CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

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CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
LEVEL
FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTERS Jack Musser,
Superintendent John ONeill Jr., Principal
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FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS

• 1,900 Student Population Grades 9-12
• 61 Caucasian, 36 Latino, 3 Other
• 42 Free and Reduced Lunch
• 14 ELL Population
• 14 Special Needs Population

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AREAS OF NEED (AS IDENTIFIED
IN 2002-2003)

• Reduce drop out rate increase passing rates
• Build relationships between staff students
• Help kids feel connected
• Ease the transition of Freshmen into FGHS
• Need to identify students failing in a timely
  manner.
• Increase reading and math skill levels of
  students

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SCHOOL DATA EXAMINED 2002-2003

• 47 of previous years Freshmen below a 2.0 GPA
• Nearly half of all drop outs were ninth graders
• Low reading and math skills for sophomores
• 50 met state reading benchmarks
• 31 met state math benchmarks
• 80 correlation between 9th grade students
  reading below grade level and earning below a 2.0
  GPA
• Need for disaggregated data in a timely manner

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2003-2007

• Apply for Smaller Learning Communities Grant
  (U.S. DOE)
• Create Teams at the 9th and 10th grade levels
• Restructure ELL Program
• Institute Intervention Meetings
• Refine and Expand Alternative Education Program
• Create Advisory Program- 4 year relationship
• Create Links Transition Program
• Create remedial intervention programs (Workshop
  Courses)
• Create capacity for on-going assessments
• Align core curriculum in English, Math,
  Science, Social Studies
• Create six CAM Academies
• Increase communication with parents

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SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN School Wide Staff
Development Plan 2002-2006
2002-2003 What Works In Schools Translating
Research into Action- By Robert J. Marzano
2003 2003-2004 Differentiated Instruction
2004-2005 SOS (Student Owned Strategies)
2005-2006 SIOP (Sheltered Instruction
Observation Protocol) 2006-2007 Writing Across
the Curriculum
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CREATION OF REMEDIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

• Math Workshop
• Utilizes PLATO math software to individualize
  student learning
• Creation of a 40 station 9th grade lab 40
  station 10th grade lab
• Utilization of State Sample Math Tests and
  teacher generated standards-based math problems
  which familiarize students with format of
  multiple choice questions

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READING WORKSHOP

• Utilizes Accelerated Reading Program
  (www.renlearn.com) along with PowerLessons, oral
  readings, journaling and Daily Reading Logs.
• Individualized student reading levels are
  determined by STAR Reading assessment software.
  Students read novels at their instructional
  levels utilizing Sustained Silent Reading for 40
  to 60 minutes per 88 minute block.
• When students finish their novel, they take a
  computerized ten question comprehension
  assessment and vocabulary assessment (new for our
  school this year).
• Students earn points for the number of books
  read and the percent correct on vocabulary and
  comprehension tests.

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SYSTEMIC SCHOOL-WIDE FACTORS Based on Marzano,
2000a

• Rank Factor 1
• Opportunity to Learn
• Freshmen Students below a 239 are enrolled in a
  regular math and English as well as Math and
  Reading Workshop support electives.
• This structure maintains mainstream access along
  with individualized instruction through
  integrated approach.

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• Rank Factor 2
• Time
• By requiring a regular math and English class as
  well as the Workshop elective classes, students
  receive double the time to learn and master
  skills tied to state standards.

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• Rank Factor 3
• Monitoring
• All students are monitored on an on-going basis.
• Oregons on-line TESA state assessment provides
  three opportunities a year.
• We use the long version first for strand
  information and the short evaluations prior to
  the end of the first semester and at the end of
  the assessment window in the Spring.
• We also use PLATO assessments teacher generated
  assessments to help guide instruction.
• We use Mastery in Motion (MIM) software to
  provide disaggregated data to teachers for
  assessment and work-sample feedback.
• We have created a new classified position
  responsible for running our two TESA Labs and
  providing disaggregated data to teachers and
  others upon request.

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• Rank Factor 4
• Pressure to Achieve
• Students are required to remain in Math and
  Reading Workshop electives until they pass the
  state exam with a score of 239 or higher.
• Both regular and elective math teachers have
  on-going conversations with their students about
  their progress.
• Once passed, the required elective is replaced
  with an elective of the students choice.

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• Rank Factor 5
• Parental Involvement
• Regular parental updates are provided by
  teachers through the use of EdLine web-based
  software, which provides a calendar of upcoming
  assignments, grades on specific assignments,
  missing assignments, attendance, and a course
  syllabus.

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• Rank Factor 6
• School Climate
• School-wide celebrations are held for academic
  and activity success.
• We conduct nine school-wide assemblies a year
  and academic achievement is celebrated in nearly
  all of them

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• Rank Factor 7
• Leadership
• Monitoring of student achievement progress is
  on-going throughout the year.
• Two school improvement retreats of three days
  each have been held over the past four years to
  set school-wide goals and monitor progress.
• All stake-holders are represented at these
  retreats students, parents, BSC, LSC, Leadership
  Team, school board members, district
  administration, all site administrators, workshop
  representatives, etc.

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• Rank Factor 8
• Cooperation
• Any program is only as good as the people you
  have running it.
• Our Workshop teachers are some of the best we
  have on site.
• All workshop teachers believe all students can
  learn and they take personal responsibility for
  student growth and achievement.
• Our District Administrative Team is VERY
  supportive and has upheld high expectations.

Source Marzano, R.J. (200a). A new era of
school reform Going where the research takes us.
Aurora, CO Mid-continent Research for Education
and Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service
No. ED45455)
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HIGHER EXPECTATIONS

• Students will stoop or strive to established
  expectations
• Our board has passed board policy requiring a
  239 passing score in order to opt out of a
  workshop class.
• Our board has also passed promotion standards
  for our eighth graders.
• Eighth grade students must achieve a 2.0 grade
  point average for the year, passing math and
  language arts.

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HIGHER RESULTS

• Higher passing rates on state assessments for
  all subgroups
• Higher passing rates in core classes for 9th and
  10th graders by first semester
• Lower Drop-out rate
• - 01-02 School Year 7.7
• - 05-06 School Year 2.4
• Oregon Report Card overall rating
• - 01-02 School Year Satisfactory
• - 05-06 School Year Strong (2nd Year)

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Table 1 FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL READING
LITERATURE PERFORMANCE ON GRADE 10
ASSESSMENT STUDENTS MEETING OR EXCEEDING STATE
STANDARD
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2005-2006 FGHS Comparative Scores State Reading
Literature Meets or Exceeds
FGHS only- excludes alternative school
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Table 2 FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS
PERFORMANCE ON GRADE 10 ASSESSMENT STUDENTS
MEETING OR EXCEEDING STATE STANDARD
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2005-2006 FGHS Comparative Scores State
Mathematics Meets or Exceeds
FGHS only- excludes alternative school
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FAILURE RATE BY COURSE
Course 00-01 05-06 English 9 20 14 Physic
al Science 23 6 World Studies 24 7 English
10 28 13 Biology 22 19 American
Studies 27 9
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Closing the Achievement Gap Math Gap between
Hispanic and Caucasian Students Eighth Grade 8
point rit gap Tenth Grade 4 point rit gap Math
Gap between ELL and Caucasian Students Eighth
Grade 13 point rit gap Tenth Grade 8 point rit
gap
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Closing the Achievement Gap Reading Gap between
Hispanic and Caucasian Students Eighth Grade 9
point rit gap Tenth Grade 5 point rit
gap Reading Gap between ELL and Caucasian
Students Eighth Grade 16 point rit gap Tenth
Grade 8 point rit gap
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