Here are the results for the schools Charlotte Knox worked with
during the 2010-11 school year.
Highlights include a whole district reaching an API of 801,
another district gaining 54 points overall, and 13 schools
climbing to over 800!
In addition, three of our schools were just listed on the 2011
eligible California Distinguished School
list,–no small thing when the cut off was 832 for elementary
schools this year.
We are so proud of the students, staff, and principals at all of
these schools! We are all coming to realize that closing
the achievement gap for low income and minority students can
become a predictable reality following the formula for success
developed by Dennis Parker.
Also look for us at
ACSA next week. Dennis will be presenting a Strategic
Schooling session Thursday morning. Charlotte, Dennis and a
stellar principal from Atwater, Ana Boyenga, will also be
presenting an illustration of successful implementation during
the Saturday session.
During this second year with
Atwater, we continued to refine the 12 basic “bread and
butter” strategies of Strategic Schooling, while also launching a
district-wide writing campaign. Each district-wide grade
level team met with Charlotte 3 times over the course of the year
to
Analyze results from the previous trimester
Plan forward for writing instruction focusing on the gradual
release model of instruction
Develop projects for informational writing taken to
publication for all students
Five of the seven schools are now over the state goal of 800 on
the API
The district-wide API is now over 800 as well. This is the only
district in the county of more than a few hundred students with
an 800+ API.
During this third year with Knox Education we focused on:
Continuing to refine backwards mapping of standards for best
coverage before the CST
Monitoring and intervening for target students
Developing mini-lessons for focus standards
Over the course of the three years with Knox Education, Crescent
has grown 106 points and became eligible this year for California
Distinguished School.
During this second year of implementation we focused on:
Backwards mapping for the CST during 3 days of “half time
huddle” sessions with each grade level
Careful supplementation and planning for standards not
covered well with adopted text
Franklin has grown a total of 62 points and became eligible this
year for California Distinguished School.
Hellyer Elementary School
During this third year of implementation we focused on:
Backwards mapping for the CST during 3 days of “half time
huddle” sessions with each grade level
Careful supplementation and planning for standards not
covered well with adopted text
Hellyer has grown over 800 and continues to grow. Of note
are the 19 perfect 600 scores achieved by its stellar students!
McKinley Elementary School
During this third year of implementation we focused on:
Backwards mapping for the CST during 3 days of “half time
huddle” sessions with each grade level
Monitoring target students and differentiating instruction
across the grade level
Careful supplementation and planning for standards not
covered well with adopted text
McKinley took a small dip this year, down 13 points. Three
teachers in testing grades were out with long-term
substitutes. In the previous two years McKinley grew 104
points, two years of having the highest gains in their district.
During this Sacramento area
school district’s first year of implementation with Strategic
Schooling the entire district grew 55 points on the API—the
largest district-gain in the county. Rio Vista High made a
whopping 83 point gain, and at Isleton, their 68 point gain made
them eligible for California Distinguished School. The
structure of the professional development included:
Strategic Schooling leadership retreat, June 2010 with Dennis
Parker
August kick-off K-12 training with Charlotte Knox
Each grade/department level team met with Charlotte 3 times
during the year to problem solve around implementation, view demo
lessons, and backwards map standards based instruction leading up
to the CST
We are now working through year 2 of implementation with a focus
on writing instruction K-6 and secondary school implementation of
Strategic Schooling in grades 7-12.
—”The principals have embraced Strategic Schooling and in
turn, so have the staffs. I was so impressed at the last
workshop right before the holidays on the interest and sharing on
writing. They are learning to be more collaborative in our
district which is something that has been lacking.
It is a great experience for me to work with you and watch
you invigorate our teachers to believe that they can do it.
So, if we can be self sustaining in the future, I am sure you
have plenty of districts that need your guidance so they can
benefit as well.”
During this first year with
Thermalito Charlotte met with each grade level team 3 times over
the course of the school year to:
Plan implementation for Strategic Schooling
View demonstration lessons
Develop tools for analyzing data and increasing feedback to
students
The district as a whole grew 19 points, and the middle school
gained 40 points. One of the elementaries grew over 800 to
814. During this second year, we are continuing to refine
basic Strategic Schooling implementation while moving into a
focus on writing instruction.
