Burris Laboratory School
Vision
Burris Laboratory School is a community of learners whose scholarship takes place in an
environment of mutual trust and respect. Teaching emphasizes maximum growth and
achievement for each member of the community. Learning becomes more and more autonomous
and is characterized by the understanding and application of increasingly complex concepts and
content.
Mission
As its mission, the Burris Laboratory School provides the development, demonstration,
and dissemination of effective and innovative teaching practices, offers an exemplary pre-service
clinical program for teaching majors, accommodates research and operates an educationally
sound instructional program for its K-12 population. This mission is based on the belief that all
students can learn and will be empowered to develop their fullest intellectual, social, artistic, and
physical potentials.
Beliefs
Burris students, faculty, staff, parents, and administrators constitute a community
of learners who believe that:
•
Education is a lifelong process.
•
All children can learn and do so in a variety of ways. Students' individual needs
must be considered when planning educational experiences.
•
The learning process must be assessed in a variety of ways.
•
Education is best achieved through cooperative and collaborative efforts of the
Burris community.
•
Educators must help students develop intellectual, aesthetic, social skills
and talents that will serve them for a lifetime.
•
Educators should have academic freedom to utilize resources that will maximize
instruction to meet the needs of all students while maintaining accountability for
student success.
1
Burris Laboratory School
School Profile 2008-2009
UNIQUE LOCAL INSIGHTS
Volleyball, violins and vectors! These are just a few of the characterizing features of
Burris Laboratory School, the only K-12 laboratory school in Indiana. Burris Laboratory School
is not only a public school, but also a department of Ball State University Teachers College.
Further, Burris is dedicated to assuring a high quality education for 549 students in grades K-12
and providing model classroom settings which host more than 800 pre-service teachers enrolled
in teacher education programs at Ball State University. As a department of Teachers College,
Burris is administered by a principal/department chair under the supervision of the dean of the
college and ultimately the Board of Trustees of Ball State University. The Burris faculty is
composed of contract faculty and tenured faculty members of Ball State University. Faculty and
staff abide by the policies and regulations outlined in the Ball State University Faculty and
Professional Personnel Handbook. Burris is a public school requiring adherence to state laws,
guidelines, and regulations of the Indiana Department of Education. This unique organizational
structure presents distinct opportunities and challenges as Burris strives to meet its educational
mission.
Burris Laboratory School is a school of choice for parents and students living in the state
of Indiana. Any parent in the state of Indiana may submit an application for Burris enrollment,
and must agree to provide transportation to and from school if chosen. The greatest majority of
Burris students come from Delaware and surrounding counties. Currently, students attending
Burris live in four counties outside of Delaware County. Prospective students are selected
2
through a lottery system to fill enrollment openings. To give preference to applicants who are
siblings of current Burris students, the lottery is modified. Enrollment limits set by the Indiana
legislature set the size of the student body to be no larger than 750 students. The enrollment was
limited to 450 students from 2000 – 2006. One hundred students with gifts and talents were
added to the overall K-12 enrollment from 2006-2009. This increase is in line with Burris’s
mission to conduct research, develop and implement curriculum, and provide services that
promote optimal learning experiences and high skill achievement.
The demographics of the school have been changing since the last school study. Burris’
minority population has increased to over nineteen percent of the overall student population. The
economic background of our student population has also been changing. There has been a
dramatic increase in the number of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Twenty five
percent of current Burris students qualify for free/reduced lunch indicating a trend toward a
changing student population. The number of students qualifying for special education/Section
504 services has remained fairly constant; however, there is an increase in students identified
with more significant impairments such as autism and mental disabilities.
The faculty turnover remains one of the primary concerns for the Burris
community. Several conditions become obstacles to recruiting and retaining faculty including:
•
Contract faculty may not earn tenure.
•
No salary schedule is in place for teachers or administrators.
•
Salary increases are based on a system of merit/years of service to Burris.
•
Teachers are neither represented by a bargaining unit nor supported by a master
contract.
