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Story posted January, 2008.  Results updated August 3, 2009.

 Results:
• On average, 90% of students in grades 2-5 met or exceeded State Standards in reading and math on Delaware’s annual assessment (DSTP) in 2009
• 2009 performance highlights include 97% of 3rd graders and 94% of 4th graders passing the DSTP math test (compared to 79% and 77%, respectively, for the state as a whole)

The Frankford Elementary School motto is "A Place for Everyone."  And, over the years, the school has proven that everyone can succeed if provided with individualized attention to meet specific learning needs.

Frankford Elementary sits in a small, rural community just ten miles from Bethany Beach, a summer vacation resort.  Despite the school's proximity to expensive beach homes, most of the school's students come from low-income households. Seventy-eight percent of Frankford students qualify for free or reduced lunches.  The student body is 43% Hispanic, 29% White and 26% African American.

In the past, Frankford students consistently failed to meet established standards in reading, math and other subjects.  Said Principal Duncan G. Smith: "Low expectations, limited resources, a lack of diverse teaching strategies, and little if any teacher autonomy or input had created a climate of distrust and apprehension."

All of that changed with the arrival in 1996 of a new principal, Sharon Brittingham.  Under her leadership, and now Smith's, Frankford Elementary has built a culture where all students are expected to achieve at high levels.  "Each year, our staff sets high expectations for all of our students, regardless of the ethnic background, language barriers or socioeconomic status they bring with them," said Smith.

Smith cited several examples of how Frankford lives up to its vision of "educating all of our children so they will excel in their life endeavors."  For example:

• Administrators and the school's reading specialist meet with each teacher in each marking period to discuss every child's progress and learning needs, and to identify interventions where needed.
• The entire staff receives training in proven instructional strategies that shift the classroom dynamic to student-centered learning.
• Students are administered reading and math assessments three times during the school year.  The results are used to identify students who can benefit from before- and after-school "pullouts," tutoring and other programs. 
• Teachers collaborate within and across grade levels to discuss individual students, determine what they should learn, develop common assessments and make adjustments in their instruction.

Thanks to these and other innovations, Frankford students have racked up remarkable gains in achievement.  In 2004-2005, for example, an amazing 100 percent of third- and fifth-grade students at Frankford achieved the standard on the Delaware reading assessment.  And, Frankford students consistently exceed state average scores in reading, writing and math by as much as 20 percentage points.

Smith credited the school's caring and customized approach to student learning with Frankford's success.  "We have outstanding teachers who work with our students to ensure that every child has success and shows academic growth," he said.

AUGUST 2009 UPDATE: Since this story was originally posted, Frankford Elementary has continued to perform extremely well. The school remains high-poverty, with 82% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. At the same time, on average 90% of students in grades 2-5 met or exceeded State Standards in reading and math on Delaware’s annual assessment (the DSTP) in 2009. Highlights from the 2009 tests include 97% of 3rd graders and 94% of 4th graders passing the DSTP math test (compared to 79% and 77%, respectively, for the state as a whole), and 83% of 5th graders passing the DSTP writing test (compared to 60% for the state as a whole).

Further details about this story can be found in our sources:
ED.gov, "School Showcase - Duncan Smith, Frankford Elementary" presentation at No Child Left Behind summit, April 2006.

ED.gov's The Achiever, "Leading High-Achieving Schools", March 1st, 2005

The Alliance Achievement, "It's Being Done, Frankford Elementary School"

Education World, "Principal Cites High Expectations for Success" , May 17, 2007

For additional information, please contact:
Duncan Smith
Principal, Franford Elementary School
302-732-3808
duncansmith@irsd.k12.de.us

Photos courtesy of www.rikikidscount.org and the U.S. Department of Education