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|Technical Assistance Visit Report
Midland High School
Midland, Texas,
April 7-9, 2008
This report presents findings of a High Schools That Work (HSTW) Technical Assistance team visit to Midland High School (MHS) in Midland, Texas, USA, on April 7-9, 2008. It describes goals for continued growth while detailing promising practices currently in place, next steps planned by the school and evidence for a need to continue efforts to address each goal. It also suggests action steps to meet each goal. The report reflects the limitations of a one day on-site study by the team to comprehend the many efforts under way to improve the academic preparation of students.
Executive Summary
The Technical Assistance Visit team observed the impact of several promising practices taking place at Midland High School (MHS). The principal and her staff are working to create a culture of continuous improvement. However, much work remains to move Midland High School (MHS) as faculty and staff members strive to prepare students for life after graduation and to meet state and HSTW expectations of preparing every student for college and careers.
The technical assistance team determined a set of goals that gives MHS a framework that emphasizes to students that, with effort, they can achieve at levels that will result in postsecondary success. The team observed promising practices that teachers should build upon, hear about planned next steps and determined a set of challenges that all faculty should work together to address. The team has also identified several recommended actions the school can take to achieve each goal. MHS faculty members should analyze this report to revise the school’s improvement plan to align with these goals and to change school and classroom practices. Specific challenges facing leaders and teachers at MHS include: | |
| |Technical Review Visit Team |
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|Southern | |
|Regional | |
|Education | |
|Board | |
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|592 10th St., N.W. | |
|Atlanta, GA 30318 | |
|(404) 875-9211 | |
| | |
| |Michelle Savage |John Gray |Janet Larkin |
| |TAV Team Leader |Science Teacher |ELA Teacher |
| |SREB/HSTW |Midland Freshmen HS |Akins High |
| |San Antonio, Texas |Midland, Texas |Austin ISD |
| | | | |
| |Elise Kail |Lisa Morris |Henry Perez |
| |Principal |Math Teacher |Social StudiesTeacher |
| |Midland Freshmen HS |Midland Freshmen HS |Bel Air High School |
| |Midland, Texas |Midland, Texas |Ysleta ISD |
| | | | |
| |Cherilyn Amburn |Michelle Reyes |Shawn Mena |
| |Social Studies Teacher |ELA Teacher |Counselor |
| |Midland Freshmen HS |Midland Freshmen HS |Bel Air High School |
| |Midland, Texas |Midland, Texas |Ysleta ISD |
| | | | |
| |Mark LaCroix |Norma Moon | |
| |Social Studies Teacher |Principal | |
| |Midland Freshman HS |STARS High School | |
| |Midland, Texas |Waco ISD | |
| | |Waco, Texas | |
Provide rigorous, engaging instruction through student-entered approaches. Create a literacy across the curriculum focus that gets every teacher to use literacy strategies for students to learn their content. Make improving instruction a focus of all conversations throughout the school. Have teachers observe effective teachers teach. Narrow the focus on improving instruction to one or two most effective instructional strategies and make them a focus in all aspects of the school.
Create an atmosphere of raised expectations across the school and increase the rigor of all academic courses that teach the essential concepts of a college preparatory curriculum. Encourage all students to take more advanced classes by developing a default curriculum that automatically enrolls them in higher level classes. Teach advanced labeled courses to the rigor required for the college preparatory level. Increase the use of common course syllabi, rubrics and student work to provide students with clear expectations for success. Consider policies that require the use of higher-level questioning on all assessments and develop procedures that require students to demonstrate mastery or have to redo work.
Increase access to quality career/technical (C/T) programs to meet the benchmarks of the state, national and industry standards. Begin to create a coherent sequence of programs of study that lead to industry certifications for each C/T area. Increase access to high-quality C/T programs that provide a value-added on TAKS by imbedding academics into CTE programs. Continue to seek arrangements with local businesses for work-based learning experiences and internships.
Develop a guidance/advisement system that actively involves parents, teachers and students in guidance and advisement. Continue to develop your adviser-advisee program by focusing on three goals: connect every student to an adult, connect every student to a goal beyond high school and connect parents in a meaningful way to the school. Schedule time each year for parents to meet with their child and adviser to plan and update the course of study
Strengthen transition from ninth to tenth grade and address the transition from high school to postsecondary studies by strengthening the senior year. Improve the relationship through constant communication between the ninth grade center and the high school. Integrate AVID study skills, literacy skills and other Habits of Success into lesson plans to give students the skills needed for success. Ensure every senior has an academic and career goal, require seniors to take a challenging academic load and develop a senior project requirement.
BACKGROUND
Midland is home to most Midland High School, the oldest of two high schools in Midland Independent School District. The grades ten through 12 school serves almost 2100 students with 43.6 percent Hispanic, 46.1 percent White, 8.9 percent African American and 0.7 percent other ethnicities. Fifty-two percent of the students are identified as at-risk. Two hundred fifty students or 12.2 percent are identified gifted and talented and one hundred eighty-nine students or 9.2 percent receive special education services. Forty-seven percent of the students are enrolled in C/T courses. The school operates on a seven period daily schedule.
One hundred eighteen full-time teachers, four guidance counselors, four Assistant Principals, an Academic Dean and Principal have worked together to improve the school culture. This is the principal’s fourth year at MHS. One challenge identified by the principal and faculty is attendance. Currently, as the oil industry continues to flourish, unskilled laborers can earn thirty dollars an hour and the lure of such opportunities pulls on many students. Students see little reason to stay in school to earn a diploma. Table 1 compares the attendance and graduation rates for MHS with Midland ISD and Texas.
Table 1: Midland HS Graduation, Dropout and Attendance Data
| |2007 % |2006 % |2005 % |
|School Attendance Rate |92.3 |92.4 |93.2 |
|District Attendance Rate |94.6 |94.7 |94.9 |
|State Attendance Rate |95.5 |95.7 |95.7 |
|School Graduation Rate |83.5 |89.8 |89.2 |
|District Graduation Rate |78.9 |83.7 |83.7 |
|State Graduation Rate |80.4 |84.0 |84.6 |
Source: Midland ISD Report Card
Midland ISD has a partnership with Midland College at the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) to enhance the limited career technical offerings at the high school campuses (Business Education Career Preparation I & II, Business Computer Information Systems I & II, Architectural Graphics, Computer Multimedia and Animation Technology, Computer Science I, II & III, Auto Tech I & II, Welding Technology I & II, and Health Science Technology I, II & Health Science Technology III – Emergency Medical Technician Preparation). Agriculture, Marketing Ed Prep, Family & Consumer Science courses, Intro to Business and Business Law, Textiles and Apparel Design, Ready, Set, Teach and Work-Study Program, Pre-Employment Lab Courses. Only Cosmetology, Building Trades, Introduction to Construction, and Small Engine Repair labs are located on the MHS campus.
The visiting team was impressed that the students (and staff) are active in regional, state, national and international organizations. Like, Robert E. Lee HS, several student groups have traveled internationally representing the school.
As required by the state of Texas, MHS offers three levels of diplomas: minimum, recommended and distinguished achievement. Recommended and the Distinguished Diploma (DAP) each require 26 credits, but the distinguished diploma requires four of five advanced measures. Only 72.6 percent of the 2006 graduating class earned a recommended or distinguished diploma.
Students may participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities: Band and Choir, National Honor Society, Languages Other Than English Clubs, Student Council, the Thespian Society, ROTC etc. MHS proudly supports their athletes in football, volleyball, cross country, cheerleading, basketball, softball, baseball, tennis, golf, swimming, and track/field.
MHS received a rating of academically acceptable by the TEA for Adequate Yearly Progress, although MHS missed AYP for Math Performance. Preliminary scores for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) show a thirty-two to forty percent gap (see Table 3) between the African American and Hispanic subgroups with Whites in both mathematics and science exams at the tenth and exit level.
The team saw great promise amongst concerns for the school. The comments of one faculty member, during interviews summarized the overarching attitude that the team felt was prominent in the school. “What we work with and what Lee High school works with are night and day—we have to work a lot harder with no magic bullets. They either have it or they don’t.”
Promising Practices
The technical assistance (TA) visit team noted several efforts to set high expectations for student achievement and to provide students support with extra help. The principal and leadership team have taken steps to raise expectations and to focus conversations on expectations. Administrators and department chairs meet regularly. Department chairs then communicate decisions and data to their colleagues.
One example observed by team members of raised expectations was in a science course. The course utilizes UT Online college text as its foundation for the course, thereby making the course truly a college-level course.
The Academic Dean reported that students are able to earn up to thirty hours of dual credit. Due to a partnership with Midland College, Midland ISD teachers qualified to teach at the college are able to teach the concurrent courses on Midland High School’s campus.
