CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP
AT THE
HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL
FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTERS:
Jack Musser, Superintendent
John O’Neill Jr., Principal
FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
CHARACTERISTICS
• 1,900 Student Population; Grades 9-12
• 61% Caucasian, 36% Latino, 3% Other
• 42% Free and Reduced Lunch
• 14% ELL Population
• 14% Special Needs Population
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AREAS OF NEED
(AS IDENTIFIED IN 2002-2003)
• Reduce drop out rate & increase passing rates
• Build relationships between staff & students
• Help kids feel “connected”
• Ease the transition of Freshmen into FGHS
• Need to identify students failing in a timely
manner.
• Increase reading and math skill levels of students
SCHOOL DATA EXAMINED 2002-2003
• 47% of previous year’s Freshmen below a 2.0 GPA
• Nearly half of all drop outs were ninth graders
• Low reading and math skills for sophomores:
• 50% met state reading benchmarks
• 31% met state math benchmarks
• 80% correlation between 9th grade students reading
below grade level and earning below a 2.0 GPA
• Need for disaggregated data in a timely manner
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2003-2007
•Apply for Smaller Learning Communities Grant (U.S. DOE)
• Create Teams at the 9th and 10th grade levels
• Restructure ELL Program
• Institute Intervention Meetings
• Refine and Expand Alternative Education Program
• Create Advisory Program- 4 year relationship
• Create Links Transition Program
• Create remedial intervention programs (Workshop Courses)
• Create capacity for on-going assessments
• Align core curriculum in: English, Math, Science, Social Studies
• Create six CAM Academies
• Increase communication with parents
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
School Wide Staff Development Plan 2002-2006
2002-2003 What Works In Schools: Translating Research
into Action- By Robert J. Marzano 2003
2003-2004 Differentiated Instruction
2004-2005 SOS (Student Owned Strategies)
2005-2006 SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol)
2006-2007
Writing Across the Curriculum
CREATION OF REMEDIAL INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS
Math Workshop
• Utilizes PLATO math software to individualize student
learning
• Creation of a 40 station 9th grade lab & 40 station 10th grade
lab
• Utilization of State Sample Math Tests and teacher generated
standards-based math problems which familiarize students with
format of multiple choice questions
READING WORKSHOP
• Utilizes Accelerated Reading Program (www.renlearn.com)
along with PowerLessons, oral readings, journaling and Daily
Reading Logs.
• Individualized student reading levels are determined by
STAR Reading assessment software. Students read novels at
their instructional levels utilizing Sustained Silent Reading for
40 to 60 minutes per 88 minute block.
• When students finish their novel, they take a computerized
ten question comprehension assessment and vocabulary
assessment (new for our school this year).
• Students earn points for the number of books read and the
percent correct on vocabulary and comprehension tests.
SYSTEMIC SCHOOL-WIDE FACTORS
Based on Marzano, 2000a*
Rank Factor #1:
Opportunity to Learn
• Freshmen Students below a 239 are enrolled in a regular
math and English as well as Math and Reading Workshop
support electives.
• This structure maintains mainstream access along with
individualized instruction through integrated approach.
Rank Factor #2:
Time
• By requiring a regular math and English class as well
as the Workshop elective classes, students receive
double the time to learn and master skills tied to state
standards.
Rank Factor #3:
Monitoring
• All students are monitored on an on-going basis.
• Oregon’s on-line TESA state assessment provides three
opportunities a year.
• We use the long version first for strand information and the
short evaluations prior to the end of the first semester and at
the end of the assessment window in the Spring.
• We also use PLATO assessments teacher generated
assessments to help guide instruction.
• We use Mastery in Motion (MIM) software to provide
disaggregated data to teachers for assessment and work-sample
feedback.
• We have created a new classified position responsible for
running our two TESA Labs and providing disaggregated data
to teachers and others upon request.
Rank Factor #4:
Pressure to Achieve
• Students are required to remain in Math and Reading
Workshop electives until they pass the state exam with a score
of 239 or higher.
• Both regular and elective math teachers have on-going
conversations with their students about their progress.
• Once passed, the required elective is replaced with an
elective of the student’s choice.
Rank Factor #5:
Parental Involvement
• Regular parental updates are provided by teachers through
the use of EdLine web-based software, which provides a
calendar of upcoming assignments, grades on specific
assignments, missing assignments, attendance, and a course
syllabus.
