National Forum to Accelerate Middle- Grades Reform.

National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform

Middle Grades—At the Middle Grades—At the CrossroadsCrossroads•Middle grades are critical for increasing Middle grades are critical for increasing

high school graduation rates, career and high school graduation rates, career and college-readycollege-ready

•Success in the MiddleSuccess in the Middle

•When middle grades reform When middle grades reform recommendations are implemented with recommendations are implemented with consistency, over time we know middle consistency, over time we know middle grades schools can be powerful communities grades schools can be powerful communities of learningof learning

•Comprehensive middle grades reform yields Comprehensive middle grades reform yields higher achievementhigher achievement

•““Structural” changes are necessary but not Structural” changes are necessary but not sufficient to accomplish all that needs to be sufficient to accomplish all that needs to be done. done.

•Need for targeted, ongoing professional Need for targeted, ongoing professional development and preservice teacher development and preservice teacher preparation for middle level educators preparation for middle level educators

The Work of the ForumEstablish a common vision and language for speaking about

middle-grades school improvement among stakeholders

Forge sustainable partnerships among state agencies and organizations seeking to improve middle-grades schools

Train leaders at the state, district and school levels to assess school performance using a set of rigorous criteria

Provide exemplars and inspiration for schools seeking to improve their performance.

What is Schools to Watch?Part of National Forum to Accelerate Middle Level

Reform, in collaboration with NMSA, NAESP, NASSP, NSDC

State programTrains teams of educators on criteria, nomination and

selection processIdentifies high-performing middle level schools

State ProgramIndiana’s application was accepted in December 2008.Other states in the program:

Arkansas - New JerseyCalifornia - New YorkColorado - North CarolinaFlorida - OhioGeorgia - Oregon Illinois - PennsylvaniaKentucky - South CarolinaMichigan - Utah

- Virginia

Schools to Watch States 2007Schools to Watch States 2007

CaliforniaCalifornia

GeorgiaGeorgia

North North CarolinaCarolina

ColoradoColorado

IllinoisIllinois

KentuckyKentucky

VirginiaVirginia

New YorkNew York

OhioOhioArkansasArkansas

MichiganMichiganPennsylvanPennsylvan

iaia

South South CarolinaCarolina

UtahUtah

New JerseyNew Jersey

OregonOregon

Number ofNumber ofSTW STW

States:States:1616

Nation’s Nation’s Middle Middle LevelLevel

Students in Students in STW StatesSTW States

53%53%

Schools to Watch CriteriaSchools to Watch schools meet these

criteria:

Academically Excellent Developmentally ResponsiveSocially EquitableOrganizational Structures and Processes

Common ThreadsCommon Threads

While each school faces different challenges related to its While each school faces different challenges related to its location, student demographics, levels of district support, and location, student demographics, levels of district support, and other factors, we have seen common themes emerge. other factors, we have seen common themes emerge.

Our Schools to Watch: Our Schools to Watch:

•Know and articulate the academic outcomes they seek. In some Know and articulate the academic outcomes they seek. In some cases, the outcomes are prescribed by the state or district; in cases, the outcomes are prescribed by the state or district; in others the faculty have adopted the outcomes recommended by others the faculty have adopted the outcomes recommended by their various disciplines. their various disciplines.

•Are taking deliberate steps to help students achieve those Are taking deliberate steps to help students achieve those outcomes by making strategic changes in curriculum, teaching, outcomes by making strategic changes in curriculum, teaching, and school services. and school services.

•Enjoy a high degree of family & community involvement (but are Enjoy a high degree of family & community involvement (but are never satisfied with their current levels).never satisfied with their current levels).

•Demonstrate a high level of faculty commitment.Demonstrate a high level of faculty commitment.

Common ThreadsCommon Threads

•Have set benchmarks for implementing their strategies, Have set benchmarks for implementing their strategies, and hold themselves accountable for specific results. We and hold themselves accountable for specific results. We cannot stress too much the importance of data in the lives cannot stress too much the importance of data in the lives of these schools. of these schools.

•Strategically concentrate their energies on important focus Strategically concentrate their energies on important focus areas. As a result, the changes in each school are areas. As a result, the changes in each school are burrowing deeply into its culture. burrowing deeply into its culture.

•Have strong, visionary leaders who can articulate Have strong, visionary leaders who can articulate challenging goals, and motivate faculty and staff to reach challenging goals, and motivate faculty and staff to reach those goals.those goals.

•The schools are filled with happy, positive, and involved The schools are filled with happy, positive, and involved students and adults who are all actively learning!students and adults who are all actively learning!

Academic ExcellenceHigh standardsCurriculum, instruction and assessment aligned with

standardsChallenging and engaging instructionFlexible schedulingTeachers who are knowledgeable of content and

pedagogyTeachers who are knowledgeable of each child’s needs.

Developmentally ResponsivePersonalized, supportive environmentServices to foster healthy physical, social, emotional

and intellectual development.Interdisciplinary approach to learning with multiple

opportunities to explore rich topics and interests, including co-curricular activities.

Connections with families.Development of citizenship skills with connection to

community.

Socially EquitableAll students are held to high academic and behavioral

expectations and participate in heterogeneous classes.Students have opportunity to use many and varied

approaches to achieve and demonstrate mastery of standards.