Teachers and students, in interviews, related that TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skills) benchmark tests are given every six weeks to identify student problem areas; these areas are then reviewed in classes. As per District guidelines, students at risk of failing TAKS were given mentors.
Midland ISD has taken steps to raise expectations for all high school students. This year the district paid for all sophomores to take the PSAT and all seniors to take the SAT. Midland ISD has also established the expectation that for students taking high school credit math courses in junior high must also take four courses of math while on the LHS campus. The new open enrollment for Pre-AP courses have resulted an increased participation in these courses. Midland High School faculty proudly shared that in 2007 seventy-nine students took one hundred fifty-nine AP exams. At the time of the TAV, four hundred eighteen students had registered to take six hundred ninety-nine AP exams in May 2008.
All seniors are given a letter of acceptance from Midland College as part of a College Connection Partnership developed with Midland ISD. Graduates also are eligible for the Legacy Scholarship which enables students to attend Midland College tuition-free. Students must graduate with a 2.75 or higher grade point average and have completed forty hours of community service.
The faculty’s commitment to raise expectations resulted in an improvement for students taking the ACT. Table 2 reflects the increase in MHS students’ mean ACT scores which are higher than the State and National scores in all subgroups except African Americans.
Table 2: Comparison of Class of 2007 MHS ACT Means Scores with State and
National Averages by Subgroups
| |Overall |Male |Female |AA |Hispanic |White |
|State |20.7 |20.3 |20.3 |17.6 |18.4 |22.9 |
|Nation |21.1 |21.2 |21.0 |17.8 |19.5 |22.9 |
Source: 2007 ACT High School Profile Report
Special programs also support students with specific needs. AVID has been implemented in the sophomore level this year to support students identified by the Midland Freshmen High School as candidates for the program. Students and teachers felt AVID has been a great addition to the campus. Students interviewed said that their AVID teachers had visited their homes and had the highest expectations of all their teachers. Provided by the District, all teachers will have SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) professional development to incorporate instructional strategies that help English as Second Language students.
Teachers provide extra help opportunities to students in multiple formats before, during and after school. “We have to go to tutoring if we fail anything,” one student interviewed stated. The school has a technology-based A+ Credit recovery program. Teachers also reported using Study Island, UT Telecampus and ASKME (UT online program) to assist struggling students.
Opportunities for extra help are available before and after school as well as during the hour length lunch period. Students indicated that teachers are available to help and the school offers a tutorial bus each evening. Communities in School (CIS) has been very beneficial in assisting with tutoring. Evening classes for credit recovery are also available at the district’s alternative school.
Second, the TA team observed examples of continuous review and revision of the curriculum to meet student needs. The Office of Teaching and Learning has established non-negotiables for each department for scope and sequences, as well as benchmarks, for TAKS preparation to be implemented at both Lee and Midland High School.
District office personnel have developed scope and sequences in all areas except Social Studies and Science. Some of the Mathematics teachers felt that the strongest scope and sequence was in the area of Math because everything has been done for them and PowerPoint's are available to students online. Benchmark exams are done by grading period in all core areas; however, some teachers and students did not know what was done with the data. One teacher stated, “We get the information back so late, we can’t do anything with it because we have moved on.”
Third, the TA team noted examples of quality instruction that engaged students in challenging learning. One compliment paid to MHS is for the variety of novels read in Language Arts classes. The novels are on grade level and surpass the variety seen in other schools across Texas. Several Language Arts classrooms had evidence of writing portfolios. Students in AP courses were discussing a writing rubric used to grade essays. AP English IV students were brainstorming contemporary issue related to A Modest Proposal so they could write a satirical response. Real world connections were observed in another Language Arts classroom through a discussion of Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Real Housewives of Orange County, two cable reality shows. Pre AP English II students were analyzing the poem “Refuge Blues” using an advanced placement strategy TP-CASTT: Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitudes, Shifts, Title and Theme.
One “advanced” level English IV course was utilizing Socratic seminar to discuss “What do parents owe their children?” based on their study of Frankenstein. The teacher made connections to a contemporary movie and talked a bout a former student in prison and the importance of being connected to each other.
One team member felt the best lesson they observed was in a Business Law class where the teacher had the students engaged by verbalizing and using kinesthetic awareness to review relationships and the relevance to the lesson on contracts.
In one math class, students used the SMART Boards to demonstrate how to solve a problem. Students did group work in an English II class related to propaganda and how to identify it in visual messages by looking at symbols and colors.
One CTE course that had total student engagement was the Nutrition/ Food Science class. Students participated in a quick bread demonstration. To earn extra points they were asked to go home and make the recipe for their family.
Although limited, technology was observed in several classrooms as a method of delivering instruction. Most impressive was the use of calculators in the Special Education Resource Mathematic classes. All students interviewed by team members were able to explain how to use the calculator and why they were using it. In Pre AP Chemistry the students were learning how to create hot ice though supersaturated solution via a You Tube video. Research and Development students were working on their exhibition-based presentations. CTE students were creating products relevant to workplace applications using Microsoft’s Excel and PowerPoint.
Fourth, the TA team noted examples of quality guidance and advisement meeting needs of students and their parents. Interviews and artifacts showed evidence of several activities to keep students and parents informed about expectations and applying for college. Parents particularly are appreciative of GradeSpeed available online for them to check grades and attendance.
When interviewed the counselors shared they use Bridges, a career exploration tool, for students who voluntarily choose to use it.
College Connection with Midland College helps students fill out FAFSA forms and apply for college. Parents also reported that the College Forum conducted by the PTA was useful, although attendance was limited. Several students reported that they meet one-on-one with their counselor to plan the career path and classes they need. Students are placed on a “danger list” to alert teachers who needs extra help.
In addition, counselors publish a senior newsletter, giving information about important events. Seniors and parents may get additional information through the school website. MHS hosts a college information session regarding admission and financial aid with representatives from the Midland College manage the College Connection Partnership. In addition, a College Night is held for all students in Midland Independent School District.
Fifth, the TA team noted examples of quality leadership and support provided by the principal, superintendent and board of education. To support the variety of initiatives taking place at the school, professional development is available at the district level and outside the district for anyone who wishes to attend. Teachers indicated district support has helped a lot, especially with all of the new initiatives being implemented.
Through another District expectation, new teachers are assigned mentors; however, there is not a structure time they can meet. Generally, if there is a problem the new teachers will seek out their mentor.
Team members also heard that the district office is taking steps to improve technology in all classrooms.
NEXT STEPS
Through interviews and a review of materials, the team learned that MHS has planned next steps that include:
• Form Professional Learning Communities as a framework for teachers to work together to improve instruction
• Expand the ELL/ LEP program with another teacher
• Expand AVID strategies to more students
• Use an Academic Coach to work with Math and Science teachers
• Double Block Math and Science classes
• Implement the new 4 x 4 requirements – 4 years of math/science
CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
High performing schools send a consistent message from teachers and staff about what all students must do to meet expectations for success beyond high school. The TAV team identified several challenges facing MHS in order to consistently convey that message. Communication is not uniform in getting the vision of MHS to all faculty and staff. Some departments meet weekly, while others meet monthly. Another department receives information via the email.
The overarching challenge for MHS is for faculty and administration to create a rigorous, effort-based culture that prepares all students for success after high school. This serves as a blueprint for all other challenges. To determine actions to take, faculty members must, not only look at achievement gaps, but look at gaps in opportunities and expectations for all students. The next section takes a deeper look at the gaps that currently exist at the school.
Achievement Gap
The State of Texas requires students to pass the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test (TAKS) to fulfill the graduation requirement. The Table 3 shows a decrease in percentages for all students meeting standards from 2007 to 2008 except in 11th grade social studies. At both grade levels, in the all students category, MHS scored below state scores.
Table 3: MHS Performance on 2007-2008* TAKS Exams—
Percentage of Students Meeting Standard
|Tested Area |State |All MHS |Af Am |Hispanic |
| |2007 |2006 |2007 |2006 |
|ELA |48% |46% |45% |48% |
|Math |52 |60 |67 |53 |
|Both Exams |35 |41 |43 |39 |
Source: 2007 AEIS Campus Report
Another measure of college readiness, provided through statewide testing, indicates an achievement gap. Table 6 shows the results of MHS students on the “Texas Success Initiative–Higher Education Readiness Component” (TSI). TSI determines how many students are judged ready to attend postsecondary education. LHS students score above the State average. Based on scores for the Class of 2007, in English Language Arts there is a thirty-four percent gap between Hispanics and Whites and a thirty-nine percent gap between African Americans and Whites. Mathematics scores show even a wider gap between Whites and African Americans.