Rank Factor #6:
School Climate
• School-wide celebrations are held for academic and activity
success.
• We conduct nine school-wide assemblies a year and
academic achievement is celebrated in nearly all of them
Rank Factor #7:
Leadership
• Monitoring of student achievement progress is on-going
throughout the year.
• Two school improvement retreats of three days each have
been held over the past four years to set school-wide goals
and monitor progress.
• All stake-holders are represented at these retreats: students,
parents, BSC, LSC, Leadership Team, school board members,
district administration, all site administrators, workshop
representatives, etc.
Rank Factor #8:
Cooperation
• Any program is only as good as the people you have
running it.
• Our Workshop teachers are some of the best we have on
site.
• All workshop teachers believe all students can learn and they
take personal responsibility for student growth and
achievement.
• Our District Administrative Team is VERY supportive and has
upheld high expectations.
Source: Marzano, R.J. (200a*). A new era of school reform: Going
where the research takes us. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for
Education and Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.
ED45455)
HIGHER EXPECTATIONS
• Students will stoop or strive to established expectations
• Our board has passed board policy requiring a 239
passing score in order to opt out of a workshop class.
• Our board has also passed promotion standards for our
eighth graders.
• Eighth grade students must achieve a 2.0 grade point
average for the year, passing math and language arts.
HIGHER RESULTS:
• Higher passing rates on state assessments for all
subgroups;
• Higher passing rates in core classes for 9th and 10th graders
by first semester
• Lower Drop-out rate:
- 01-02 School Year = 7.7%
- 05-06 School Year = 2.4%
•Oregon Report Card overall rating:
- 01-02 School Year = Satisfactory
- 05-06 School Year = Strong (2nd Year)
Table 1
FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL READING & LITERATURE
PERFORMANCE ON GRADE 10 ASSESSMENT
STUDENTS MEETING OR EXCEEDING STATE STANDARD
Percent Met
Performance on Grade 10 Assessment
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
66%
73%
75%
50%
Series1
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
Year
2005-06
2005-2006 FGHS Comparative Scores
State Reading & Literature: Meets or Exceeds
Percentage Meet or
Exceeds
2005-2006 FGHS Comparative Scores
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
75
* FGHS
57
56
State Average
Similar Schools
Comparators
* FGHS only- excludes alternative school
Table 2
FOREST GROVE HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS
PERFORMANCE ON GRADE 10 ASSESSMENT
STUDENTS MEETING OR EXCEEDING STATE STANDARD
PERCENT MET
MATHEMATICS
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
71%
64%
45%
Series1
34%
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
YEAR
2005-06
2005-2006 FGHS Comparative Scores
State Mathematics: Meets or Exceeds
Percentage Meet or
Exceeds
2005-2006 FGHS Comparative Scores
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
71
* FGHS
47
44
State Average
Similar Schools
Comparators
* FGHS only- excludes alternative school
FAILURE RATE BY COURSE:
Course:
00-01
05-06
English 9
20%
14%
Physical Science
23%
6%
World Studies
24%
7%
English 10
28%
13%
Biology
22%
19%
American Studies
27%
9%
Closing the Achievement Gap
Math Gap between Hispanic and Caucasian Students:
Eighth Grade:8 point rit gap
Tenth Grade: 4 point rit gap
Math Gap between ELL and Caucasian Students:
Eighth Grade:13 point rit gap
Tenth Grade: 8 point rit gap
Closing the Achievement Gap
Reading Gap between Hispanic and Caucasian Students:
Eighth Grade:9 point rit gap
Tenth Grade: 5 point rit gap
Reading Gap between ELL and Caucasian Students:
Eighth Grade:16 point rit gap
Tenth Grade: 8 point rit gap
FGHS 10th Grade Reading Growth
89
75
80
59
60
70
74
63
57
55
50
41
40
20
47
43
40
35
31
29
22
22
20
19
18
10
5
5
0
A LL
LEP
SP ED
2002-03
DISA DV
2003-04
2004-05
HISP A NIC
WHITE
2005-06
FGHS 10th Grade Math Growth
90
85
80
PERCENT MEETS
Percent Met
100
72
71
70
61
60
60
50
40
56
55
45
44
43
44
37
34
30
35
24
19
20
18
11
10
3
3
10
13
9
3
0
ALL
LEP
SPED
DISADV
HISPANIC
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
WHITE