Anchor's Away: Begin with Reading Part 2

So, we were armed with a wealth of information and a passion for helping the kids we serve, but we still didn't have a plan.  We did meet with the team that attended the PLC Institute one afternoon to create a schedule of protected time for literacy and math.  It really was a basic template, but it was a start.  The rest was processed through our leadership team.  Then, we had the team from the institute create and present to the rest of the staff about the plan.  We decidied to literally jump in!

With a school-wide intervention system, it was important for us to bring coherence to the action plan. The articulation of each component allowed us to negotiate the fit between external demands (district and state) and Sonora’s own goals and strategies to meet goals:

Sonora's Audacious Goals:
* Strategy goal: 90% students proficient in math and literacy.
* Tactical goal: 90% proficient obtained by creating, implementing, and maintaining a school-wide  
intervention system.
District Audacious Goals:
*  100% students reading on grade-level by the end of 3rd grade.
* 100% students proficient in math by the end of 5th grade.

Framework of Coherence

Our professional development in August included all the components of the PLC Institute, as well as the story of Kennewick, from the 'green' book.  (Happy to share our presentation with anyone!  It's about helping kids, right?)  We decided to begin with reading.  This was not to diminish the importance of math or any other content area, but the research is astounding ... when children can read math scores increase! ... when children can read they can learn at higher levels in other content areas! ... when children can read they have access to the world!

What happens if our children don't learn to read?  Watch this video that our team created to show the urgency of the promise of education.  Here is what we believe:

In order to determine the students who needed catch-up growth in reading,  we used the Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA Map) to determine those students who are behind in reading and by how much.  Students were ranked according to NWEA percentile subsequent to fall testing. We applied the research-based formula (from the 'green' book to determine student needs in regard to direct instruction and intervention in order for the child to attain grade-level proficiency in 2 years.

Formula: State %ile - ranked percentile/13= # of years behind.

*13 percentile points = 1 year’s growth according to NWEA

Annual growth = 80 mins (Direct Instruction)

Catch-up growth = # years behind x 80 (2.9 x 80 = 240 mins)

In addition, at the beginning of the year we provided additional professional development to our teachers specifically in the area of literacy.

Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA): Based on research by Powell and Betts (1968), we changed our DRA fluency rate from 95% to 90%. Interpreted, this means the student makes no more than 1:10 error rate and still maintains 70% comprehension which is the level required before meaning breaks down. This adjustment in accuracy rate allows for a higher percentage of our students to gain experience with complex text.

We further correlated NWEA data with NWEA/DRA/CCSS Lexile levels to determine validity of intervention needs. It is always professional practice to use multiple data points, if available.

Miscue Analysis: In conjunction with the DRA, we conducted an Meaning/Structure/Visual analysis on all students to determine if there was a predominant weakness in the cross-checking systems that a reader uses. In all students performing below grade level, there was indeed a weaker area and, therefore, student grouping and guided reading practices are targeted to developing these areas.

There was one problem.  Since our school opened 3 years previously, our literacy scores had increased each year.  Yet, math scores had decreased over the last two years.  How could we defend a strong literacy focus, without also attaching the math need.  When our team puts their heads together we can conquer any challenge.  So, we came up with a plan of action that aligned with all the research, our training, and our student need.

Every grade level, with the exception of kindergarten initially, identified a daily 30-45 minute block of time where no new instruction occured.  Instead this time would be focused on timely intervention/extension based on student needs which are identified by grade level common assessments.  Students who were 2 years or more behind in reading would get additional direct reading instruction.  All other students would receive intervention or extension in math.

Part 3:  What does Catch-Up Growth Look Like? we will share:

• how 200 plus minutes of instruction are being met for those children who are behind in reading.  
• how technology can be used to increase direct instruction
• how we are benchmarking our work

And, our next steps which include a book study on a new book, which will direct the professional development at our summer retreat.

Stay tuned . . . 

Anchor's Away: Sonora's Instructional Focus! Part 1

Schools, teachers, and administrators across America are constantly under scrutiny.  Test scores are at the heart of why we are being judged.  Yet, each institution of learning desires to have students achieve at the highest level.  At Sonora, our vision is, "innovate to educate", where innovate means to do something in a new way or to have new ideas about how something can be done.  That is exactly what we have done this year.

At Sonora, our students and teachers were all working hard, but we were all working hard in different directions.  Our school community did not have a system for meeting the need of all children at any given point in time.  Therefore, this year, with a study of several powerful professional development tools, we have created our system of intervention and extension.  It is a work in progress, but it is making a difference for our students.

This summer, our leadership team read a book that we affectionately call the 'green book', Annual Growth for All Students and Catch-Up Growth for Those Who are Behind.  The book give tells the story of a school district that aligned their resources to meet the needs of their students in reading and math.  The methods used are proven and easy to replicate.  This book was just the catalyst!  Within a week of having the team read the book, the district was part of a hybrid Professional Learning Community Institute through Solution Tree.  The content presented in both the book and the institute aligned perfectly.  We knew we were on to something.  Having 11 staff members present at the PLC Institute also gave momentum.  

During this same time frame, a new book was brought to our attention through Arkansas Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (AASCD), Five Levers to Improve Learning: How to Prioritize for Powerful Results in Your School. Before asking my leadersip team to read, I previewed.  It, too aligned with our current focus of aligning systems to meet the needs of every student.  Our path was surely laid out in front of us, but we had work to do.  

The over-arching concept was that all children should have one year of growth, but those who are behind will always stay behind unless they get 'catch-up' growth, which equals more than 1 year of growth in the content area they are behind.  

So, why call this blog Anchor's Away?  Well, the convicting quote for every educator comes from the green book ...

"We never really leave our non-reading children behind.  We may forget about them, but we are chained to them socially and economically.  Like a ship and its anchor, we must either lift them up or drag them along behind us.  

It is time we teach our children to read.  It’s the promise of education.  There is no ethical or professional way to sidestep the obligation to deliver on that promise."

This is the first part of the 3 part blog.  I hope you come back in the next few days to hear about the changes that have led to increased student achievement and a systems approach to intervention and extension at Sonora Elementary.

Areas of focus in the next blog are:

1.  Children as readers!

2.  How many levers are impacted?

3.  Benchmarking your work.