Table 6: MHS Students Meeting Standards on Texas Success Initiative
| |English/LA |Mathematics |
| |2007 |2006 |2007 |2006 |
|Overall |51% |22% |56% |54% |
| Hispanic |36 |17 |39 |33 |
| White |70 |27 |77 |72 |
|African Am |31 |14 |29 |32 |
| Econ. Disadv. |29 |10 |36 |32 |
Source: TEA 2007 Campus Academic Excellence Indicator System Tables
Opportunity Gaps
Several students shared they had developed four year plans in junior high and had never seen them again. Students need to take challenging courses to succeed after high school. Data supplied by the AEIS report shown in Table 8 indicate that minority students are under-represented in the completion of these programs.
Table 7: Percent of MHS Students Completing Advanced Courses
| |MHS |White |Af Am |Hispanic |
|2005-06 |26.9 |39.0 |15.1 |14.9 |
|2004-05 |27.3 |40.2 |11.7 |13.5 |
Source: TEA 2007 AEIS Report
Giving all students access to courses that make a difference in improving achievement must become a priority for MHS. This year all Pre AP and Advanced Placement courses implemented open enrollment. Numbers in Table 9 show that despite the open-enrollment practice begun this year, far too few minority students take advantage of the opportunity to participate in these programs. Students interviewed said the “open enrollment in Pre AP and AP classes as ruined them.” When questioned how, their reply was “You know—all those students who don’t know anything are just there to say they’re in a good class.”
Table 8: 2007 Midland High School AP Course Enrollments by Ethnicity
|Ethnicity and % of Total Student Population: |Asian |Af Am |Hispanic |White |Other |
|No. Students Enrolled in AP Courses | 7 |19 |81 |266 |4 |
Source: (Initials) Class Enrollment Analysis
One challenge both the principal and faculty identify is that of attendance and dropout. During the principal’s interview she state, “There are two separate worlds--Kids that do not come and those who do.” Teachers indicted the constant changing of policies was what created enforcing attendance and tardy policies. Keeping students enrolled from ninth grade to graduation is a challenge for MHS and provides a serious opportunity gap. Promotion powers another method to look at an opportunity gap for MHS. Using numbers in the Na N tional Center Educational Statistics Common Core of Data and a statistic devised by Johns Hopkins, promotion power is a straight forward ratio of the number of 12th graders enrolled in a school to those who were in the ninth grade three years. Table 9 reveals promotion power 2002-2005. Current figures indicate only 73 percent of the ninth graders make it to the senior year in three years.
Table 9: Midland High School Promotion Power
|School Year |Current 12th Grade |Previous 9th Grade Enrollment2 |Promotion Power3 |
| |Enrollment1 | | |
|2004-2005 |579 |796 |73% |
|2003-2004 |577 |807 |71% |
|2002-2003 |592 |804 |74% |
|2001-2002 |600 |877 |68% |
|1Data represents 12th grade enrollment for the fall term of the listed school year |
|2Data represents 9th grade enrollment for the fall term three school years earlier |
|3Promotion power represents the percentage of students who make it from 9th grade to 12th grade in the |
|standard three years. |
Expectations Gaps
The team noted a gap in expectations for preparing students for post-secondary success. Advanced Placement courses have clear standards established and students take an assessment to determine their level of meeting the standards. Achievement on these exams reflects the level of expectations within the classrooms. Approximately half of the students taking AP exams fail to meet standards for success on the assessments.
Table 10: MHS AP Data Summary
| |2006 |2005 |2004 |
|Number of AP Courses Taken by Students |14 |14 |14 |
|Number of AP Exams Taken by Students |202 |NA |NA |
|Number of Exams with a score of 3+ |130 |NA |NA |
|Percentage of Exams with a score of 3 + |64% |NA |NA |
Source: School data School College Board AP Report
To address these gaps, the Technical Assistance team recommends that faculty and leaders at Midland High School develop plans to address the following specific challenges.
The first challenge for MHS is to provide rigorous, engaging instruction through student-centered approaches. Team members were very concerned with the apathy demonstrated through the ineffective use of class time and the lack of engaging instruction. Many classes had multiple cases of tardiness that were not addressed and bell-to-bell instruction was not utilized. One member was in a class ten minutes before the teacher showed up.
Overall, students experience a reliance on teacher-centered instruction. Students assigned to “advanced” level courses were unengaged. In these courses there is a prominent use of lectures and/or worksheets as the primary method of instruction in content areas other than social studies.
The team noted that a coordinated effort to focus on literacy does not exist across the school. Few teachers were incorporating the use of literacy skills in classrooms and students could give only a few examples where they were required to read and/or write to learn the content of courses other than English.
Mathematics teachers varied in their reactions to the district-driven scope and sequence. Some appreciated not having to do anything; while others said it really didn’t “allow us the leeway we needed to re-teach and work with struggling students.” These attitudinal concerns may contribute to MHS having missed AYP for math performance four out of the last six years, including the most recent exam.
Some CTE teachers interviewed voiced a desire to help the core teachers with showing relevance to what they are teaching. Many CTE teachers stated through integrate projects students would be able to apply the theory they are studying.
Recommended Actions
Action 1: Make improving instruction a focus across the school. The instructional leaders must work with teachers to implement new strategies that actively engage all students in learning new material. School leaders must make quality instruction a focus throughout the school. Teachers must accept responsibility for teaching all students, not just those who are motivated.
Have each department move beyond the focus on curriculum to develop a specific plan to improve instruction. Use department meetings to provide follow-up for professional development; opportunities for teachers to look at assignments, assessments and student work to see if they meet standards; and mini-learning opportunities focusing on new strategies.
Expect teachers to observe other staff members at least once a month. Encourage teachers to establish demonstration classrooms. Encourage visitation of peer classrooms, especially teachers who are modeling effective instructional strategies that engage students. Expert instruction takes place in every school. When teachers observe other teachers, they increase the likelihood that quality instruction will spread in the building. Establish a process for documenting each observation and have a contest to see which department conducts the most peer observations.
Have leaders conduct daily walk-through observations (focus walks) and note examples of quality instruction. Spend five to 10 minutes in each classroom and highlight practices observed. Leave comments with the teacher and move to the next classroom. Tabulate strategies observed over the course of a week or a month to provide feedback to the faculty.
Provide additional opportunities for professional development on instructional practices. Make instruction the focus of faculty meetings. Have an excellence-in-teaching item on the agenda for each faculty and department meeting to recognize teachers for outstanding instruction. Ask teachers to model outstanding practices. Expect staff members to spend at least four hours a month in a study group that focuses on a teaching strategy.
Have the principal and administrative team conduct daily walkthrough observations and note examples of quality instruction. Spend five to ten minutes in each classroom and highlight practices observed. Leave comments for the teacher and move on to the next classroom. Tabulate strategies observed over the course of a week/month to provide faculty with feedback on changes to instructional strategies. An excellent resources on leading change are SREBs publications: What School Principals Need to Know about Curriculum and Instruction (programs/hstw/publications/pubs/01V51_WhatSchoolPrincipalsNeedtoKnow.pdf ), Leadership Matters: Building Leadership Capacity ( ) and Making Leadership Happen ( ).
Action 2: Have teachers and leaders work to improve instruction together by developing procedures where
• Teachers begin instruction immediately when class begins and work to final bell.
• Teachers to place instructional objectives and homework assignments on the board daily. Students will be more focused when they know what they are expected to learn during a class. It also assists administrators or peers observing classes by making the day’s expectation explicit.
• Students to redo work until they achieve the mastery or an established level of proficiency. Address C, D and F grades through re-do policies, adjustments in teaching methods, second chances to demonstrate mastery and requiring extra help (double dosing, school-day help, summer bridge program, etc.) before failure is established.
• Leaders to develop a follow-up process for professional development. Make sure follow-up procedures impact instruction and are a part of the overall evaluation system. Create a monitoring process that requires teachers to document the use of strategies learned in professional development.
Action 3: Place a major emphasis on literacy across the curriculum. Literacy impacts all content areas. Students interviewed stated they were only required to read in Language Arts. It is imperative for teachers to implement a well-developed and comprehensive school literacy plan that contains actions to address the SREB Literacy Goals:
• Goal 1. Read the equivalent of 25 books per year across the curriculum. Students’ reading skills and their understanding of content will grow if they read more and are exposed to a wider range of materials. Expect teachers in every class to assign reading appropriate to course content and expect students to demonstrate understanding of what they read. Have students read both fiction and nonfiction, including technical manuals and articles from journals and magazines. Let students choose materials within parameters that will allow them to meet course goals.
• Goal 2. Write weekly in all classes. Expect students to complete short writing assignments each week in all classes. Assignments can include journals, letters, editorials, essays, process descriptions, open-response questions, reports and written summaries. Have some writing assignments for audiences and purposes outside the classroom. Have students get frequent opportunities to revise their writing to improve quality. Use common grade-level rubrics to evaluate student work.
