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Randolph High School Presentation

The Achievement Gap Initiative

Harvard University

April 29, 2010

Dr. William Conard, PrincipalMs. Laura Sullivan, Teacher, Math Department ChairMr. Stephen LeClair, Teacher, Union Representative

Each Randolph High School student will demonstrate high levels of achievement in a safe and

respectful environment that honors our diversity.

Randolph High School

Randolph MA…

Located 16 miles south of Boston

Approximately 31,000 people (general population)

Median age is 38 years

61.5% White, 21% Black, 10% Asian (2007)

Voted for the first school override in 2008

Randolph High School…

750 students in grades 9—12

78 teachers/staff

28 different languages spoken

Profile of Students

LOW INCOMEPRIMARY LANGUAGE (AT HOME)

NOT ENGLISH ELL SPED

50.7% 52% 9% 18%

Diversity of Student Body-1998-2010

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%

1998-1999 29.0% 52.0% 11.8% 6.6%

2003-2004 41.8% 37.4% 13.2% 7.2%

2008-2009 51.2% 22.1% 15.6% 8.6%

2009-2010 57.7% 16.8% 16.7% 8.4%

African American White Asian Hispanic

MCAS Data—Math

MATH PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED ADVANCED AND PROFICIENT

50%

52%

54%

56%

58%

60%

62%

64%

66%

MATH 54% 52% 56% 63% 65%

YR 2005 YR 2006 YR 2007 YR 2008 YR 2009

MCAS Data—ELA

ELA PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED ADVANCED AND PROFICIENT

50%52%54%56%58%60%62%64%66%68%70%72%

ELA 59% 62% 62% 64% 70%

YR 2005 YR 2006 YR 2007 YR 2008 YR 2009

AYP

It all began with four “simple” ideas…

We realized we needed to:

Teach students and subjects

Create school-wide change, not isolated change

Foster a professional learning community that would allow our teachers the opportunity to meet, discuss, implement and review data and best practices

Foster smaller learning communities to involve all of our teachers and students in opportunities for rigorous academic, social, and personal growth

Relationships

Teacher Student

Knowledge

Overview: How we have increased student achievement

Our framework for thinking about our professional learning community

Practices, resources and routines we have implemented to foster our teachers’ professional learning community

Professional Learning Community

A Vision focused on student achievement and high expectations

A School Improvement Plan focused on improving the teaching and learning process

Staff Development focused on teacher needs and opportunities

Supportive Accountability focused on personalization to insure that each teacher and student succeeds

School Wide Professional DevelopmentSustained Professional Development

3 years of professional development on all ½ days

Studying Successful Teaching—Research for Better Teaching (focus on instruction)

Administrators participated in complementary course to help monitor and mentor teachers

English Language Learner Category training for all teachers

School Wide Professional Development

Focused on Teaching & Learning

Faculty meetings – 1 hour once a month

Department meetings – 1 ½ hours once a month

Curriculum duty – 5 periods every other week

Curriculum Duty

Monday Self-directed PD

Tuesday through Thursday common planning with common course teachers

Friday Administratively Led Professional Development

Faculty divided into two interdisciplinary groups

Examples of Friday PD Meetings

Oct. 23/30 Peer Walk ThroughsNov. 6/13 Electronic Referrals Nov. 20/Dec. 4 Instructional Improvement PlanDec. 11/18 Inclusion-Differentiated Instruction Jan. 8/15 Peer Walk Throughs Jan. 22/29 Self-DirectedFeb. 5/12 Instructional Improvement PlanFeb. 26/Mar. 5 Parent Engagement

School Wide Professional Development Instructional Improvement Plan led by Assistant

Principal for Teaching & Learning, Curriculum Directors and Department Chairs

Classroom Instruction that Works(Marzano, et.al.)

