COMPONENT 6

THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND PROCESS EVALUATION

 

FORM 6: 1 Formative Assessment

 

York Elementary School enabled the school wide coordinators and other teachers to attend professional development seminars in Knoxville and Nashville that focused on the development of the School Improvement Plan. The teachers learned how to use assessment data more effectively and shared this information with the faculty in order to improve our evaluation process. All teachers at our school participated with the use of assessment data, throughout the school year in planning, instructional monitoring, and as committee members to prepare our school plan.

 

The instruments used in assessment at York Elementary include (but not limited to):

                        Terra Nova (3-8) and TCAP Writing (5 & 8)

                        Brigance Readiness Test - Kindergarten

                        Dibels - (K-2)

                        STAR Test - (1-8)

                        STAR Literacy Test- (1st grade)

                        Chapter Pre and Post Tests in subject areas (K-8)

                        Unit and daily tests

                        Generated computer score sheets in Labs

                       Reading Diagnostic Tests (2-5)

                        Accelerated Reader Tests (K-8)

                        School-wide writing assessments

Assessments of group projects and of work in science, social studies, music, art, physical education, and gifted class are done throughout the year on an individual as well as group basis.  

           

All of the above testing programs at York Elementary support the progress of our goals and objectives.  These sources are used throughout the school year.  Some of the assessments are conducted annually (Terra Nova and TCAP Writing), at the beginning and end of year (STAR and STAR Literacy), every three to four months (Dibels, end of grading period tests, monthly (unit or chapter tests), and weekly (quizzes); pre and post tests are administrated in relation to units. Projects in various subject areas such as, music and science are assessed annually throughout the year or as there is a need.  In May, we evaluate our goals, objectives, and student performance with data that is available such as STAR, Dibels, Brigance, and other tests to determine strengths and challenge areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           

Terra Nova Tests, TCAP Writing, STAR, and Debils and other diagnostic test data is gathered and put into tables, graphs and charts by school-wide coordinators and shared with the teachers and administrators in annual reviews of student performance, subject area assessments, and program planning.  Our Title I committee members and School Plan component members then analyze data from all sources, academic as well as non-academic, to determine the strengths and challenges of our curriculum and instructional

program. The test data information covers a three-year period and tracks student performance across grade levels.

 

Planning meetings are held throughout the school year that include representatives from primary grades (Pre-K-2), intermediate grades (3-5), and middle grades (6-8) as well as teachers in specialty areas such as music, guidance, and physical education.  Community members, usually parents of current students, also participate in these meetings.

 

Our goals, objectives, and student performance data are reviewed and evaluated by the faculty, SIP team and other committee members in September where plans are made for the year. At this time we compare our data to the NCLB benchmarks, and compare our data to the previous years to ensure that our students are making progress. Any interventions are planned at this time. For example, 5th grade teachers felt that their students needs would be better met by departmentalizing their teaching instruction in certain subject areas.  With approval from the administrative staff, they started the first year with departmentalization in reading, language, science, and social studies. This method is working well and seems to meet student needs. At the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year, the 5th grade teachers decided to also departmentalize their math instruction.  When 2006 Terra Nova test scores are analyzed in September, the effectiveness of the program will be evaluated.   

 

Other interventions throughout the year include:

1. Coordination between Lab and regular classroom teachers was increased.

            2. Integrate the teaching of Latin and Greek root words into all areas of

                instruction.

3. Creation of Boys and Girls Club to support after-school enrichment, homework help, and tutoring (started Fall of 2005-our school is the center for three schools).

            4. Increased use of Internet to support instruction in Labs and classrooms.

            5. Increased use of graphic organizers to aid instruction.

6. Increased use of Bullying and Violence Prevention Programs by our Guidance Counselor to ensure that our school environment is safe.

7. Before and after school homework help, tutoring, and enrichment programs are provided by extended contract teachers.

          

 

This is only a sample of intervention strategies that our school has implemented.  Other strategies have also been implemented within grade levels and individual classrooms. Through the use of data analysis and assessments, modifications and changes are discussed and approved by the administrative staff.  York Elementary is fortunate to have a faculty with expertise in the area of data analysis. We are constantly analyzing, planning, and making necessary changes to accommodate the many diverse needs of our students and school to ensure that our students meet state and NCLB standards.