3
•
Salaries for teaching, coaching, and other related duties are considerably lower as
a whole than for other public schools in the area and state, including the Indiana
Academy.
•
The principal can be overwhelmed by the joint responsibilities of being a
university department chair and public school administrator in a K – 12 setting.
These conditions are offset by Ball State University’s fee remissions program for faculty,
spouses, and dependents, and Burris’ encouragement and financial support for professional
development activities. Other benefits to attract prospective teachers include preferential
admission for their children, convenient access to campus resources, relatively small class sizes,
minimal discipline issues, a family-oriented atmosphere, and the personal relationships
developed in this small school. The teaching load for secondary teachers is four classes or twenty
student contact hours per week. Elementary teachers average 4.4 hours daily when specials are
included. There remains a need for consistent effective faculty orientation and staff development.
Four faculty members have completed the Indiana Mentorship Training and are certified mentors
for beginning teachers. While Burris rarely hires beginning teachers, many of the activities of
teacher mentorship training could be adapted to help new teachers adjust to this atypical school
environment.
Burris Laboratory School continually seeks to evaluate its mission, programs, and use of
personnel and resources in order to maintain the historically high graduation rates and high levels
student achievement. Action research is ongoing. The school provides a setting in which many
university related research projects take place. The alumni’s monetary support of the Ball State
University Foundation acknowledges the school’s profound influence on its student body.
4
INFORMATION ON INSTRUCTION
Since 1998, Burris Laboratory School has implemented a full inclusion program for
students identified with special needs and students identified with gifts and talents. Support
services are predominately provided in the general education classroom for students with more
significant disabilities. The Resource Room and the Center fro Gifted Studies are used to provide
individual instruction and support for special education and gifted students.
Burris teachers continue to seek innovative ways to address the Indiana Academic
Standards while providing stimulating and constructive methods assuring optimal achievement
for all students. Teachers participate in professional development to hone skills in differentiating
curriculum to meet the unique learning needs of diverse learners. Burris faculty members are
currently in the process of developing a comprehensive curriculum map covering all grade levels
K-12. Examples of recent curricular changes include restructuring the English, science, and
social studies high school curriculum; further, not only has foreign language been introduced in
the middle school, but new reading and language arts programs are being explored in the primary
elementary curriculum. Another example of curriculum innovation is the development of a high
school Logical and Critical Thinking class. This class was proposed by a student and became a
reality due to collaboration of English, math, and science faculty. This class has been offered as
an elective since the 2006-2007 school year.
Burris remains committed to providing students with creative channels for personal
growth and development by maintaining strong art, music and physical education programs for
all levels. All primary students are exposed to music performance. General music begins in
Kindergarten. The elementary strings program begins in first grade. Band begins in fourth
grade. These opportunities continue throughout the high school experience.
5
The Ball State University connection allows Burris Laboratory School faculty and
students to participate in many exceptional learning opportunities such as, exploring other
cultures through international experiences, contributing to others through service learning
opportunities, and participating in electronic field trips broadcast to schools all over the United
States. The association with the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities
creates additional educational and social opportunities for both schools by sharing equipment and
resources and offers joint classes to both Burris and Academy students. This relationship
encourages mutual participation in extracurricular activities such as student publications, music,
athletics and student clubs and organizations.
Technology is an essential tool for improved school communication and student
instruction. Middle and high school parents and students may monitor academic progress by
accessing PowerSchool, an internet based reporting program that documents student attendance
and performance in all classes. Elementary and secondary teachers routinely utilize carts
equipped with 20-24 wireless laptop computers, a projector, and a printer. Four computer labs
are also available for classroom usage. Burris purchased an on-line math program in order to
tailor remedial math instruction to identified individuals.
