09/30/2014 – State Of The System
State Of The System Address (page 6)
Growth and Achievement
The district redirected resources and implemented strategic conversations and professional learning related to academic growth and achievement for all students.
The Bridge Initiative – In September 2013, designed and implemented The Bridge Initiative, a vision of the Superintendent to ensure a comprehensive, cross-functional, integrated approach to identifying and addressing the needs of high-achieving, marginal, and under-performing students who are also categorized as economically disadvantaged, is founded upon thorough review and analysis of the data. The goals of the Bridge Initiative were the direct result of the analysis of data and to address 1) student achievement, 2) teacher and leader quality, and 3) parent engagement.
Title 1 – Implemented a Title I Summer Reading Program to provide additional instructional support to 3,300 students during the month of June employing approximately 200 teachers with all district-level and school-based summer programs supporting approximately 20,000 students. All student participants received a Summer Express Workbook to work on reading and math skills over the summer. Also, the students received a summer reading book pack consisting of 5 books for their personal summer reading and enjoyment.
Growth and Achievement Model
SY2014-2015
The critical GAM conversations and professional learning continue in 2014-2015 with the areas of focus as follows: 1) Teaching the grade-level content standards aligned to the Georgia Milestones; 2) Remediating reading or math basic skill deficits to support content mastery; 3) Providing students consistent opportunities to respond to constructed and extended response formats in preparation for the Georgia Milestones; 4) Providing students opportunities to read informational text in an effort to improve Lexile scores; and 5) Providing students with consistent writing experiences.
A major GAM focus is improving instruction and achievement outcomes in mathematics. The District rolled out a new initiative to improve mathematics outcomes by focusing on the Instructional Design, Instructional Process, and Academically Challenging Environment. Each school has teacher leaders who participate in district-level training. The math focus only leads the way for improving the quality of instruction and outcomes in all subject areas.
Additionally, the District offers large group Professional Learning Impact Sessions with each session attended by approximately 500 teachers. The topics focus on GAM, Georgia Milestones, Standards-Based Grading; TKES and Merit Pay; and LKES and Merit Pay.
SY2013-2014
Strategically refocused and prioritized conversations about academic achievement to ensure every student demonstrates academic growth and achievement. The strategy included professional learning for principals, assistant principals, teachers, and central office staff. The professional learning included strategies for identifying and addressing individual student needs using the district universal screener in reading and math.
Provided instructional and personnel resources to support students’ academic preparation prior to and after the standardized test administrations.
Provided summer professional learning opportunities for teachers in teaching reading and literacy as well as PL in all other content areas and technology including the continued development of Student Learning Objective (SLO) assessments for implementation in the 2014-2015 school year.
Standardized Tests demonstrated improved performance on five of seven End of Course Tests (EOCT) with one remaining steady (U.S. History) and one (Biology) dropping by one percentage point.
Demonstrated performance gains equal to students statewide and have shown year-to-year aggregated performance improvement in four of five subject areas on the Criterion Reference Competency Tests (CRCT). The CRCT, which was administered in April, measures proficiency in reading, English Language Arts, science, social studies, and mathematics.
The district redirected resources and implemented strategic conversations and professional learning related to academic growth and achievement for all students.
The Bridge Initiative – In September 2013, designed and implemented The Bridge Initiative, a vision of the Superintendent to ensure a comprehensive, cross-functional, integrated approach to identifying and addressing the needs of high-achieving, marginal, and under-performing students who are also categorized as economically disadvantaged, is founded upon thorough review and analysis of the data. The goals of the Bridge Initiative were the direct result of the analysis of data and to address 1) student achievement, 2) teacher and leader quality, and 3) parent engagement.
Title 1 – Implemented a Title I Summer Reading Program to provide additional instructional support to 3,300 students during the month of June employing approximately 200 teachers with all district-level and school-based summer programs supporting approximately 20,000 students. All student participants received a Summer Express Workbook to work on reading and math skills over the summer. Also, the students received a summer reading book pack consisting of 5 books for their personal summer reading and enjoyment.
Growth and Achievement Model
SY2014-2015
The critical GAM conversations and professional learning continue in 2014-2015 with the areas of focus as follows: 1) Teaching the grade-level content standards aligned to the Georgia Milestones; 2) Remediating reading or math basic skill deficits to support content mastery; 3) Providing students consistent opportunities to respond to constructed and extended response formats in preparation for the Georgia Milestones; 4) Providing students opportunities to read informational text in an effort to improve Lexile scores; and 5) Providing students with consistent writing experiences.
A major GAM focus is improving instruction and achievement outcomes in mathematics. The District rolled out a new initiative to improve mathematics outcomes by focusing on the Instructional Design, Instructional Process, and Academically Challenging Environment. Each school has teacher leaders who participate in district-level training. The math focus only leads the way for improving the quality of instruction and outcomes in all subject areas.
Additionally, the District offers large group Professional Learning Impact Sessions with each session attended by approximately 500 teachers. The topics focus on GAM, Georgia Milestones, Standards-Based Grading; TKES and Merit Pay; and LKES and Merit Pay.
SY2013-2014
Strategically refocused and prioritized conversations about academic achievement to ensure every student demonstrates academic growth and achievement. The strategy included professional learning for principals, assistant principals, teachers, and central office staff. The professional learning included strategies for identifying and addressing individual student needs using the district universal screener in reading and math.
Provided instructional and personnel resources to support students’ academic preparation prior to and after the standardized test administrations.
Provided summer professional learning opportunities for teachers in teaching reading and literacy as well as PL in all other content areas and technology including the continued development of Student Learning Objective (SLO) assessments for implementation in the 2014-2015 school year.
Standardized Tests demonstrated improved performance on five of seven End of Course Tests (EOCT) with one remaining steady (U.S. History) and one (Biology) dropping by one percentage point.
Demonstrated performance gains equal to students statewide and have shown year-to-year aggregated performance improvement in four of five subject areas on the Criterion Reference Competency Tests (CRCT). The CRCT, which was administered in April, measures proficiency in reading, English Language Arts, science, social studies, and mathematics.
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.”