 

Our school’s needs in the past several years have drastically changed since our school has become the county’s center for “at risk” pre-school and CDC classes as well as the center for the Boys and Girls’ Club.  Our teachers, administrators, other staff, parents and community people all work together to support our school.  

 

FORM 6.2: SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

 

York Elementary is continuously involved in the process of data analysis as we assess the effectiveness of our instructional and curriculum programs.  In August when Terra Nova test scores are made available with skill deficiencies as well as strengths, our entire staff meets to assess teaching strategies on an individual as well as on a school-wide basis.  All assessment data including Dibels (used as a monitoring instrument in K-2) is reviewed at this time.  We then revisit, and review our action steps in our School Plan to ensure that the needs of all our students are being met.  Any adjustments or changes in instructional strategies are made at this time.  Again when the State Department of Education releases our school’s report card, which includes TVAAS as well as different disaggregated group information, the entire staff meets to review and assess our strengths and challenges.  All of this assessment data is made available to our school-wide committee members when we meet to monitor and assess our school’s curriculum and instructional programs, and also when we prepare our School-wide Plan.

 

All instructional programs are continually evaluated throughout the school year to ensure that the programs are effective in meeting the needs of our students.  We also evaluate the effectiveness of programs that our school has used for several years to make sure the programs are still meeting the needs of our students.  This year we will be evaluating our writing process, computer lab curriculum, and different methods for teaching reasoning skills.  All of our stakeholders are involved in the process through the use of surveys, academic, and non-academic data.  In group and school-wide meetings, all stakeholders will come to a consensus about school and students’ needs. They then determine the best ways to meet those needs as we do short and long term planning.

 

In evaluating our academic areas, student performance data based on a three-year period allows us to track our students to determine the effectiveness of our curriculum and instructional programs.  Surveys and observations are also used to determine the effectiveness of other areas.  By using periodic evaluations, we are able to adjust or change our instructional strategies as the need arises.

           

Our school target goals were based on our school’s academic needs that were determined by our stakeholders after reviewing and assessing all data.  Some faculty members also plan to research some writing and software programs and bring their findings to the entire faculty and let them decide if the new programs will meet our instructional needs as well as the needs of the students.

 

Our school meets with Title I committee members (including all teachers, administrators, staff, and some parents) to present the results of our data analysis, including identifying our strengths and challenge areas, our target goals, and our action plans.  This information is given to the Title I Director and is shared with the Director of Schools and other department supervisors.

 

FORM 6.3: EVALUATION OF THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS

 

As we assess our school improvement process, we always make sure that our action steps are aligned with our school’s mission, which is to establish a strong foundation for lifelong learning, promote academic excellence and productive citizenship. We, therefore, involve every teacher at York Elementary as a committee member on one of the component parts of the School Plan or as part of the School’s Leadership Team.  All committees are made up of representatives from grades, Pre K-2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and do include specialty teachers as well as both school administrators.  The school-wide coordinators provide committee members with assignments and data for assessments.  All specialty teachers’ curriculum is also aligned with state standards as well as the school’s curriculum and instructional process.

 

All goals, objectives, and student performances are reviewed and evaluated by the School Leadership Team and other stakeholders in August and May for completion and success.  The SIT and other committee members then monitor and assess the implementation of the action plans in the preceding months in order to identify problem areas before some assessment results are available.  If the identified goals are met, the students will have demonstrated the desired learning results during the previous year. If the goals are not met, each action step will be evaluated to determine if the action steps were correctly implemented and if there needs to be modification in the strategies or if additional actions need to be implemented.

 

The school’s administrators conduct teacher evaluations, observations, check plan books, and meet at regular intervals with grade-level and individual teachers to monitor implementation of action steps. Other team members also provide the results of their research findings about implementation of new programs to the faculty and other stakeholders. Monthly faculty meetings and other meetings are used to discuss SIT findings and other school issues.  E-mail and faculty mailboxes are also used as ways to communicate information to the entire staff.  Annual and grade level meetings with parents and community people are held in August and May to share information.

 

 

If our school goals are met, we celebrate our successes by various types of parties and rewards for our students. Our school informs the stakeholders by way of local newspaper, school newspaper, marquee sign, newsletters, annual meetings, grade level meetings, PTO meetings, parent/ teacher conferences, Student Awards Day, and an Honor’s Banquet. Our school’s state report card is also published in the local newspaper and the results are also distributed to stakeholders.