The use of technology has been an equalizer for teachers differentiating content across
the curriculum. A technology committee facilitates professional development and training of
faculty and staff with the goal of sharing expertise. Faculty may also access Ball State
University’s in-service training classes to learn or sharpen skills. As Burris is a wireless
building, all faculty members are issued a personal laptop. Projectors are available in many
rooms and teachers frequently utilize these as well as Blackboard, electronic rubrics, and mobile
presenters in their daily lessons. A full-time technology coordinator was employed in August of
6
2006 to help maintain equipment and train and support faculty as technology becomes an ever
increasing component of the overall education plan of the school.
At the end of the second semester of the 2008-2009 school year, Burris middle and high
school students assessed their classes online. Students used a 5 point scale with 5 being strongly
agree and 1 strongly disagree. Students were asked to rate each class on the following criteria.
The results of class evaluations were as follows:
Criteria
1. Student participation valued
2. Students respected and treated fairly
3. Instructor is prompt
4. Instructor fosters and encouraging classroom atmosphere
5. Instructor cares about students' learning and progress
6. Instructor is enthusiastic about material
7. Instructor encourages students to do their best
8. Instructor models positive attitude and appropriate behavior
9. Instructor genuinely interested in students
10. Instructor is well prepared
11. Instructor uses variety of strategies
12. Instructor promotes understanding of major concepts
13. Engaged delivery/maintains interest
14. Available to provide assistance and support
15. Able to manage classroom discipline
16. Teaches problem solving and critical thinking skills
17. Makes connections with other subjects
18. Provides challenging/worthwhile work
19. Instructor stimulates interest/appreciation of subject
20. Updates grades regularly
21. Uses a variety of tests/assessments
22. Grades accurately reflect learning
23. Too much work required *
24. Too little work required *
25. Grading criteria is clear
School Avg.
4.136
3.928
3.877
3.975
3.975
4.195
4.340
4.001
4.008
4.000
3.800
3.904
3.693
3.961
3.920
3.845
3.762
3.859
3.747
3.666
3.725
3.783
2.797
2.548
3.851
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26. Appropriately used technology
27. Students learned a lot
28. Instructor is organized
29. Instructor explains and fairly enforces policy
30. Instructor explains content clearly
3.936
3.961
3.966
4.070
4.024
Overall average
3.835
This survey indicates students agree Burris teachers are effective. According to middle
and high school students the strengths of Burris teachers include, valuing student participation
(4.136), being enthusiastic (4.195) and explaining content clearly (4.024). Burris teachers also
encourage students to do their best (4.340), are perceived as being genuinely interested in their
students (4.008), and model a positive attitude and appropriate behavior (4.001).
Questions 23
and 24 can be disregarded because evidence shows the rating scale was not appropriate for these
questions. Therefore, no serious weaknesses were discovered by this survey. However, the
weakest areas are updating grades regularly (3.666), providing an engaged delivery that
maintains interest (3.693), making connections with other subjects (3.762), using a variety of
assessments (3.725), and stimulates interest/appreciation of the subject (3.747).
COMMUNITY INFORMATION
The 2000 census reported 67,430 people living in and around the Muncie area. The racial
makeup of residents in this area was 85.72% White, 10.97% African American, 0.27% Native
American, 0.79% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, 1.49% multiracial and
1.44% Hispanic or Latino. Of the families with children under 18, 36.4% were married couples
living together, 13.0% had a female head of household with no husband present, and 46.6% were
unmarried couples.
8
A steady loss of manufacturing jobs and an increase in service jobs has significantly
impacted the Muncie community. According to the 2000 census, the annual median income for
a household in the city was $26,613, and the median income for a family was $36,398. Males
had a median income of $30,445 versus $21,872 for females. About 14.3% of families living in
the Muncie area were reported having incomes below the poverty level. Ball State University
and Ball Memorial Hospital have emerged as the two largest employers in the Muncie area.
Ball State University provides financial, technological, and pedagogical support for Burris
Laboratory School.
This year an on-line parent survey was made available. The school received 86 valid
responses to this survey. The grade levels of the students of these parents ranged from grades K12. The number of years the student of the respondent had attended Burris ranged from 1 - 11.