• Goal 3. Write research papers in all classes. Research is an integral part of most adult occupations and is a skill that must be learned in school. Research includes multiple steps, such as defining the question, locating and evaluating information, summarizing and paraphrasing information, combining information in a logical piece of writing, and documenting sources. Have students write some research papers in the traditional format. Others may be in the form of proposals, laboratory reports or journal articles.
• Goal 4. Use reading and writing strategies to improve learning in all classes. Expect students to read two to three books or the equivalent appropriate to the subject in each class other than English/language arts. Students should be taught and required to use a variety of strategies to deal with different kinds of materials read for different purposes. Expect students to summarize what they have learned, ask clarifying questions and analyze content, purpose and structure of a piece of writing.
• Goal 5. Complete a rigorous English/language arts curriculum taught like a college-prep honors course. Expect all students to read 10 to12 books in English/language arts each year. Assigned materials can include a wide variety of grade-level selections, including young adult and classic novels, biographies, poetry, short stories and essays. Expect students to make connections among various reading materials and to relate what they read to personal experiences and real life. Written work will demonstrate understanding of what students read and will reflect a growing ability to organize thoughts and communicate clearly.
All MHS teachers consistently need to use the literacy strategies that meet the needs of their curriculum areas. It is important for all teachers to remember that they are teaching students to read to learn and write to learn. Make technical literacy an integral part of the CT courses offered. Review at least monthly teacher assignments, student work and exams for evidence of these five elements being addressed in CT classrooms. Technical literacy focuses on giving students the ability to read, interpret, comprehend and analyze information in the field of study that:
• requires frequent oral presentations;
• integrates reading assignments related to the curriculum such as reading and reporting on articles from professional journals;
• requires students to read a career-related article once a month and demonstrate understanding of the content; and
• integrates writing assignments such as lab journals, written project plans and “how-to” brochures on procedures students have learned.
Use implementation logs to document the use of literacy strategies in classrooms. Create a “wall of excellence” to display student literacy work and recognize teachers for using effective strategies.
Action 4: Focus on mathematics instruction, to improve opportunity for students to acquire mathematic skills, reasoning skills and understanding necessary for success in high school and in high school for postsecondary studies and careers.
Goal 1: Align all mathematics courses to state and national standards to ensure all students graduate from high school, pass employer certification exams and enter college without having to take remedial or developmental courses.
Move standards into the curriculum by planning multi-day, standards-based units. Have teachers outline what students are expected to know and be able to do to demonstrate mastery of each standard and the major teacher strategies and student assignments that will be used to assess if students have mastered the material.
Goal 2: Develop an improvement plan for the next three years to dramatically raise achievement of mathematics students and to reduce failure rates in mathematics courses. The administrators must provide in-depth instruction to mathematics teachers to support them in change what they teach, how they teach and how they assess students in mathematics.
• Provide professional development activities modeled to help learn how to incorporate mathematics into assignments in ways that enhance learning in their discipline area;
• Train school leadership teams on how to give guidance for improving mathematics instruction and how to conduct mathematics classroom observations using a standard protocol.
• Disaggregate student achievement data to determine mathematics deficiencies and the amount of time devoted to various mathematics topics, concepts and skills in mathematics and other classes
Goal 3: Collaborate with SREB’s Leadership Initiative to conduct a two-part staff development series on Leading Schoolwide Numeracy. This 3+1 design asks a leadership team to come to a common definition of numeracy, to take stock of the current status of numeracy in their school, and to formulate an action plan for numeracy. October 2008. See
Goal 4: Designate a cross-curricular numeracy leadership team with the following charge:
• Meet as a numeracy team on a regular, frequent basis; ensure that all team members are accountable for accomplishing tasks according to the timeline that has been established.
• Design and implement a series of exercises, readings, and/or meetings to build a sense of urgency around improving all students’ numeracy.
• Initiate other professional development activities to increase school competence in numeracy instruction and numeracy practices.
• Establish at least one school wide numeracy-related activity monthly and gather data related to this activity.
Goal 5: Determine best practices for numeracy and implement them over time across the school. Examples might include:
• We evaluate the processes for placing students in mathematics classes to ensure that groups of students are not being excluded from a challenging mathematics program.
• We have established teacher leaders or mathematics specialists who can mentor and support teachers.
• We spend time observing mathematics classrooms.
• We ensure that decisions about placing students in mathematics classes and evaluation of teachers’ effectiveness are not based on a single test.
• Teachers use a variety of classroom assessment methods that measure conceptual understanding along with factual and procedural understanding.
Resources:
Actively engaging students
• Jan Struebing, Springdale HS, Ark. (479) 750-8726, (479) 236-3164, or jstruebing@
Advanced Placement (AP) and Pre AP courses
• The College Board: AP Counselor Hotline (877) 274-6474
• Scott McClanahan, Dallas, Texas. (210) 378-5334, nathanil@
Assessment, authentic
• Douglas Reeves, The Leadership and Learning Center, Englewood, Colo., (866) 399-6019
Effective question techniques
• Edvantia (formerly Appalachian Educational Lab), W.Va. QUILT program, (800) 624-9120,
HSTW sites with high science scores
• James Skeeler, principal, Iowa Park HS, Texas, (940) 592-2144, jskeeler@
Literacy Across the Curriculum
• Debbie Hall, SREB, (404) 879-5597, debbie.hall@
• Jeanette Hodges (five goals), Taylor Mill, Ky., (859) 356-8281, jhodges@
• Renee Murray, SREB, (859) 296-9393, renee.murray@
Moving Standards into Classrooms
• Lois Barnes, (615) 423-1588 loisjbarnes@
• Heather Sass, SREB, (614) 847-5832, heather.sass@
Math
• Kenna Barger, Barger Educational Consulting, W.Va. bargerconsulting@
(304) 637-4505
Proficient Level Work
• Betty S. Harbin, (251) 602 0097, betty.harbin@
Raising Rigor
• Scott McClanahan, (214)440-2730, nathanil@
Science
• Betty S. Harbin, (251) 602 0097, betty.harbin@
• Larry Rainey larryrainey@
Summer reading program
• Steve Broome, SREB, (404) 879-5592, steve.broome@
The second challenge for MHS is to increase the rigor of all courses to prepare all students for career and college-readiness. The state of Texas has established expectations for students to complete a challenging academic core by creating the 4 X 4 core requirement. However, teaching those courses to the rigor required for success in meeting college and career readiness standards is the challenge. The team noted that students did not appear challenged consistently in many classrooms. Low level questioning was prominent. The team noted a general absence of rigor in many classrooms. In classes identified as “advanced,” team members observed a difference in expectations for student work and effort. Team members noted many of these teachers were apathetic as to whether students were learning or not. Students in these classrooms were unengaged. Team members witnessed several students sleeping during lessons and class activities.
During the team interview with the principal, she stated one of her biggest challenges was that “Teachers need to make a real change in mind. They need to see the global picture. They have to believe that our high school can work—they need to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Clear expectations are a prerequisite for obtaining quality student performance in a rigorous curriculum. Expectations for behavior are prominent. However, clear expectations for achievement are prominent only in Pre AP and AP courses. Teachers interviewed stated, “Opening the Pre AP and AP classes has created difficulties.” “The increased number of students in the classes hurts the teacher’s ability to grade and give feedback that will improve rigor.” One teacher told team members that “students who self-select themselves for rigorous courses are only fooling themselves.” Another teacher said in spite of the CollegeBoard audits done last year to raise rigor, they were now “forced to water down the courses to let everyone in.” Students reported being encouraged by their Pre AP and AP teachers to drop the course because they “will never be able to do the work.”
Rubrics were not utilized in many classrooms; little student work was posted in classrooms or hallways and students could not clearly articulate what it takes to make an A or B in classes.
Using grading practices to encourage effort by establishing expectations for students to redo work that does not meet standards is a key to raised expectations. Despite this fact, students did not indicate that teachers require them to redo work until it meets standards. When interviewed, seniors indicated “if you fail, that’s it. Very few teachers give you a second chance.” Teachers indicated they may give students additional chances, but it was not an expectation and not consistent. Seniors also indicated if a “student doesn’t try, the teachers will just give up on them.”
To be prepared for challenging post-secondary work, students need to experience rigorous work in high school. Samples of lessons and assessments were submitted by all core, non-core and CTE teachers. Midland ISD labels general level courses as advanced. Of the artifacts submitted for “advanced” level courses, sixty percent were identified by the team as below basic with thirty percent at the basic level and only ten percent at the proficient level. At the “advanced” level no sample lessons or assessments were identified as advanced level work based on the HSTW Instructional Review Rubric. Most of the artifacts were textbook or TAKS preparation worksheets. Artifacts for the Pre AP and Advanced Placement courses varied. At this level, team members found higher expectations through the quality of assignments and assessments. Only twenty percent of the artifacts were identified as basic level, with seventy percent at the proficient and ten percent of the artifacts at the advanced level.
