaching assignments based on seniority and teacher preference

• New teacher support is personal and social in nature


Making Sense of the Research

• List 2-3 differences between high impact and average impact schools that you found particularly striking.

• Discuss your responses with your table group.


What are key factors that limit the academic success

of students in school?


Granger High School

• Yakima School District

• One third of students are children of migrant workers

• 82% Latino; 6% American Indian

• 84% eligible for free or reduced lunch


“Granger High School: Se Puede”

• How does Granger High School support academic success for its students?

• Describe the interactions between the principal and the students…the teachers…

• Describe the interactions between the teachers and the students

• Describe the interactions among the teachers


Key Factors

• Attention to Individual Students

• Focus on Effective Instruction

• Collaboration focused on instruction and students


NCOSP Resources

• Science Classroom Observation Guide

• Professional Learning Community Observation Protocol

• Supporting Student Success Guide


Supporting Student Success Guide


Looking at our Own ContextHow would you characterize the typical types of interactions in your school among…

• the principal and the students? • the principal and the teachers?• the teachers and the students?• the teachers?


Looking at our Own ContextHow might the Supporting Student Success Guide be useful in improving these interactions?


Reflection

How could the studies we’ve considered today and the Supporting Student Success Guide help you overcome obstacles to student academic success in your school?

supported by the national science foundation under grant no. due-0315060 welcome! washington science...

Documents

national science foundation

student success slide

olympic science partnership

high schools

common factors

turnaround schools

practices of schools

key factors