The parents were asked to rank the school in 22 areas, where a 1 = Strongly Agree and 5 =
Strongly Disagree. The survey questions and ratings were as follows:
Burris Laboratory School Parent Survey 2006
Burris Laboratory School is collecting information from parents about our school. This survey is
anonymous. Your input will be appreciated. Please do not forget to click Submit on the bottom
of the page.
My child’s school:
1. …maintains high academic standards.
1.7
My child’s teachers:
2. …are friendly and easy to talk to.
3. …make learning interesting and relevant
4. …motivate students to learn.
5. …take an interest in student’s educational future.
6. …are knowledgeable and understand their subject area.
1.7
1.7
1.9
1.9
1.8
7. …do their best to include me in matters directly affecting my child’s success
in school.
2.3
My child’s school is effectively teaching students:
9
8. …the basic academic skills in reading.
9. …the basic academic skills in mathematics.
10…to speak and write correctly in English.
11…to investigate problems in science.
12…to use computers.
13…to think critically and reason out problems.
14…to develop good study and work habits.
15…to get along with different kinds of people.
1.6
1.9
2.0
2.0
1.7
1.9
2.2
1.7
The principal:
16…does an effective job running my child’s school.
17…is available and easy to talk to.
Guidance counselors:
18…are concerned about and try to help students with educational and
personal problems.
2.0
The school staff:
19…treat me with respect when I contact my child’s school.
20…respond to my needs and concerns in a reasonable period of time.
1.7
1.8
21…My child is getting a good education at this school.
22…The overall climate or atmosphere at my child’s school is positive
and helps my child learn.
Overall Grade
1.9
1.9
1.7
1.6
3.4 of a possible 4.0
This survey shows parents are well-satisfied with the education their child or children
receive at Burris Laboratory School. Parents appreciate the overall climate and atmosphere at the
school. However, parents are not as satisfied with teacher efforts to include them in matters
directly affecting their child’s success, although a rating of 2.3 is not a poor rating. Parents also
appear to believe the school could do more to develop good study and work habits. Again, an
overall score of 2.2 would make it seem this is not a highly negative issue.
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SUCCESS OF GRADUATES
Ninety-eight to one-hundred percent of the graduates of Burris Laboratory School go on
to post-secondary education programs. Burris graduates of the class of 2009 went on to attend a
variety of colleges and universities including the Rose-Hulman Institute for Technology and
Stanford University. In 2006 an on-line survey was sent to Burris graduates. The school
received 30 valid responses to this survey. These respondents represent a wide cross-section of
graduates. The range in years of graduation varied from 1978 to 2006. The grade point average
earned by the graduates ranged form 2.75-4.00 of a possible 4.00. All of the respondents had
attended one or more years of college. The majority of respondents are currently in college,
some are in graduate school, and others are college graduates.
Of the thirty valid responses, 26 indicated they felt they were prepared to be successful in
college and four indicated they did not feel they were prepared. Fourteen respondents to the
graduate survey gave Burris an overall grade of “A”, thirteen gave the school a “B”, and three
gave the school a “C”, for an estimated average grade of “B+. When asked about areas in which
they felt they were best prepared, 27 of 30 graduates indicated they felt best prepared in the area
of English and Writing. When asked about areas in which they could have been better prepared,
fifteen graduates said they could have been better prepared in Science, nine indicated they could
have been better prepared in Social Studies, six indicated they could have been better prepared in
Technology, and four indicated they could have been better prepared in the area of General
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.
The Burris graduates were also asked specifically about critical thinking skills they may
or may not have gained in school. Graduates were asked to rank questions regarding seven
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specific areas of critical thinking on a scale of 1 – 4, with one being the best. The overall results
were as follows:
Critical Thinking Area
Avg. Score
Determining the factual accuracy of information being evaluated
1.9
Determining the credibility of the source of information
2.0
Determining the difference between verifiable facts and value claims
2.0
Detecting biases
2.0
Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information and claims
1.9
Recognizing logical fallacies and inconsistencies in a line of reasoning
2.3
Be reasonable and reflective in determining what to believe and do
1.9
These results indicate students felt they were somewhat, but not wholly, prepared to be adequate
critical thinkers and problem solvers
In the section of the survey reserved for general feedback, Burris graduates indicated they
believed the open, democratic atmosphere of the school was one of its greatest attributes.