Recommended Actions
Action 1: Build upon the new requirements established by House Bill #1 and make college and career readiness the focus of the MHS for all students. The requirements will raise expectations for courses students must take. Both incoming freshmen and next year’s sophomores will have enough time in their four-year plans to be required to take additional courses. School leaders and teachers must work to ensure that all courses are taught to the college-preparatory level. Use the following expanded definitions as a guide to ensure the rigor of the courses offered at MHS meets college and career readiness standards.
Align the academic core to the states new college- and career-readiness standards. Success on the TAKS does not equate to college-readiness. Ask each academic department to determine what students should know and be able to do to meet the state’s college-readiness standards at each grade level. One approach is to supplement state graduation standards with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Texas College Readiness Standards or ACT College Readiness Standards that provide sequential performance indicators in the core academic areas. Take the essential readiness standards developed for each core academic area and align current courses for grades nine through 12 to the standards.
College-preparatory English/language arts
Course-work: All students should complete four years of college-preparatory English.
English/language arts skills: Students need to gain experience in the following five areas:
• Reading: Students read the equivalent of eight to 10 books including novels, short stories, plays, technical manuals, essays, journal articles and other real-world texts and analyze the content through written reports, oral presentations, peer discussions and performance of tasks described in the text.
• Writing: Students write every day in various formats for multiple audiences. Each week, students prepare a paper of at least three pages for a grade. Teachers use rubrics to grade writing and to provide guidance for students to revise frequently. Students should write to demonstrate learning (e.g., essays, constructed response questions), and for audiences and purposes beyond the classroom (e.g., letters, business proposals, editorials).
• Research: Students conduct research for a variety of papers, including a formal research paper. Students should define their own questions, locate and evaluate information, summarize and paraphrase information, combine information in cogent writing and document sources.
• Speaking and Listening: Students participate in learning conversations (cooperative learning), as well as frequent presentations. They listen for various purposes, including note-taking and analyzing presentations by classmates and others.
• Technology: Students frequently use technology to locate and to present information. They conduct Internet searches, and use common presentation tools such as PowerPoint and word processing software.
College-preparatory Mathematics
Course-work: All students need to complete four of the following courses: Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry, and a higher-level mathematics course.
Mathematical Processes: There are four mathematical processes that students should study.
• Problem solving is essential for analyzing problems and developing solution strategies. Students need experiences that promote the connections between mathematical ideas.
• Reading and communication skills are necessary for students to read problems, interpret them and understand what they are asking. Students should be able to explain their thinking processes, the mathematical concepts and the solution strategies using mathematical terms and concepts.
• Estimation skills are necessary for students to verify their answers and solutions. This skill allows students to recognize correct answers, check for reasonableness and identify mistakes, so they can revise their work.
• Logical reasoning is fundamental to mathematics. Students need a variety of experiences that exemplify the reasoning they will see in further study. Students should be familiar with both inductive and deductive reasoning.
Mathematical Skills: Even with calculator-based algebra systems and other technology, students still need to master procedural skills. Courses should equally emphasize understanding mathematics concepts and reasoning and using these concepts to solve real-world problems.
Technology: Students should use the Internet for research and to review online lessons and resources. Students also need to use word processing, PowerPoint and spreadsheets, as well as graphing calculators, hand-held computers, lab-based probes and other equipment in order to experience real-life application of key mathematical ideas.
College-preparatory Science
Course-work: All students should complete three to four science courses including biology, chemistry, physics and anatomy and physiology. College-preparatory courses require a minimum of 30 percent of rigorous lab-based, hands-on activities.
Research: Students use common household items and equipment to design and conduct authentic research studies and answer specific questions. Classroom and field-based research studies require students to collect and analyze data. Students present and defend data and apply new findings to everyday life. College-preparatory students ask questions and use critical thinking skills to distinguish between what is and what is not scientific data.
Scientific Literacy: Literacy in science is a complex blend of print, visual, electronic and oral media. Reading, writing, speaking, listening and mastering scientific terms are integral skills in college-preparatory science. Students use these skills to communicate science information and encourage scientific interest. Students should identify scientific issues relating to personal and societal issues and express views in scientific terms.
Technology: Students should use the Internet to conduct current research, to read classic science papers and review online lessons and resources. Students should use common tools such as word processing, PowerPoint and spreadsheets. Scientific equipment such as hand-held computers, lab-based probes, balances and other equipment integrate mathematics into science.
Action 2: Create clear expectations for achievement across the school. Design and implement common course syllabi, assignment rubrics, assessments and course assurances. Developing course assurances, helps teachers understand what students must learn in order to be successful at the next level. When a teacher says “By the end of my course you will have learned….” students and parents understand the expectations. This will ensure that all students know what it takes to get an “A” or “B” in each course. (See Attachment 2 on developing syllabi). There are five components to effective syllabi.
• A course description with a clear purpose that is part of a rigorous program of study
• An instructional philosophy that actively engage students in learning challenging content
• Course goals that are based on national, state, and/or industry standards
• A variety of intellectually challenging work that engages students
• A variety of assessment practices, what is needed to earn an “A” or “B” and the procedures for redoing work
Building administrators must lead the changes in expectation and create a culture of continuous improvement, where instruction is the focus of all discussions. Create a school culture of high expectations where faculty and staff understand that effort creates ability. School leaders should devote time at each faculty meeting to discuss current data and for one or more teachers to share a strategy that they have found effective in engaging students in learning and improving their achievement. The conversation needs to focus around the questions:
• What do students need to know and be able to do?
• How will the teachers/ administers know the students have mastered it?
• What will they do when the students do not learn?
Currently, the faculty is organized in conference periods based on their Professional Learning Community (PLC) study group. However, teachers stated they had done very little as groups. Since these PLCs are mixed disciplines, this would be a good time for faculty to discuss instruction in their disciplines and to look at student work.
Administrators should model effective instruction in faculty meetings and communicate the importance of quality instruction by conducting walkthrough observations to collect and analyze instructional data.
Action 3: Increase the rigor in classrooms by having a team of school leaders, teachers, administrators and district curriculum leaders develop procedures for requiring all students to re-do work that falls below grade level. The policy should include responsibilities of the central office, administration and teachers in its implementation and notification of all stakeholders. The school policy should include extra help and support for students to redo work. Too many students have been failed to “prove a point” because several teachers interviewed believe failure builds responsibility. For example, students who produced below grade level work or failed to complete an assignment are required to attend after-school sessions where teachers assist students in redoing work until it meets standard. Some schools designate time during the school day for all students to have opportunities for academic intervention, which may be peer support, teacher assistance, ACT/SAT preparation, state test preparation, writing or math labs, or homework lab. Students falling below grade level are required to attend extra help sessions for one week. Require all students who are working below “C” level to attend extra help sessions, before, after or during school. Beyond the methods above, extra help might be in the form of credit-recovery, double-dosing and summer school.
Some schools designate time during the school day for all students to have opportunities for academic intervention that may include peer support, teacher assistance, ACT/SAT preparation, state test preparation, writing or math labs or homework lab. Students falling below grade level are required to attend prescribed extra help sessions for one week. Require all students who are working below “C” level to attend extra help sessions, before, after or during school.
Action 4: Increase the rigor of questioning, assignments and assessments in classrooms. Have each academic department to conduct an audit of questions asked in each class. Provide additional professional development on how to look at student work, assignments and assessments. Use this training as follow-up to QUILT workshops. Have each academic department conduct an instructional review of the levels of assignments and assessments. Without high-level assignments, students cannot do high-level work. By raising the levels to proficient or advanced, teachers will challenge students to learn the content necessary for higher achievement on state testing. Consider the following professional development activities, which may be included in long-range plans.
• Effective questioning techniques. These techniques support direct instruction, and recitation can also be the focus of staff development.
• Integrated project-based learning.
• Student-centered, hands-on instructional strategies. These could include cooperative learning, which means small groups of students are solving problems through research, analysis of data, predictions, comparisons, contrasts, etc. There should be an individual grade and a group grade. Other student-centered instruction may be project-based learning, which allows students to use information learned to create a product. Train teachers to design projects that meet standards and rubric development. Quality Student “A” products should then be displayed in the classrooms and hallways.
