Transitional Program for Overage Students in Elementary School

Format

Individual Presentation

Location

Scarbrough 1

Strand #1

Academic Achievement & School Leadership

Strand #2

Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

This proposal relates achievement and leadership strand due to the implementation of effective classroom instruction and innovations as well as the use of distributive leadership that was needed to improve overall student achievement in a low performing high poverty school.

Brief Program Description

How under the direction of a "Transformational Leader and Distributive Leadership," a low performing "Priority School" made significant academic gains within three years and received recognition by GADOE and Georgia Public Broadcasting as a Turnaround Leader.

Summary

Matilda Hartley, a high poverty school located in the hub of Macon, Ga, surrounded by three major housing projects where 99.79% of the students receive free and/or reduced priced lunch. We were designated as a “Priority School” due to students’ academic performances scoring in the lowest 5% of the state. Through the implementation of effective school improvement initiatives, the staff was able to turn the school around within three years. Through the use of data and "wrap-around" services, we not only narrowed the achievement gap, we were also eligible for the removal from the “Priority List,” the fasted turn-around in the district. One major initiative is the “Transitional Overage Program.” Students were able to increase their math scores by double digit gains and some students were moved up to their correct grade levels. The school received points on the CCRPI as an innovative practice.

Evidence

This work is based on the work of known experts (Marzano, J. Hattie, Dufour, Eaker & Dufour, J. O' Neill & A. Conzemius, and Chappuis), in the areas of school improvement. Their work includes the use of SMART Goals, use of common assessments, changing a toxic culture into a high performing culture for the adults and the students, and setting goals. The work of John Hattie and Marzano are proven and has been field tested with sample populations similar to the demographics of the students that we serve at our school, with an effect size of .88 or higher.

A meta-analysis conducted by a leading theorist (Hattie, 2009) revealed over 50,000 studies where he spent ten years collecting data and drawing conclusions of research based practices that impact student achievement. Ranked ordered by the top ten researched based practices that proved to have a correlational coefficient of .73 to 1.0 or higher, greatly impacting students achievement were: a) self-reporting grades ( 1.44); b) Piagetian Programs (1.28); c) providing formative evaluation (.90); d) micro teaching (0.88); e) acceleration (0.88); f) classroom behavioral (.080); g) comprehensive intervention for learning disabled students; h) teacher clarity (0.75); reciprocal teaching (0.74); and i) feedback (0.73).

Research based "School Leadership that Works" by Robert Marzano

The Power of SMART Goals, Jan O'Neill and Ann Conzemius

Visible Learning by John Hattie

Whatever It Takes, by Dufour, Eaker, Karhanek

Seven Strategies of Assesement for Learning, Jan Chappuis

Professional Learning Communities, by Eaker and Dufour

Failure is Not an Option, By Alan B. Blankstein

Biographical Sketch

Shelia Garcia-Principal, Turn-Around Leader, First Elementary School in Georgia to Write and Receive 3.1 million SIG Grant. Formerly worked for the GaDOE as a school improvement specialist.

Arrika Tunstell-School Improvement Specialist, Former District Interventionist

Twanna White, School Counselor

Deborah White-Bailey-Literacy Coach, Former District Title I Coordinator

Dolores Gordon-Math Coach

Paula Johnson-Math Coach

LaJeune Williams-Literacy Coach

Ervin Clowers-Transitional Coach

Keyword Descriptors

overage students, transitional program, underachievers, low-performing males

Presentation Year

2016

Start Date

3-9-2016 9:45 AM

End Date

3-9-2016 11:00 AM

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Mar 9th, 9:45 AM Mar 9th, 11:00 AM

Transitional Program for Overage Students in Elementary School

Scarbrough 1

How under the direction of a "Transformational Leader and Distributive Leadership," a low performing "Priority School" made significant academic gains within three years and received recognition by GADOE and Georgia Public Broadcasting as a Turnaround Leader.