Graduates also indicated although there were areas of weakness, the teachers were very capable,
and graduates were pleased with the overall education they received at the school. Because
teacher turn-over rate detracted from the atmosphere and made it difficult for teachers and
students to know one another well, graduates noted the negative repercussions. One graduate
summarized the feelings of Burris graduates by stating,
“I believe one of the strengths of this school is the freedom and independence given to
the students. I know at times this may be the problem-but I believe for the most part Burris
students are more mature and educated compared to students attending (other) public schools. I
feel the only disadvantage of Burris is size- but at the same time it is also the size that allows
more one-to-one interaction between teachers and students. I was very close to the faculty while
I was in school and remain in touch with some of them now… I will always remember my time
in school as being part of a large family. I was incredibly close to my class and I don’t think
12
many students who attend other schools can say they had the same experience. I left Burris with
a great education and a family – both which I will never forget.”
13
School Profile 2008-2009
BURRIS ADMINSTRATION
Years of Tenure of Burris Principals
June 2009
Years of Service of Assistant Principals/Administrative Assistants
June 2009
The challenges of being an administrator in a K-12 public school and university environment
have resulted in unusually high level of administrative turnover in the past decade.
14
Total Number
of
Administrators and Support Staff
Principal
Administrative Support
• Assistant Principal
• Athletic Director/Safety Specialist
• Student Services Coordinator
•
Counseling
Counselors
• Interns
Health Coordinator – Nurse
Special Ed Aides
Resource Room Coordinator
Classroom Aides
Office Support Staff
Technology Coordinator
Library Assistant
Totals
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
5
1
2
4
1
1
23
15
FACULTY PROFILE
Years of Employment at Burris
October 1999
18
20
15
11
7
10
5
0
6
0
0
6-10
years
11-15
years
2 3
Tenured
1
Contract
0
1-5 years
16-20
years
21 or
more
In 1999, thirty-eight percent of the Burris faculty had been teaching at Burris for five years or
less. Twenty-five percent had been at Burris for twenty-one or more years.
In 2009, forty-one percent of Burris faculty had been teaching at Burris for five years or less.
Twenty-two percent had been at Burris for twenty-one or more years.
16
Currently, twenty-seven teachers are core curriculum teachers.
Currently, Burris employs fifteen teachers in the areas of fine and practical arts, special
education, and student services.
17
The number of Burris teachers with tenure at Ball State University has significantly decreased
since 1984. We currently have only four (eight percent) tenured teachers.
In June 2009, ninety-two percent of our faculty were contract faculty.
18
Currently, seventy-five percent of our faculty have a Master’s or a have a Doctorate
Faculty Salaries
Average Salary – Burris
State Average Salary
1999-2000
$33,386
$41,860
2002-2003
$34,393
$44,966
2005-2006
$35,946
$47,255
2008-2009
$38,000
$49,569
Delaware County Salary Comparison – 2005-2006
School Corporation
Burris Lab School
Cowan
Daleville
Delaware Community
Liberty-Perry
Mount Pleasant
Muncie Community
Wes Del
Indiana Public Schools
Teacher Age
46
43
41
45
44
42
45
40
44
Average Annual Salary
$38,000
$44,400
$39,800
$49,800
$46,400
$44,300
$47,700
$43,400
$49,569
The annual teacher salary at Burris Laboratory School is well below all other Delaware County
schools and below the state average.
19
STUDENT PROFILE
ENROLLMENT
Burris Laboratory School’s enrollment is set by the State of Indiana and has increased eighty-one
students since the 2005-2006 school year. Because our admissions process uses a lottery system,
we have classes with large differences in the gender breakdown.