Action 5: Provide diversity professional development for all teachers. All classrooms need to be inclusive in the sense that teachers plan for high expectations in their classrooms. Unconsciously by the assignments and tasks we ask students to do, sends a clear message as to our expectations. At present Team members were concerned with the amount of apathy on the part of the faculty. Teachers complain that students “are not interested in learning, and don’t see the relevance of instruction because they can get good money in the oil fields with no education.” “Students are the reason we are in trouble with our scores.” One teacher state, “We don’t need another program. We are knowledgeable and skilled at what we do. What we need is to have people [District and administration] drop one more thing for us to do. At some point things need to stop rolling downhill.” MHS is two high schools—one of privilege and one of poverty. When faculty communicate high expectations for all students, they make sure assignment guidelines and grading criteria are clearly communicated and teach with strategies that enable students to be successful.
Resources:
College-Readiness Standards
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Texas College Readiness Standards available at
• ACT College Readiness Standards available at
• CollegeBoard Standards for Success available at
Diversity Professional Development
• Dr. Donna Beegle, Communication Across Barriers PO Box 23071 Tigard, OR 97281-3071 (503)590-4599 scheduling@
• Dr. Ako Kambon Visionary Leaders Institute 59 N. Ohio Ave. Columbus OH 43203 (614) 258-9092 visionaryleaders@
Grading policies
• Dr. Robert Lynn Canady, Va. (434) 296-8515, (434) 960-7166, rlynncanady@
Moving Standards into Classrooms
• Lois Barnes, (615) 423-1588 loisjbarnes@
• Heather Sass, SREB, (614) 847-5832, heather.sass@
Proficient Level Work
• Betty S. Harbin, (251) 602 0097, betty.harbin@
The third challenge for MHS is to continue to upgrade the quality of the career technical education (CTE) classes by creating quality programs that prepare students to meet industry standards. Currently, too few students complete a concentration that gives them a focused pathway or concentration and few underclassmen view a series of quality CTE courses as an avenue for postsecondary success.
Too few students are leaving MHS having met industry certifications. Although the percentage who complete the concentration and meet industry standards is high, with 969 students enrolled in CTE courses, the total number of students remains far too low. Table 12 shows current industry certifications earned by Midland HS graduates.
Table 12: Midland HS Summary of Career/Technical Certifications
|State or National Certifications/ Licenses |
|Name of Pathway |Number of Students Completing the |Number of Students Attempting the |Number of Students Attaining |
| |Pathway |Certification/License Exam |Certification/License |
|Transportation |10 |10 |9 ASE |
|Health Science Tech |30 |30 |27 Nurse Aid Cert |
|Human Services |14 |9 |6 Cosmetology |
Source: Midland ISD Data provide for TAV profile
Quality career technical programs also have a value-added to academics and can help students connect the theory with the practical applications for what they are learning. Engagement in CTE courses varied from complete hands-on to students sleeping. When questioned why a third of the students were doing worksheets or sleeping, the team member was told, “They did a project first semester and aren’t interested in doing anything this semester.”
The current CTE offerings do not all follow a pathway. CTE courses should bring relevance to what students are learning in academic courses. For example, interior design and textiles and apparel design have no options for continued studies. The Drama teacher voiced an interest in working with Introduction to Construction, Interior Design and Apparel with the music department so students could have a pathway leading to other dimensions of careers in theatre.
In interviews, students did not see the connection between what they are doing in school and their future. Several students stated that the only reason they were at school was “to pass to TAKS.” In fact to be in many of the CTE courses, students must have passed TAKS as a requirement. “If we pass during our junior year, we are able to come in two hours later or leave two hours early!”
Recommended Actions:
Action 1: Set a goal that 2011 graduates (incoming sophomores) will complete either an academic or a career concentration beyond the core or both. Offer both academic and career concentrations to provide relevant learning experiences and to allow students to choose an area of interest for in-depth study. Offer either a Mathematics/Science or a Humanities Concentration with a focus on preparing students to meet the needs of your community. At a minimum, each academic concentration might consist of
• Mathematics/science concentration consists of a minimum of four college-prep mathematics credits and four college-prep science credits, including at least one credit at the AP level in both mathematics and science.
• Humanities concentration consists of four credits each in pre-AP English and social studies, including at least one course at the AP, and four credits in a foreign language, fine arts, journalism, debate or additional advanced-level courses in literature, history, economics, psychology or other humanities areas.
Offer at least two types of career concentrations. A career concentration may begin with a project-based career exploration course and at least three credits in a planned sequence of quality career/technical courses. At least two of the courses should be equal in content and standards to courses offered at one or more area colleges and would lead to an employer-recognized credential, associate degree or employer certification.
Have a general concentration with a sequence of three or more courses pulled from the career concentrations. The general concentration would include at least one career/technical course in each of grades ten, 11 and 12.
Action 2: Clearly articulate the programs of study for each concentration. Use the AchieveTexas materials to assist with this action. Have students create and follow a clear plan of study that includes both academic and career courses for high school as well as the first two year of postsecondary study. Use the new 4 X 4 requirements along with an academic or career concentration to provide a sequence of courses including school-based and work-based learning experiences. Define each career/technical concentration as a series of courses and experiences related to a career. Align the career/technical courses for grades 11 and 12 to courses at area community colleges. Alignment includes common course syllabi, common end-of-course exams and standards alignment. If high school career technical teachers meet standards for teaching at the community college and students meet the academic placement requirements to enter English and mathematics courses for college credit, work out a system where students earn college credit.
Action 3: Raise the rigor of each CTE program. Use the HSTW publication Designing Challenging Vocational Courses and ensure the inclusion of 21st Century Skills in all courses.
• Require all CTE programs to align curriculum with state and industry standards and to establish a system to track academic and technical achievement of students enrolled in CTE programs, based on state and industry assessments. Project assessment should not be based on the finished product(s), but include a comprehensive written exam to assess if students understand technical and academic concepts used.
• Set expectations for instructors to develop a course syllabus for every CTE program. The syllabus should contain eight to 10 major goals as expectations for students to master. It should identify a series of increasingly complicated projects that students must complete to pass. Organize these projects so students are required to use academic and technical materials to complete them.
Action 4: Require students to take the appropriate industry certification exam to assess technical achievement. Ask teachers to develop end-of-course/program exams if there is no industry certification and validate these exams with local employers. End-of-course/program exams should include:
• A written comprehensive exam designed to measure students’ ability to read and interpret technical materials, apply major mathematics concepts needed to enter and advance in the field and understand technical concepts in the course.
• An open-ended project and assessment of students’ ability to think through and approach the project and apply appropriate technology to complete it. The project may also include an external evaluation. Career/Technical Student Organization (CTSO) activities and competitive events are effective sources for projects.
• An oral exam involving persons from the community as part of the examination process. Students would have to make a presentation on a completed project or be queried by an external group for a period of 30 to 45 minutes to see if they are able to articulate understanding of the field, using appropriate language.
Action 5: Increase academic integration in CTE programs. MHS has a strong Agriculture program. Consider implementing Agricultural Algebraic Extensive Exploration (A2E2 ). A2E2 is designed to integrate fundamental concepts of Algebra with real-life situations. This will enable students to become more successful with mathematics, by making math more approachable and by showing how it is useful in everyday situations. The course is an elective, where students will earn credit toward graduation requirements by getting an Agriculture-Science credit. This special course will work in conjunction with the regular Algebra I course in order to ensure success on the 9th grade TAKS test. Contact Debbie Thompson at Mount Pleasant High School dthompson@
To help address the math deficiencies on state assessments, have all math teachers work closely with C/T teachers to embed high level mathematics in each CTE course. Teams of math and C/T teachers should attend the training on embedding mathematics and develop integrated projects that do so.
Establish expectations for students to read technical materials and use technical writing in all C/T courses. Students must learn to read and write in the format used in the technical field in order to be successful in the field.
Action 6: Expand work-based learning opportunities that are meaning and relevant to their pathways by creating virtual or school enterprise opportunities. Currently, students may or may not have a job and be part of this course. Virtual or school-based enterprises are effective educational tools in helping to prepare students for the transition from school to work or college. For many students, they provide the first work experience; for others, they provide an opportunity to build management, supervision and leadership skills. These enterprises can offer students opportunities to develop an understanding of the kinds of work done in today’s workplace. Students may be involved in “all aspects of the business” and can rotate among the various positions and tasks involved in the designated business venture. Students have opportunities to work with teachers and business leaders who can serve as mentors. Opportunities for school-based enterprises are limited only by the imagination.
Create school-based enterprises such as a spirit store operated by the marketing class, school bank operated by a finance class, a nursery operated by the agricultural program and others related to local career options. School-based enterprises provide students opportunities to
• utilize basic academic skills,
• gain experience in a work-related environment,
• work as a team member,
• develop leadership skills,
• work with the teacher/coordinator and the advisory board to develop policies and procedures for the operation of an enterprise,
• become familiar with technology used in business, and
• develop an understanding of the economic system and its impact on society.
