How close are we

1
How close are we?
Element 1Clear and Specific Goals
2
In CA too few are Enrolled and Successful in
Algebra
Source California Department of Education, 2004.
3
Fewer Complete or Master Geometry
Source California Department of Education, 2004.
4
Fewer than a quarter of students are prepared for
college.Performance of class of 2003
Note A-G mastery indicates that students have
completed the full A-G course sequence with a C
or better in each class. Source Education
Trust-West analysis of CDE data, using the
Manhattan Institute methodology
5
Latino and African American students are even
less prepared.9th graders who graduate with A-G
mastery, class of 2003
Note A-G mastery indicates that students have
completed the full A-G course sequence with a C
or better in each class. Source Education
Trust-West analysis of CDE data, using the
Manhattan Institute methodology
6
. Disadvantaged districts are only ¼ as likely
to have enough A-G classes for all students.
Note Disadvantaged means schools at the lower
end of CAs School Characteristics Index (SCI),
which takes into account demographic factors
including poverty level and English language
proficiency. Source Education Trust-West
analysis of CDE data
7

• Students wait to see a counselor weeks after
  the semester has started, so they can somehow
  beat the other hundreds of fellow classmates out
  of that one seat left for the completion of their
  A-G coursework. Only to be told theres not
  enough classes or spaces. Imagine how that feels
  as a high school senior.
• - Educator, Los Angeles Unified, Testimony on
  A-G.
• Senate Select Committee on University Outreach
  and Admissions. June, 2004.

8
High Performing Districts Have Already Made A-G
the Default CurriculumExample San Jose Unified
9
In 1998, San Jose Unified Took the Lead. . . By
2002 the First Graduating Class and Every Class
Since Then Has Dispelled All Sorts of Myths
That A-G Isnt Realistic for Californias
Students.

10
MYTH Requiring a rigorous course of study for
all high school students will result in a watered
down curriculum
11
AP Scoreswith a score of AP gt3
748 Test Taken
1197 Tests Taken
Source EdTrust West analysis of California
Department of Education data
12
SAT I Average Test Scores
Tests taken 1058
Tests taken 1065
Source EdTrust West analysis of California
Department of Education data
13
Seniors who have taken at least one AP course
Source EdTrust West analysis of California
Department of Education data
14
MYTH Grades will plummet if all students are
expected to complete a college preparatory
curriculum
15
Mean GPA for All SJUSD Graduating
16
MYTH Tough graduation requirements will cause
non college bound students to disengage and drop
out
17
A-G-for-all at SJUSDGraduation Rate
Manhattan Institute Method. Similar results
under Urban Institute Methodology (73 to 79).
18
Dropout Rate based on CBEDS data
19
MYTH Requiring traditionally underrepresented
students to take the full sequence of A-G courses
will result in huge failure rates
20
Pass Rate in A to G Courses for Hispanic Students
Source EdTrust West analysis of California
Department of Education data
21
MYTH Closing the achievement gap by demanding
rigor in graduation standards is the wrong place
to start
22
SJUSD SAT9 CAT6 Matched Reading Scores at
Grades 3-9 for Students who Have Been Tested
with STAR Every Year Since 1998
GAP REDUCED BY 48
Source EdTrust West analysis of California
Department of Education data
23
THE REALITY ISA college preparatory curriculum
for all students will result in dramatic
increases in the numbers of students, both
minority and non-minority, who are eligible to
enter UC/CSU directly our of high school
24
of SJUSD Graduates who Satisfy UC/CSU
Requirements
Source EdTrust West analysis of California
Department of Education data
25
San Joses Success Didnt Happen Overnight. But
We Sure Know A Lot More Now Then We Did Then.
Do we have the will?
26
To make the high school diploma more than an
empty promise, All has to mean All. A-G Used
to be reserved for some. Will we provide it to
all?
27
Course Titles Dont Guarantee Good Instruction
Good Standards Can Help Focus

• But not if they sit on the shelf.

28
CA Language Arts Curriculum Calibration Analysis
Source DataWorks Education Research, 2002.
29
Remediation at CSU Too Few Freshmen Demonstrate
Strong English Skills
Percentage of CSU Freshmen Requiring Remediation
in English, Fall 2003
Source CSU, Analytic Studies Unit, 2004.
http//www.asd.calstate.edu/performance/proficienc
y.shtml
30
Remediation at CSU Too Few Freshmen Demonstrate
Strong Math Skills
Percentage of CSU Freshmen Requiring Remediation
in Math, Fall 2003
Source CSU, Analytic Studies Unit, 2004.
http//www.asd.calstate.edu/performance/proficienc
y.shtml
31
Curriculum Frameworks Can Help Teachers Teach
Standards

• Every district needs a full curriculum framework
  that includes the textbook, but is not dependent
  on it.
• Frameworks should articulate a scope and sequence
  at each grade level, aligning curriculum both
  horizontally and vertically.
• Frameworks should provide rubrics or descriptions
  of proficiency.
• Frameworks should include guidance on teaching
  low performing students, as well as high
  achieving students.