20
Ethnicity
21
The number of minority students at Burris is determined by the lottery system. A conscious
effort is made to attract and retain a diverse student body. The above charts show a steady
increase in the diversity of the student body over the last few years.
22
Socio-Economic Status
The number of students on free and reduced lunch status has nearly tripled in the last six years.
23
Special Education
The number of special education students is close to the state average and remains relatively
constant. The lottery system has not greatly impacted these numbers.
Gifted and Talented
2005-2006
Percentage
2006-2007
Percentage
2008-2009
Percentage
95
20%
142
28%
209
38%
Burris Laboratory School has traditionally had GT students. Since the GT lottery began in the
2007-2008 school year we have admitted an additional fifty-six GT students through the GT
lottery.
24
Attendance Rates
The attendance rate at Burris remains nearly the same and is always above the state average.
25
Adequate Yearly Progress
Burris has achieved Adequate Yearly Progress on a yearly basis. (Although not noted in the
graph above, Burris did not make AYP in 2008-2009. Burris met 16 out of 17 categories. Burris
only failed to meet graduation rate, due to four students choosing to obtain their GED’s.)
26
Graduation Information
The graduation rate for Burris ranges from 90.2% to 100% and is well above the state average on
this measure of excellence.
27
Core 40 Diplomas
The percentage of students receiving Core 40 diplomas is always well above the state average on
this measure of excellence.
28
Honors Diplomas
The percentage of student receiving an Honors diploma is always above the state average on this
measure of excellence.
29
Graduates Pursuing College Education
The percentage of students pursuing a college education is always above the state average on this
measure of excellence.
30
Burris students score above the state average on the ACT and often above the 95th percentile on
the SAT.
31
ISTEP+ Results
Burris Laboratory School has a long history of high achievement on statewide
assessments. This graph demonstrates the average achievement for all students taking ISTEP+
for the past nine school years. The next set of graphs demonstrates student achievement by grade
level in English / Language Arts and Mathematics.
32
Third Grade
33
Fourth Grade
34
Fifth Grade
35
Sixth Grade
36
Seventh Grade
37
Eighth Grade
38
Ninth Grade
39
Tenth Grade
40
Language Arts ISTEP+ Applied Skills Grade Level Samples
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Three
Burris Grade 3 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
6 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
0%
0%
28%
50%
19%
3%
0
0
9
16
6
1
41
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Grade Four
Burris Grade 4 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
6 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
0%
20%
57%
23%
0%
0%
0
7
20
8
0
0
42
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Five
Burris Grade 5 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
Percentage of
Students
0%
3%
44%
47%
3%
6 points
0%
Number of
Students
0
1
16
17
1
0
43
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Six
Burris Grade 6 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
1 points
0%
0
2 points
3%
1
3 points
31%
11
4 points
58%
21
5 points
3%
1
6 points
6%
2
44
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Seven
Burris Grade 7 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
6 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
0%
8%
51%
38%
3%
0%
0
3
20
15
1
0
45
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Eight
Burris Grade 8 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
6 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
0%
8%
44%
46%
3%
0%
0
3
17
18
1
0
46
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Nine
Burris Grade 9 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
6 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
0%
10%
23%
58%
10%
0%
0
4
9
23
4
0
47
Sample Results Writing Applications Applied Skill Activity Grade Ten
Burris Grade 10 Language Arts Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
1 points
2 points
3 points
4 points
5 points
6 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
0%
0%
3%
36%
44%
15%
0
0
1
14
17
6
48
Mathematics ISTEP+ Applied Skills Grade Level Samples
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Three
Test 6 Question 4: Cory and Jackie have these clues about a Mystery Number.
The Mystery Number is GREATER than 43 and LESS than 50.
The Mystery Number is an even number.
Cory thinks the Mystery Number could be 47, but Jackie does not think his
is correct. Tell who is correct and explain why on the lines below.
Burris Grade 3 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
13%
41%
47%
4
13
15
49
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Four
Test 7 Question 4: Jeremy has 8 nickels, 9 dimes, and 20 pennies in his coin jar.
