Nine Characteristics of High Performing Schools

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Nine Characteristics of High Performing Schools

• Hollibrook Elementary (HB) - Houston, TX
• Del Norte Elementary (DN) - El Paso, TX
• Linda Vista Elementary (LV) - San Diego, CA
• Hanshaw Middle School (HA) - Modesto, CA
• Horace Mann Middle School (HO)-San Francisco, CA
  Harold Wiggs Middle School (HW) - El Paso, TX
• Dr. Richard Gómez Jr.

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Demographics

• Enrollment Percent LEP/Free or Reduced
• HB (1000, 67 87) DN (650, 40 85)
• LV (1000, 66 88) HA (850, 73 94)
• HO (650, 25 51) HW (1000, 28 70)
• Other Challenges
• HB 1st Generation Immigrants High Drug/Crime
  Area
• DN Single Family Homes Blue-Collar
• LV Multiple Languages Gang Activity
• HA High Poverty Gangs Migrants 19 Unemploy.
• HO High Poverty
• HW High Student Mobility Students W/O Schooling

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1.) Clear and Shared Vision and Purpose

• All Exemplary Schools Developed, Often by Means
  of an Extended Process, 5 Dimensions of a Clear
  and Shared Vision Purpose
• High Expectations (LA/Math/Science/English)
• Cultural Validation (Climate w/o fear or
  put-downs)
• Community of Learners (Teachers as Professionals)
• Openness to External Partners Research
• Comprehensiveness (Structure/Content of
  Curriculum, Instructional Paradigm, Learning
  Environments, Language Development
  Strategies,Organization of the School, Use of
  Time, School Decision-Making)

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2.) High Standards and Expectations for ALL
Students

• ALL Exemplary Schools Administrators, Staff,
  Faculty, Students, Parents, and Community,
  Believe Nothing Less Than High Academic Success
  is Acceptable
• Academic Challenges Were Taken on by the
  Collective and Worked on Until They Became
  Academic Successes!
• All Schools Had Twin Goals of English Fluency AND
  Master the Content of the Core Curriculum

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3.) Effective Instructional and Administrative
Leadership

• Principals (HA) or Teachers (HB) or Parents (DN)
• ALL Exemplary Schools Developed a Variation of
  Site-Based Management
• Leadership Consistently Was Flexible, Open to New
  Ideas, and Approachable
• Democratic Process (Multiple Avenues for Input by
  Staff, Faculty, Parents, Students)

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4.) Supportive Learning Environment

• Exemplary Schools Achieved a Reputation for Being
  Innovative, Progressive, and Inclusive
• ALL Schools Used the Students Native Language
  (Either to Develop Literacy Skills or Content or
  for Both)
• Students are Seen as Learners/Teachers
• Academic Families
• Five Year BE/ESL Programs

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5.) A High Level of Community and Parent
Involvement

• ALL Exemplary Schools Drew Upon Outside Resources
  as They Developed Curriculum, Implemented New
  Instructional Strategies, and Designed Meaningful
  Assessment Systems
• Parents, Business Community, Universities,
  Students, etc.
• Parent Centers, Parent Universities, After-School
  Activities Program (ASAP)

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6.) High Levels of Collaboration and
Communication

• Teachers Interviewed and Hired Teachers
• Teachers in Vertical Horizontal Planning
• Common Practices of Looping, Continuum, Team
  Teaching, Cross-Age Learning, Open Classrooms
• Parents Business Community Included as Integral
  Component of the Team Effort

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7.) Closely Monitored Teaching and Learning

• Exemplary Schools Implemented Systems Utilizing
  Multiple Measures
• Portfolios in Elementary
• Learning Academic Concepts Had Priority
• Utilized Much Hands-On, Cooperative Grouping and
  Project Oriented Strategies
• Effectively Utilized Time as a Resource

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8.) Aligned Curriculum Instruction
with the Standards and Assessments

• ALL Schools Aligned LA/Math/Science to State
  Standards
• Curriculum to LEP Population was High Quality and
  Paralleled the Mainstream
• Curriculum to LEP Presented in a Meaningful
  Manner Making Connections Across the
  Content-Areas and Building into the Curriculum
  Real-Life Applications (Often Literature Based)
• Middle Schools Linked Science and Math to Their
  LA and Social Studies

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8.) Aligned Curriculum Instruction
with the Standards and Assessments

• Hired Social Workers Instead of Counselors
• Enrichment Versus Remediation
• One-Half of Categorical Funds Tied Directly to
  Staff Development
• Writers and Readers Workshop Pre-Viewing
  Accelerated Schools Academic Reading Whole
  Language Sheltered English Thematic Units
  Block Scheduling Families and Cooperative
  Grouping

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9.) Focused Professional Development in High
Need Areas

• Teachers/Administrators Collaborated Continuously
  to Determine Priority of Staff Development
• Teachers Strongly Encouraged to Attain BE/ESL
  Endorsements
• Rejected Notion that LEP Students must FIRST
  Master English Before Attaining High Academic
  Success