Teachers continually adapt programs to meet students’ needs.

Students learn and appreciate their own and others’ cultures.

Rules are clear, fair and consistently applied.

Organizational Structures and ProcessesA shared vision of what a high-performing school is and

does drives every facet of school change.School staff holds itself accountable for the students’

success.School/district devote resources to content-rich

professional development, that is connected to the school vision.

Schools to Watch A School Self-Study and Rating RubricUsed by middle grades or secondary schools to rate their

programs.A continuing-improvement tool – required for schools

applying for STW designation.

Schools to Watch School Self-Rating

General Criteria Detailed Criteria Self-Rating 1. All students are expected to meet high academic standards

4 3 2 1 Average

____ Expectations are clear for students and parents. 4 3 2 1

Prior to students beginning an assignment, teachers supply students with exemplars of high quality work that meet the performance standard or level.

4 3 2 1

Students know what high quality work should be like. 4 3 2 1

Students revise their work based on meaningful feedback until they meet or exceed the performance standard or level.

4 3 2 1

2. Curriculum, instruction, assessment, and appropriate academic interventions are aligned with high standards.

4 3 2 1 Average

____ Standards provide a coherent vision for what students should know and be able to

do. 4 3 2 1

Students, teachers and families understand what students are learning and why. 4 3 2 1

In any class and at any time, students can explain the importance of what they are learning.

4 3 2 1

The curriculum is rigorous, non-repetitive, and moves forward substantially. 4 3 2 1

Work is demanding and steadily progresses. 4 3 2 1

3. The curriculum emphasizes deep understanding of important concepts and the development of essential skills.

4

3

2

1

Average

____ Teachers make connections across the disciplines to reinforce important concepts and assist students in applying what they have learned to solve real-world problems.

4

3

2

1

All teachers incorporate academic and informational literacy into their course work (i.e. reading, writing, note taking, researching, listening, and speaking) 4 3 2 1

4. Instructional strategies include a variety of challenging and engaging activities that are clearly related to the grade-level standards, concepts, and skills being taught. 4 3 2 1

Average

____ To reach students, all teachers draw from a common subset of instructional strategies and activities such as:

o Direct instruction 4 3 2 1

o Cooperative learning 4 3 2 1 o Project-based learning 4 3 2 1 o Simulations 4 3 2 1

o Hands-on learning – integrated technology 4 3 2 1

o Other 4 3 2 1

Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence

Vision StatementVision Statement

““The school The school challenges all students challenges all students to use their minds to use their minds well, providing them well, providing them with the curriculum, with the curriculum, instruction, instruction, assessment, support assessment, support and time they need to and time they need to meet rigorous meet rigorous academic standards.” academic standards.”

STW CriteriaSTW Criteria

All students are All students are expected to meet expected to meet high academic high academic standards.standards.

Curriculum, Curriculum, instruction, instruction, assessment, and assessment, and appropriate appropriate interventions are interventions are aligned with standards aligned with standards and are rigorous.and are rigorous.

Developmental ResponsivenessDevelopmental Responsiveness


““The school creates The school creates small learning small learning communities of communities of adults and students adults and students in which stable, in which stable, close, and mutually close, and mutually respectful respectful relationships relationships support all students’ support all students’ intellectual, ethical, intellectual, ethical, and social growth.”and social growth.”


The school creates a The school creates a personalized personalized environment that environment that supports each student’s supports each student’s intellectual, ethical, intellectual, ethical, social, and physical social, and physical development. development. The school provides The school provides access to comprehensive access to comprehensive services to foster services to foster healthy physical, social, healthy physical, social, emotional, and emotional, and intellectual intellectual development.development.

Social EquitySocial Equity


““The school has The school has high expectations high expectations for all their for all their students and is students and is committed to committed to helping each child helping each child produce work of produce work of high quality.” high quality.”


To the fullest extent To the fullest extent possible, all students, possible, all students, including English including English learners, students learners, students with disabilities, with disabilities, gifted and honors gifted and honors students, participate students, participate in heterogeneous in heterogeneous classes with high classes with high academic and academic and behavioral behavioral expectations.expectations.

Organizational Structures & Organizational Structures & ProcessesProcesses


“These are the norms, structures, and organizational arrangements that support and sustain a school’s trajectory toward excellence in all areas.”

STW CriteriaSTW CriteriaA shared vision of what a high-performing school is and does drives every facet of school change. The principal has the responsibility and authority to hold the school-improvement enterprise together, including day-to-day know-how, coordination, strategic planning, and communication.

What’s next for Indiana?December – January: Site visits for schools selected by

STW Indiana Team based on applications submitted in October

Visit schools who apply for Schools to Watch designationSpring 2010: Next STW TrainingEducators who will learn criteria, nomination and

selection process

Contact InformationShirley Wright, IMLEA

[email protected]

Lynn Lupold, CELL

[email protected]

National Schools to Watch ConferenceMarriott Crystal Gateway Hotel, Arlington, VA

June 24-26, 2010

June 23-25, 2011

Networking, professional development and advocacy initiative

Help demonstrate need to focus on the middle….Success in the Middle

National Forum to Accelerate Middle- Grades Reform.

Documents