He wants to exchange these coins for quarters to use at the county fair.
How many quarters can he get in exchange for the coins? Write your
answer on the line below.
Burris Grade 4 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
51%
17%
31%
12
18
5
50
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Five
Test 8 Question 4: The table below shows the items sold at Ferguson’s Ice Cream
yesterday.
Each sundae and banana split has 3 scoops of ice cream.
How many TOTAL SCOOPS of ice cream were served at Ferguson’s yesterday?
Burris Grade 5 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
61%
8%
31%
22
3
11
51
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Six
Test 7 Question 7: At the laundromat, $4 is required to wash four loads of clothes. It
costs $5 to dry four loads of clothes. Jim needs to wash and dry ONE load of clothes.
How much money does he need?
Burris Grade 6 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
47%
8%
44%
17
3
16
52
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Seven
Test 8 Question 5: Ms. Warner developed a budget for a project she is working on. Her budget is shown in
the first two columns of the table below.
Ms. Warner’s boss gave her the following directions:
• reduce the total budget by 20%
• do NOT reduce the amount spent on Marketing
• at least two categories must be reduced
Use these directions to complete the table above. Show your work in the box below.
Burris Grade 7 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
3 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
23%
46%
8%
9
18
3
15%
6
53
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Eight
Test 7 Question 6: Professor Ward is conducting an experiment with bacteria. He begins
the experiment with 5,000 bacteria. The number of bacteria after h hours can be found
using the equation below.
Use the equation to fill in the table below.
Do the numbers in the table represent a linear function? Explain why or why not on the
lines below.
Burris Grade 8 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
41%
56%
3%
16
22
1
54
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Nine
Test 8 Question 5: Ashley is placing small boxes in the shape of cubes that are all the
same size inside a larger packing box that is in the shape of a rectangular prism. The diagram below shows the larger
packing box and one of the small boxes.
Ashley thinks that half as many small boxes will fit inside the packing box
if the length, width, and height of the small boxes are doubled, and the
dimensions of the packing box remain the same.
On the lines below, explain why Ashley’s observation is not reasonable.
Be sure to include in your explanation the number of the original size and
the number of the new size of small boxes that will fit in the packing box.
Burris Grade 9 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
69%
20%
11%
24
7
4
Sample Results Mathematics Applied Skills Activity Grade Ten
55
Test 2: Question 6: A customer is buying a chair that normally costs $150 plus 7% tax. The
customer has a discount coupon to reduce the normal price of the chair, before tax, by 20%.
•
Explain why there either is or is not a difference between applying the tax before the
coupon or applying the coupon before the tax.
•
What is the least amount the customer will spend for the chair after the discount coupon
and tax are applied to the normal cost of the chair?
•
Burris Grade 10 Mathematics Applied Skills 2005-2006
Points
Earned
0 points
1 point
2 points
3 points
Percentage of
Students
Number of
Students
24%
8%
57%
11%
9
3
21
4
What do the ISTEP+ applied skills assessment results tell us?
56
The Writing Applications Applied Skill Activities assess students’ ability to analyze a
topic and remain on topic, address the essay topic in a logical manner, provide sufficient
supportive detail, and acknowledge the audience. The results reveal Burris students in grades 310 particularly struggle with expressing written thought in a logical and organized manner.
On a 6-point scale, with 6 being the highest score possible, the majority of third graders
earned a 4. While 19% earned a 5, 28% earned a 3. In the fourth grade, test results indicated
over half of the students earned a 3. The remaining students were equally divided between scores
of 2 and 4. Fifth graders saw an even divide between scores of 3 and 4. With the onset of middle
school, sixth graders performed nearly identically, with 58% of the students earning a 4 and 31%
earning a 3. Grade seven saw a slight decline with over half of the students earning a 3. Eighth
grade students showed a similar performance with 46% earning 4 points and 4% earning 3
points. Over half of the freshmen earned scores of 4 out of 6. Grade 10 marks the highest level
of proficiency with 95% of the students earning between a 4 and a 6.