32
Element 2 Good Teachers Matter More Than
Anything Else
33
Element 2 Good Teachers Matter Most
34
Element 2 Good Teachers Matter Most
35
The Rivkin, Hanushek, and Kain estimates of
teacher performance suggest that having five
years of good teachers in a row could overcome
the average seventh-grade mathematics
achievement gap .
1.0 standard deviation above average, or at
the 85th quality percentile
SOURCE Eric A. Hanushek and Steven G. Rivkin,
How to Improve the Supply of High-Quality
Teachers, In Brookings Papers on Education
Policy 2004, Diane Ravitch, ed., Brrookings
Institution Press, 2004. Estimates based on
research using data from Texas described in
Teachers, Schools, and Academic Achievement,
Working Paper Number 6691, National Bureau of
Economic Research, revised July 2002.
36
Students in Californias Highest Minority Schools
Five Times More Likely To Have An Underqualified
Teacher
Source Esch, C. E., Chang-Ross, C. M., Guha, R.,
Tiffany-Morales, J., Shields, P.M.
(2004). Californias teaching force 2004 Key
issues and trends. Santa Cruz, CA The Center
for the Future of Teaching and Learning, p. 35.
37
(No Transcript)
38
What Does This Mean In Terms of Dollars Spent on
Teachers?
Source Californias Hidden Teacher Spending Gap
How State and District Budgeting Practices
Shortchange Poor and Minority Students and Their
Schools, Education Trust West, 2005.
39
Average School Gap in 10 Largest CA Districts
40
To find out whether there are teacher spending
gaps in your district, visit www.HiddenGap.org
41
Element 3 Using Programs and Practices Proven to
Work
42
Professional DevelopmentHigh Implementation
Schools Wipe Out Black/White Gap in Math Skills
Pittsburgh
Note Chart compares students in schools with
similar demographics. Source Briar and Resnick,
CSE Technical Report 528, CRESST, UCLA, August
2000.
43
Black Students in High Implementation Schools
Outperform White Students in Other Schools
PROBLEM SOLVING
44
The Full Year Calendar
USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME Analysis of One
California Urban Middle School Calendar
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
45
Less Summer Vacation
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
46
Less Weekends, Holidays, Summer Vacation
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
47
Less Professional Development Days Early
Dismissal/Parent Conferences
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
48
Less Class Picnic, Class Trip, Thanksgiving
Feast, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukkah, Awards,
Assembles, Concerts
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
49
Less State and District Testing
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
50
Use of Instructional Time?

• BOTTOM LINE?
• Teachers are Left with about
• 24 School Days
• OR
• 18 Eight Hour Days Per Subject Per Year

51
When Kids Are Behind, Schools Must Provide More
Instruction and Support
Take It Back!

• Kentucky provides extra time for struggling
  students in high-poverty schools, in whatever way
  works best for the community before school,
  after school, weekends or summers.
• Maryland offers extra dollars for 7th and 8th
  graders who need more support
• San Diego City created more time, mostly within
  the regular school day, by doubling even
  tripling the amount of instructional time in
  literacy and mathematics for low-performing
  students.

52
Students Need Targeted SupportsThis Doesnt
Mean One Size Fits All

• A-G for All means that all students will access
  the same rigorous curriculum, but not necessarily
  in exactly the same way or in exactly the same
  time constraints.

CHOICES. . .
53
A-G Tailored to Data and Student Needs

• A-G Prep in Middle Schools
• Focus on academic tools (reading, writing, math
  side of not only English and Math but Social
  Studies and Science too.)
• Science curriculum taught via scientific inquiry,
  focusing on scientific method more than on
  specific content (rocks, frogs, etc.)
• Scientific inquiry leads you right into data
  analyses and algebraic thinking.
• Social Studies focusing on understanding academic
  text, academic writing and research.

54
A-G Tailored Data and Student Needs

• Build in Academic Support Systems. (What is CSU
  doing to remediate non-college ready students?
  Move it down to the high schools.)
• Pair academic courses (e.g. English) with
  elective courses (e.g. Drama), and package as one
  course. Algebra Algebra Support. Allows for
  pre-teaching and support.

55
A-G Tailored Data and Student Needs

• Take advantage of Community College Opportunities
  in California
• Middle College (not just taking double credit,
  but overlap the senior year).
• Proposals to move teacher to campus and send
  groups of seniors with teacher brokering system.

56
A-G Tailored Data and Student Needs

• Dont let students end up in Remediation
  Purgatory
• Keep eye on A-G by anchoring teachers to
  assessment system NOT just course system.
• Take the placement tests?
• Science benchmark assessments developed by
  teachers using Science CST.

57
Element 4 Monitoring and Measuring
58

• Administer Common District-wide benchmark or
  snap-shot assessments, at least every 6-9 weeks.
• Get the results immediately in the hands of
  principals, teachers, parents and supplemental
  instruction providers and,
• Create vehicles for teachers to meet together to
  discuss assignments and student work.

59
Element 5 Intervene and Adjust
60
High Performing Schools and Districts Act
Immediately on Results from Snapshot Assessments

• When the data suggests individual kids are behind
  those kids get immediate help.
• When the data suggests that ½ or more of the kids
  in a class are behind, the teacher gets help.
• No one right way, but high performers have
  consistent methods to intervene and help ...
  whoever needs it . . . when they need it.

61
Underlying Everything Is the Cycle of Low
Expectations
Low Expectations
Poor Test Results
Less Challenging Courses
Low Level Assignments/Instruction
62
The Education Trust-West
510-465-6444 www.EdTrustWest.org