Questioning Strategies

Cooperative Learning

Instructional Improvement PlanFriday Professional Development

Introduce teaching strategy (questioning)

Department & Common Planning Time

Check-in—two successes and one challenge

Peer Walk-Throughs Focus on instructional strategy

Department & Common Planning Time

Check-in—Look at student work

Faculty Meeting Debrief about strategy

School Wide Practices

Peer Walk-Throughs

Teachers observe colleagues as they teach

Walk-throughs occur four times a year

Visiting teachers debrief on observations with a focus on the strategy in the instructional improvement plan

Feedback is provided to the visited teacher

School-Wide: Peer Walk-Throughs

2008/2009 2009/2010

Number Two teachers visited per session-12 minutes each

One teacher visited per session-25 minutes each

Focus Best Practices Instructional Improvement Plan

Feedback No Yes

School-Wide: Peer Walk-Throughs

What did you observe regarding the instructional strategies of cooperative learning/grouping?

What positive impact did this instructional strategy have on student learning?

From what you observed on this peer walkthrough, what would you use in your own classroom?

What suggestions, questions, or feedback do you have for your colleague about this instructional strategy?

Department PracticesDepartmental Common planning (school-wide)

Common course teachers work together one to three periods every two weeks on curriculum maps, pacing, revision of curriculum, etc

Over 50 hours of CPT during regular school year

Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe)

Use of data to drive planning and instruction

Department Practices—Data Analysis

Department Practices—Data Analysis

Department Practices

Curriculum development– Standards based– Common lesson plans– Common assessments– Looking at student work

Ownership of work– What are we teaching? (standards)– How are we assessing student learning?– How are we going to teach?

9th & 10th Grade Small Learning Communities (SLC)

One English, math, science, social studies, and inclusion teacher for each SLC

Same group of approximately 100 students who take classes together

One counselor

Common planning time for team

9th & 10th Grade SLC Practices

Common planning time

Four meetings every two weeks

Meeting agendas focused on program implementation, student achievement, student development and/or parent engagement

Development of protocols for looking at student work

9th & 10th Grade SLC PracticesOpportunity for teacher leadership

Teacher autonomy to:

Choose lead facilitator (team leader)

Move students according to needs, interests, etc.

Loop w/students from 9th to 10th grade

Design five-hour planning meetings at the end of each semester (compensated)

Inclusion

Majority of students scheduled in inclusive classrooms

Support given through inclusion teacher and/or paraprofessional

Common planning time provided for co-teachers

Other Change Catalysts: NEASC

Visit in March 2007Visitation Report in October 2007

– Approximately 56 recommendations– Majority in expectations, curriculum,

instruction and assessment

Other Change Catalysts:Supervision & Evaluation Administrative walk-throughs with written feedback to

teachers

Evaluation process fully implemented for all teachers

Teacher improvement plans

Mentoring of all new teachers

Administrative team took a full-year course for observing and analyzing teaching (RBT)

Bi-weekly meetings with Randolph Educational Association

Other Change Catalysts: Teacher LeadershipDepartment Chairs, Instructional Coaches and Lead

Facilitators work directly with classroom teachers

Provide second tier of school-based leadership

Meet together weekly with Assistant Principal for Teacher and Learning

Observe and model lessons

Conference with teachers on a regular basis

Other Change Catalysts: AP Grant

Teachers collaborate with common course teachers

Teachers collaborate with teachers from other high school districts

Teachers observe other teachers’ instruction during Saturday prep sessions

Summer & school-year training– 5 days during the summer– 4 days during school year

Professional Development Books

Studying Successful Teaching (RBT), John Saphier, et.al.

The First Days of School, Harry & Rosemary Wong

Understanding by Design (UBD), Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Classroom Instruction That Works, Robert Marzano, et.al.

Student Motivation (TBD)

Challenges

1. Building trust and shared understandings – new administration, coaching model, looking at classroom data, peer walkthroughs, inclusion, etc…

2. Evaluating classroom instruction, programs, initiatives, etc.

3. Making data accessible to teachers

4. Relying on data in addition to MCAS to measure school effectiveness

Challenges

5. Introducing new teachers to previously held professional development

6. Providing exemplars, i.e., differentiated instruction, co-taught classroom, etc.

7. Involving all departments especially those without curriculum directors, instructional coaches and/or department chairs

8. Sustainability, i.e. funding, town government, etc.

Challenge and Expectation: RHS College Academy

Massasoit Community CollegeAssociate Degree with high school diploma

Bridgewater State CollegePartner with RHS and MCC