Ohio HSTWMMGW: The Positive Impact

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Ohio HSTW/MMGW The Positive Impact!
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What is High Schools That Work?

• An initiative of the Southern Regional Education
  Board (SREB)
• The nations largest high school improvement
  initiative
• A network of over 1200 schools
• 32 State HSTW Offices
• The middle school component - Making Middle
  Grades Work
• 172 HSTW and MMGW sites in Ohio

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HSTW and MMGW are

• Frameworks for school improvement
• Based on key practices and key conditions
• Organized around leadership and focus teams

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The World Is Flat

• America is facing a HUGE challenge to retain its
  competitive edge
• People from around the world will compete for
  typical white collar middle class jobs we are
  accustomed to
• If we educate our students appropriately to meet
  the new challenge, the future will not be bleak
• America is poised to lead the Flat World The
  OGT is the floorSuccess will be measured by the
  prosperity of our graduates in college or the
  workforce

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ACT Research Results

• Research results show that the level of readiness
  needed to enter workforce training programs and
  to enter college are comparable.
• Level of expectation for students entering jobs
  offering a wage that can sustain a small family
  is the same as that needed for college.
• All students should be educated to a common
  expectation that prepares them for college and
  workforce training programs.
• All high school graduates should be guaranteed
  the opportunity to become ready for college and
  work.

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• Four recommendations to transform the high school
  experience
• 1 More personalized learning environment
• 2 Provide all students with the opportunity to
  take a challenging curriculum that prepares them
  for success in postsecondary education and the
  workforce
• 3 Increase the percentage of students
  graduating from high school
• 4 Bridge the gap between high school and
  postsecondary education

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So Why Consider HSTW/MMGW when. . .

• We are doing well on the report card indicators.
• We are happy with the current reality in our
  school.
• It aint broke, so why fix it!
• Weve seen initiatives come and go. If we wait
  long enough this will go away too!

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Is This Your School? Random Acts of
Improvement
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With HSTW/MMGW A Framework for Aligning
Actions for School Improvement
Freshman transition
Literacy
Personalization
Raising expectations
Data-driven decisions
Extra help
Active engagement

Numeracy
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Why Consider HSTW/MMGW ?

• The mission of HSTW is to
• maximize academic achievement
• and career and college readiness
• for all students

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HSTW is about

• Rigor
• Relevance
• Relationships

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Rigor

• High expectations for all students
• Challenging career/technical studies
• Academic studies that teach essential concepts of
  the college prep curriculum
• A program of study with an upgraded academic core
  and a major
• A system of extra help and extra time
• Data used for continuous improvement

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Relevance

• Work-based learning
• Students actively engaged in learning

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Relationships

• Guidance involving students, parents, and
  teachers in planning for postsecondary education
  and careers
• Teachers working together,
• within and across curricular areas

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Key Conditions

• Creating a structure that ensures continuous
  improvement
• Strong, effective leadership
• Superintendent and school board support

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MMGW Goals

• 8th graders
  performing at proficient
• levels in academic subjects.
• Student knowledge and skills in core
  
• academic subjects
• Provide opportunities for students to
• apply their skills in the fine arts.
• explore careers.
• explore technology.

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Why Focus on the Middle Grades?

• No specific HS readiness indicators existed.
• There is a false perception that young
  adolescents cannot deal with challenging work
  because of puberty.
• National data indicates approximately 40 of
  students leaving middle school are performing
  below the basic levels in reading, math, and
  science.

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HSTW/MMGW Comparisons

• HSTW Key Practice
• High expectations
• Extra help
• Rigorous academics
• Students actively engaged
• Teachers working together

• MMGW Key Practice
• High expectations with extra help/time
• Academic core
• Students actively engaged
• Teachers working together

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HSTW/MMGW Comparisons

• HSTW Key Practice
• Guidance and advisement
• Using data for continuous improvement
• Rigorous C-T studies
• Work-based learning

• MMGW Key Practice
• All students matter
• Parent support
• Using data for continuous improvement
• Using technology for learning

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MMGW Key Practices Specific to Middle School

• Use of technology for learning
• Qualified teachers with in-depth knowledge of
  their subject area and of teaching strategies to
  engage and challenge students
• Parental support of higher standards for academic
  performance

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Whats Working in Ohio?

• The proof is
• in the data

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Comparison of 69 high schools that have
participated in HSTW over six Ohio Report Card
years FY02 to FY06
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Improved Student Assessment Data

• Based on a comparison of the HSTW and
• MMGW Assessment Results from 2004 to 2006
• 70 of MMGW sites improved in math and science
• 71 of HSTW sites improved in math
• 66 of HSTW sites improved in 2 out of the 3
  content areas (reading, math, science)

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SREB Recognition of Achievement in Ohio

• In 2005
• 4 - HSTW Gold Award Sites
• In 2006
• 35 - HSTW High-Implementing Sites
• 10 - HSTW Gold Award Sites
• (36 nationally)
• 1405 Senior Awards of Excellence

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SREB Recognition of Achievement in Ohio

• In 2007
• 4 - MMGW Pacesetter Sites (6 nationally)
• 6 - HSTW Pacesetter Sites (21 nationally)
• 8 - HSTW Gold-Improvement Awards
• ( 19 nationally)

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Benefits of Participation

• Teacher participation is valued.
• Resources are available.
• (On-site Coaching, Workshops, Books)
• School improvement is recognized as a continuous
  process.

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Benefits of Participation

• National comparison data is available.
• (HSTW/MMGW Assessments)
• Best practices are shared among sites.
• Technical Assistance Teams provide suggestions
  for improvement.

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Ultimately, we will be judged by the fate of our
students, particularly the ones who have
traditionally not done well in school. We need
to ensure that all Ohio students get an
excellent education that will give them the
opportunity to succeed and lead productive lives.
We believe this is possible. . . Ohio has
that will.
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Interested in Exploring HSTW/MMGW?

• Schedule a staff HSTW /MMGW presentation
• Visit implementing sites
• Participate in HSTW/MMGW professional development
  opportunities

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For further information

• Dan Stacy, ODE HSTW Consultant
• dan.stacy_at_ode.state.oh.us
• www.hstwohioregions.org