For guidance on how to develop a quality work-based learning program, see the Jobs for the Future’s publication, Learning Through Work Designing and Implementing Quality Worksite Learning for High School Students available at . or Guide For Starting and Managing School-Based Enterprises available at
Action 7: Educate teachers, parents, counselors and students of career/technical opportunities. The current system for grade point averages and class ranking does not allow CTE courses to be part of the advanced points. CTE courses that provide dual credit or Tech Prep State Articulated College credits should enable these courses to also be included. By hosting Open Houses and CTE Fairs to advertise what CTE courses are doing the old concept of vocational will be eliminated. The more information provided will start a conversation on the benefits of CTE courses.
Resources:
Career/technical certifications and credentials
• A+ Computer Certification, Computing Technology Industry Association,
• Association of Building Contractors (ABC) for carpentry, construction and electricity,
• American Welding Society (AWS), (800) 443-9353,
• Certiport Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC³),
• Cisco Networking,
• Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS), Microsoft Corporation,
• National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) for machine technology,
Career/technical student organizations
• Business Professional of America (BPA), Columbus, Ohio, 800-334-2007,
• Family, Community and Career Leaders of America (FCCLA), Reston, Va., (703) 476-4900,
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Reston, Va., (800) 325-2946,
• National DECA (Marketing), Reston, Va., (703) 860-5000,
• National FFA, Indianapolis, Ind., (317) 802-6060,
• SkillsUSA, Leesburg, Va., (703) 777-8810,
• Technology Student Association (TSA), Reston, Va., (703) 860-9000 or
Career/technical programs, revising
• Jo Kister, consultant, jkister@ or (614) 451-1306
• DECA School-based Enterprises
• Project Lead the Way, Carolyn Helm, SREB, (706) 499-5011
• Virtual Enterprises, Amsterdam Avenue .New York, NY 10023 .Phone: 212-769-2710
The fourth challenge is shift guidance and advisement to a college and career readiness focus. The TA team has concerns that the current focus is on support and too few students are being pushed to prepare for post-secondary success. The team heard from multiple sources that there is a belief that MHS students are not academically able. Unfortunately, this has rubbed off on students as several indicated they did not see themselves as college material. Counselors from feeder schools indicated that they did not know what students needed to graduate from high school. Several seniors interviewed by the TAV team did not know what they wanted to do after graduating from high school. Many had not even considered the possibility of post secondary opportunities. Seniors interviewed stated, “No one encourages us to belong to anything, you just have to look for it yourself. If students are shy or don’t know what they want, I think they’re the ones who just disappear.” Very few parents participate in activities on the campus outside of the athletic events. They reported not being part of the scheduling process unless they made the effort to discuss it with their student.
Action 1: Make a college and career success the basis of all conversations with students and parents. Counselors should emphasize the importance of senior level math and science for all seniors. Incorporate lessons on college and career readiness into the advisory program. Involve faculty in an analysis of the data provided by PSAT to determine strengths and areas for growth. Involve students in discussions and develop a plan to get more students to take the SAT/ACT. Collect, analyze and communicate post-secondary success data. Develop a system of tracking student postsecondary success rates by following those students who go from high school to college and those who transfer from one institution to another. Invite graduates to return and talk to underclassmen about college and career success.
Action 2: Implement a comprehensive advisement system involving all stakeholders. A comprehensive guidance and advisement system involves far more than just the advisory sessions. Have as goals for every student to connect with an adult and connect with a goal beyond high school. The third goal is to connect parents t he school in a meaningful way. Since students at-risk are already mentoring students, providing a modified schedule (20-30 minutes) allow for meeting twice a month would ensure students are monitored. Use this guidance focus team/cadre to lead in the development of a comprehensive system, including an expanded role for teacher as advisers. The cadre should provide faculty with extensive training for their roles and coordinate all aspects of the advisement system. Birdville HS (TXEN mentor site) has an excellent format to investigate. Contact Phyllis Scott at Phyllis_Scott@birdville.k12.tx.us for more information. Refer also to the SREB/ HSTW publication Guidance and Advisement: Influences on Students' Motivation and Course-taking Choices at
Advisers should
• Conduct advisory sessions, using the curriculum provided by the team/cadre.
• Offer a series of lessons on guidance-related issues during these sessions, such as goal-setting, career exploration, study skills, post-secondary opportunities, or preparing a resume. Have a counselor or teacher create lessons and distribute materials to advisers.
• Meet regularly with each advisee to review academic progress, determine problems that need to be addressed and refer advisee for extra assistance as needed.
• Review progress reports, grade cards and other achievement data prior to sending them to parents.
• Maintain year-long contact with parents through written and telephone communications.
Action 3: Create a “programs of study guide” that clearly articulates career clusters, concentrations and course sequences for each concentration. Develop multiple academic and career concentration options tied to AchieveTexas. This is an essential piece to help students and parents understand what students need to do to prepare for after-high school goals. It is also an invaluable tool for counselors and teachers as they work with students to prepare their four-eight year plans.
All students should have a clearly outlined program of study for high school and counselors/ administrators should ensure students’ access to appropriate courses to ensure they meet the HSTW-recommended core and concentration. Require students to use the booklet when reviewing their plan of study.
Action 4: Begin to hold conversations early with the eighth and ninth-grade parents about what students need to do to be successful at Midland High School. Beginning in the spring semester, guidance counselors need to schedule visits to meet with current eighth and ninth graders and their parents about high school expectations. Small working sessions would allow students and parents to ask questions. These conversations need to include thinking about college early, four- to six-year plans, transition programs available, and organizations and clubs students can join to be an active part of high school.
Action 5: Have students complete AND USE a six-year plan that details their program of study for high school and two years after graduation. Use your plans to revise the four-year plan to create a six year plan that includes the first two years of college for all students. Set expectations for all incoming sophomores to complete the plan and use it to guide annual meetings with parents. Use the recently implemented Bridges software to prepare students for the completion of the plan and keep the plan in electronic format.
Guidance Resources
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program: A Guide for Program Development Pre K-12th Grade available from TEA at
Guidance materials Advisory lessons
• Chicago Public Schools, lessons for 30 weeks (9-12)
• Education Alliance, Brown University (2003). Changing Systems of Personalized Learning: The Power of Advisories
The final challenge is for MHS to develop a comprehensive support system that addresses three specific areas: strengthening transition from ninth-grade to high school, providing support to struggling students and making the senior year challenging to better prepare graduates for postsecondary study or the workplace.
Ninth to Tenth Grade Transition
One sophomore stated, “I didn’t have any idea what to do and I still don’t know who my counselor is.” Although MHS attempts to acquaint the upcoming tenth-graders with the transition to the high school through Dawg Days where athletics and student organizations set up booths to recruit students, more needs to be done to acquaint incoming sophomores to high school life.
Students in danger of failing the TAKS exam have a mentor. However, there is no scheduled time to check on the students. “Unless they are already in our classes, it’s hard to check on them.”
The structure in Midland of having separate ninth grade campuses creates an additional transition if the high school does not work closely with the feeder middle and ninth grade schools. Despite this fact, high school teachers do not meet regularly with feeder school teachers.
No transition program exists to ease mid-year promotions from MFHS. Students entering MHS mid-year are force to take semester courses.
Recommended Actions:
Action 1: Develop a system for collecting data to track progress of ninth-and tenth-grade students Embed the HSTW habits for success in all tenth-grade classes and work with the ninth grade school to make these integral to their work. In addition, work with the ninth grade campus to find ways to introduce ninth-graders to more CT programs/requirements and employment opportunities. Faculty should teach study skills, time management, how to study in teams and how to take class notes as part of the course standards to help ninth-graders transition to the high school.
Action 2: Develop a sophomore-grade transition program and require students needing assistance to attend. Help students have a strong start by identifying ninth grade students who struggle in their freshmen classes before they come to the main high school. Many schools have adopted a multi-pronged approach to improving the transition into high school. These schools
• Develop a summer bridge program to support struggling freshmen, who do not have enough credits to be promoted and are not prepared for college-preparatory work based on state assessment and grades from 9th and 10th grade.
o Recruit your best teachers (or teachers from neighboring districts) to create a program that will focus on:
▪ Reading and Writing Readiness
▪ Mathematics Readiness
▪ Leadership Skills
▪ Computer skills and
▪ Career and Technology
o Develop a schedule that allows for intense hands-on lessons in ELA and Mathematics (preferably in the morning for two hour sessions). Afternoons could be devoted to building leadership and computer skills. Use Friday as a field experience day to visit colleges and business in order to build relevance for the need for academic skills.
