Commentary: We need to look beyond test scores in determining a school’s quality, but do most citizens actually do so?
Public School Success Stories
Across the Country, public schools and districts are transforming themselves to prepare students for success in a 21st-century democracy and global society. Take a look at what educators and communities are doing right now to meet this challenge.
Or tell us what's working in your own school or district.
A School that Works for Children
Story posted January 5, 2009. Results updated December 16, 2009.
Results:
• The school has made adequate yearly progress for each of the last seven years and is rated "effective" by the Ohio Department of Education
• In 2009, the school outperformed the district in every tested subject at every tested grade level and the state in every tested subject grades 3 - 7 and in 8th grade reading (while serving a more disadvantaged population than the state as a whole)
Eleven years ago, the administration of Toledo Public Schools and the Toledo Federation of Teachers embarked on a campaign to create innovative district schools that meet the needs of parents and the community. As a part of that campaign, they worked together to open Grove Patterson Academy, a school offering a combination of nontraditional programs proven to support student achievement. ...
Story posted December 9, 2008
Results:
• In 2008, 91% of 3rd graders and 89% of 5th graders met or exceeded state standards in reading, up from 67% and 63% (respectively) in 2006 (the state proficiency rate increased only 1% for 3rd graders and 5% for 5th graders over this time)
• In 2008, the percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards was greater than the state average in every area tested
All children can learn. When a school staff truly embraces this core belief and openly demonstrates it to students, parents, and each other, dramatic improvements in academic performance can result.
Take, for example, Anne Fox Elementary School. Fox is a moderately low-income, demographically diverse school in the working-class suburb of Hanover Park, Illinois. The student population is 34 percent white, 30 percent Hispanic, 17 percent black, and 19 percent Asian/Pacific Islander. Students speak more than 35 different languages, and the school’s low-income and mobility rates are double the district average. Until recently, Fox School ranked dead last in academic achievement among the district’s 21 elementary schools and was known as a “problem spot.” ...
Story posted November 20, 2008
Results:
• Failing grades have decreased 33%
• Unsatisfactory passing grades have decreased 21%
• Mean GPA has risen from 2.81 to 3.00
All students benefit from having a "home field advantage" (Howard, 1999) that can provide support and help motivate them to achieve their best. At Dominion High School in northern Virginia, this advantage is created by matching each student with an adult mentor who provides support and encouragement throughout the student's high school experience. ...
Story posted November 13, 2008
Results:
• Once designated "in need of improvement," the school has recently been commended by the state of New York
• 80 students enrolled in high school-level courses in 2007, up from 30 in 2001
• 28% of students participating in high school-level courses in 2007 were minorities, up from 10% in 2002
• 99% of staff approve of administrators' efforts to empower educators
"Built by the Past-Ready for the Future" is more than a school motto at Isaac E. Young Middle School in New Rochelle, NY. Built in 1925, Isaac became the iconic U.S. secondary school when Dick Sargent's painting of it appeared on the cover of the October 17, 1959, issue of The Saturday Evening Post. The changes that the school has experienced over the last 55 years mirror changes in the suburban United States. ...
Story posted November 6, 2008
Results:
• In 2007, 96% of 6th graders, 95% of 7th graders and 95% of 8th graders scored proficient or above on state standardized tests in reading
• In 2007, 89% of 6th graders, 91% of 7th graders and 93% of 8th graders scored proficient or above on state standardized tests in math
• Discipline referrals decreased from 567 in 2000-2001 to 150 in 2006-2007
The halls of Boaz Middle School are buzzing with energy. Students walk past bulletin boards displaying their work, as a visitor stops to browse the examples of graphic organizers and short essays. Teachers stand in the open classroom doorways, discussing students, strategies and the day's successes. Students stop to ask teachers for extra help with presentations and projects. Teachers stop students as they pass by just to ask how things are going.
...
From Fire Trucks to the Federal Court: An Academic Edge for Low-Income Students
Story posted October 30, 2008. Results updated May 12, 2010.
Results:
• In 2009, over 90% of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders passed both the reading and math portions of the state standardized test
• In 2009, 100% of 3rd and 4th graders passed the reading portion of the state standardized test
• Named a 2008 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education
"There's not a minute to be lost." That's the mantra in many high-needs schools today, where the pressures of high-stakes accountability have reduced the time spent on "untested" subjects and activities like art, music, drama and physical education. And perhaps no brand of school fun has taken the drubbing given to the venerable Field Trip in recent years. Trips away from school often take most or all of the day, and a day lost from intensive instruction (and test preparation) is no small matter to the principals of high-needs schools, where children often have a lot of catching up to do. ...
Teacher-Driven Inclusion Model Pays off for School
Story posted October 23, 2008
Results:
• Special education students have received 60% fewer detention referrals for poor behavior
• Special education caseloads have declined by more than half since 2002
McKinleyville Middle School serves over 370 students in grades 6-8 in the town of McKinleyville in northwest Humboldt County, California. 43% of the school's students receive free or reduced price meals, and 15% are in special education.
Until 1999, McKinleyville taught special education students in the traditional way: by pulling them out of mainstream classes and teaching them in separate classrooms for most of the school day. ...
Story posted October 16, 2008
Results:
• 88% retention rate of probationary new teacher hires since 2003
• Steadily improving state assessment scores and graduation rates over the past five years
Like many small rural school districts, the Springville-Griffith Institute Central School District in Western New York faces challenges in hiring and retaining teachers. Home to rural farms and small manufacturing facilities, the district serves a diverse population of about 2,500 low- to middle-income students. Many district teachers are nearing retirement, potentially exacerbating teacher retention woes. District leaders worried that high turnover rates would impede student learning.
...
Closing the Gap: A Union/District Partnership Spells Success for Low-Income Kids
Story posted October 9, 2008
Result:
• Three years into the program, 6th grade test scores had risen between 39% and 53% at all participating schools
As superintendent of the ABC Unified School District in Southeast Los Angeles, Ron Barnes knew that averages can be deceiving. Home to one of the highest-performing schools in California, his school district's test score averages stood up well against state scores. Yet this small, urban district's overall high performance rate concealed large discrepancies in achievement.
In fact, six of the district's poorest schools struggled to meet reading goals. With a 90 percent minority population, high poverty rates and English Language Learners comprising more than half of their enrollments, these schools faced tough challenges.
To address the large achievement gaps between schools in the district, the ABC Federation of Teachers (ABCFT) partnered with Barnes and members of the school board in 1999 to equip teachers and leaders for success. ...
Aiming for a Blue Ribbon in Alabama's Black Belt
Story posted October 3, 2008
On the edge of Alabama, 15 miles from the Mississippi state line, lies Aliceville. With only 5,000 residents, the town relies on agriculture and timber for jobs, and many of its residents live at or below the poverty level. Driving through downtown, you see three closed gas stations with their prices permanently set at $2.58. A right turn takes drivers past an established housing community and a few newer complexes, and then two long, low red brick school buildings come into view.
Results:
• In 2007, 94% of 4th graders met or exceeded standards on the state reading test, up from 64% in 2004
• In 2007, 89% of 6th graders met or exceeded standards on the state math test, up from 23% in 2004
...
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A VISION FOR GREAT SCHOOLS
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