Action 3: Create orientation activities for incoming tenth-graders. Allow incoming sophomores to attend “meet and greet” activities with the upperclassmen belonging to particular clubs or organization. This will foster a sense of belonging from the first day of classes. Develop a high school shadowing day that allows rising sophomores to spend a day with a junior or senior mentor. Incoming sophomores need to know in May that they are required to attend an orientation camp. Expand Dawg Days by bringing incoming sophomores by themselves in to school one to three days prior to other students to allow them to become acclimated to the facility, rules and procedures. Conduct mini-workshops on note-taking, homework, grading and other topics faculty deem essential.
Action 4: Begin the school year with a set routine to assist sophomores in acclimating to high school. The first few days can provide a firm foundation for freshmen. Students need to know what is expected of them in high school. To ensure a smooth transition from junior high to high school the faculty needs to develop a plan for the routines students need to be successful.
• Reserve the first few days of tenth grade for special programs in study skills, explicitly connecting these skills and the rigorous content of LHS to preparing students for success in college or other post-secondary training.
• Create mathematics and science study teams during which students not only work together in class but also accept responsibility to help each other learn the materials through emails, telephone calls and after-school activities.
• Develop opportunities for these students to earn high school credit during the summer prior to their freshmen year. This action allows the students actual enter high school ahead of other students and it opens up a period for students to participate in double-dosing or other activity.
• Institutionalize Habits for Success and AVID strategies across the 10th–grade curricula. Require teachers to integrate study skills, literacy and numeracy skills, and Habits of Success into their lesson plans for these grades. The aim is to help students become independent learners and learn how to help each other learn. Many students have never been a member of a study team.
• Hold student/parent/community meetings to explain why the curriculum is being strengthened and the positive impact this will have upon students. Be certain to involve middle school students/parents in this process.
Action 5: Establish a tenth grade academy or small learning community to ensure student success through personalization.
• Review the master schedule and recruit teachers to be a part of the tenth grade team. Get the best teachers to teach tenth grade core content areas.
• Organize tenth grade students into a series of learning communities consisting of 125 to 150 students with an instructional team that includes mathematics, English, science, social studies and computer/technology teachers. Make sure teacher teams meet weekly for horizontal curriculum alignment, to review student work, make parent contacts, etc.
• Create a schedule that provides a double dose of English, mathematics and science to students who enter high school not having met standards on the state assessments, including students who do not have enough credits to be a sophomore. Students would take an 18-week catch-up course, and then enroll in college-preparatory Algebra I, English Nine and science the second semester.
• Provide common planning time that equals at least one day per month for ninth-grade teachers to meet and devise challenging, connected learning experiences.
• Develop a plan to introduce the school’s philosophy to every incoming student, especially entering ninth graders
o Reserve the first few days of tenth grade for special programs in study skills, explicitly connecting these skills and the rigorous content of LHS to preparing students for success in college or other post-secondary training
o Assign every student to a study team. During those first days, train them in how to work together and how to support each other’s productive academic and cognitive behaviors.
o Have each advisor meet with each student individually for an hour each week for the first six weeks in school to review class performance and any other issue affecting achievement.
o Include a study skill component in every sophomore course. One might address note-taking; another one, techniques to master new vocabulary.
Action 6: Create a “Freshmore” program and reduce the ratio of students to teachers for these students who do not successfully finish the ninth grade. Place these students in a separate SLC from those who were successful as freshmen. Use the Habits for Success or AVID strategies embedded in all core courses taught first semester. Course work should include
• At least one C/T course each year. Giving at-risk students access to quality C?T programs each year dramatically increases the likelihood these students will stay in school.
• Develop specialized catch-up courses aimed at accelerating learning and teach these courses in a different way.
Supporting Struggling Students
Increasing expectations and creating opportunities for students to re-do work will require teachers to provide students with support for success. Too often these program of support are left to the individual teacher, rather than a comprehensive effort to support all students. The team recommends the following actions to create a comprehensive program of support.
Action 1: Have a team of teachers work together to create a structured system of extra help and require struggling students to participate. A school needs a structured system of extra help to close achievement gaps and teach all students to high standards. Include a well-defined referral process and a way to measure the progress of students who seek extra help. Students who perform poorly on standardized tests at most-improved HSTW sites are required or strongly encouraged to attend mathematics or reading labs, schedule extra sessions with a mathematics or a reading specialist, and/or enroll in a non-credit catch-up course. To increase opportunities for extra help, LHS should:
• Make attendance at extra-help sessions mandatory for students with an average of C or below in a course. Provide extra help through tutoring, labs, structured peer tutoring, a credit recovery program, double-dosing and summer school. Recruit volunteer tutors from the community, business partners, colleges and civic and church organizations. Develop a specific schedule for tutoring and inform students and parents of the dates and times.
• Investigate the use of online assistance programs for students to master material and recover credits. Many software developers have linked their programs to state standards and are good resources for extra help and review. Open computer labs after school for students to receive help from teachers in specific content areas. Some schools use the labs for assistance in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and social studies. Students can also do homework and writing assignments in the labs.
• Create mathematics, science and English study teams at all grade levels and get the teams to work together on assignments two or three times a week in a supervised area.
• Use grade-level teams or administrative and counseling teams to develop an intervention plan for students who are in danger of failing a course. Identify students early in the semester. Notify parents, meet with students and parents, and develop a contract to guarantee that the student, his or her parents and the teacher will do whatever it takes to increase the student’s performance. Prescribe specific extra-help strategies based on the student’s needs. These strategies take the form of homework center participation, extra-help periods and learning labs. Follow the student’s progress.
Action 2: Consider building an extra help time into the regular school day. Building extra help into the school day gives teachers the ability to require students to attend and sends the messages that helping a student succeed is important. Many schools combine the time with other initiatives such as sustained silent reading and advisement.
Challenging Senior Year
As in most schools in Texas, due to the TAKS focus, several seniors view the senior year as a year of entitlement—pass TAKS and “I can come in two hours late or leave early.” Research shows that based on the rigor of the curriculum taken in high school, particularly the senior year, students must experience a rigorous senior year to avoid developmental courses in post secondary venues. Data noted in the gaps section indicated that 41 percent are college ready in both language arts and math.
Recommended Actions:
Action 1: Arrange with Midland College (MC) to administer their placement exams to juniors. Use the results to determine which students are and are not ready for college-level work. Use the individual results to plan student schedules for the senior year. Use the results to determine which students are and are not ready for college-level work.
• Enroll students who pass the placement exam into dual/ concurrent enrollment courses. Most students who pass the exam can earn three to nine college credits during the senior year and be better prepared for postsecondary education.
• Enroll seniors, expecting to go to college, who fail the placement exam into readiness/support courses or catch-up courses.
• Enroll students who do not plan to pursue in postsecondary studies in a program that leads to employer certification that can be earned at the end of high school or at least well-begun by graduation. Try to get a commitment from students and parents to finish the certification with a few months of graduation.
Action 2: Require students to complete a senior project as a culminating and extension of what they learned in their high school program of study and concentration in the form of an independent study or internship. The senior project should include a research paper, a product or service, and an oral presentation. Require all students to complete the senior project and align it with his/her pathway. MHS could go further and have students start their project as freshmen in the form of a Quality Seminar. Students could use sessions of a two-hour/week “project block” to develop and deepen this into the major item in a portfolio for admission into college or advanced career training.
Resources:
Catch-up courses
• For freshman English: Renee Murray, (859) 296-9393, renee.murray@
• For freshman mathematics: Leslie Texas, (502) 499-6011, texasconsulting@
• For senior English: Renee Murray, SREB, (859) 296-9393 renee.murray@ , Elizabeth Bailey, (662) 494-6219, elizabethcbailey@
• For senior mathematics, Pam Fails, SREB, (512) 414-0150, pjfails@
Ninth-grade transition programs
• Renee Murray, SREB, (859) 296-9393, renee.murray@
• Jan Struebing, Springdale HS, Ark., (479) 750-8726, (479) 236-3164, jstruebing@
Senior projects
• Carol Mettlin, HSTW Site Coordinator at Diboll High School 1000 Lumberjack Diboll, TX 75941 (936) 829-5695 cmettlen@
• Pam Brown, Lubbock-Cooper ISD 16302 Loop 493 Lubbock, TX 79423 (806) 863-1221
Senior year, strengthening
• Renee Murray, (859) 296-9393, renee.murray@
• Janie Smith, SREB (912) 635-2081, janiewsmith@
Small learning communities (SLCs)
• Linda Dove, SREB, (404) 875-9211, linda.dove@
• Saralyn Richard, (409) 744-2811, saralyn.richard@
• Heather Boggs Sass, SREB, (614) 847-5832, heather.sass@
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