As rubrics utilized by ISTEP when measuring proficiency in writing arts indicate, the
areas of improvement needing to be addressed are audience awareness, vocabulary proficiency,
and awareness of audience as employed through tone and structure.
The rubrics for ISTEP mathematics indicate that results show that students are not good
problem solvers and have not developed a “mathematical disposition” which allows them to
analyze situations in mathematical terms. On a 2 point scale, the majority of third graders earned
2 points, while 41% earned only 1 point and 13% earned a 0. In the fourth grade, test results
indicated over half of the students earned a 0. Fifth grade students showed lower analytical skills
with 61% of fifth graders earning 0 points on the mathematics applied skills problem shown
above. Sixth, seventh and eighth graders also performed poorly with 48%, 25%, and 41%
57
respectively earning a zero on the problems presented above. Ninth grade scores illustrated the
poorest performance with 69% of the students scoring a 0 out of a possible 2 points. Grade 10
witnessed a higher level of proficiency with 57% earning 2 points and 11% earning 3 points out
of a possible 3 points.
According to the ISTEP rubrics, these low scores show Burris students have not
developed a range of strategies for finding a solution to a problem, have not learned to monitor
and adjust the strategies they choose to use in the process if solving a specific problem, and are
not proficient at comparing and contrasting solutions and problems.
58
CONCLUSIONS FROM THE SCHOOL PROFILE
The school profile shows that there are many positive aspects of Burris Laboratory School:
•
The composition of the student body at Burris Laboratory School is changing. The
percentage of minority students and the number of students qualifying for free and
reduced lunch has increased. The number of special education students has remained
constant; however, there is an increase in the number of students identified with severe
disabilities.
•
Despite these changes, students continue to excel on the ISTEP test and the school has
never failed to achieve Annual Yearly Progress. Burris students typically rank near the
top 95% of Indiana schools on the ISTEP assessment. Burris has been a Four Star School
for three years running and has been nominated as a National Blue Ribbon School.
•
Current students, parents and Burris graduates believe that Burris teachers are caring,
knowledgeable, respect and value students, and are pleased with the overall climate and
atmosphere of the school.
•
Graduates feel they were best prepared in the areas of English and writing.
There are some areas of general concerns that have surfaced as a result of examining the school
profile:
•
Faculty turnover remains one of the primary concerns. This concern was expressed by
teachers and by Burris graduates.
•
There has been a great deal of administrative turnover in the past 13 years.
•
There is a need for consistent effective faculty orientation and staff development
programs.
•
Students feel teachers are weakest at making connections with other subjects, and could
use a wider variety of assessments
•
Graduates feel they could have been better prepared in the areas of science and social
studies.
•
Parents believe teachers could do more to include them in matters directly affecting their
child’s success.
59
•
There has been a decline in Language Arts and Mathematics scores on the ISTEP+
assessment for 4th grade assessments. This may be due to a number of new students
entering the school at the fourth grade level.
•
There has been a decrease in Language Arts and Math scores for 5th grade students over
the past three years.
Although these concerns will not be ignored, the Burris administration and faculty have
concluded that the single most important area to address as a school goal is the area of
critical thinking. A review of the school profile provides several indicators that point toward
a need to address critical thinking:
•
Class evaluations from middle school and high school students indicate teachers should
focus more on teaching problem solving and critical thinking skills.
•
Graduates list general critical thinking and problem solving as an area in which they
could have been better prepared.
•
Although Burris students tend to excel in the norm referenced portions of the ISTEP test,
students at all levels show poor achievement when responding to the applied skill portion
of this test.
•
The applied skills section of the ISTEP test requires students to utilize critical thinking
skills. Low scores on the Writing Applications Applied Skill Activities indicate students
lack the ability to analyze a topic and remain on topic, address the essay topic in a logical
manner, provide sufficient supportive detail, and acknowledge the audience.
•
According to the ISTEP rubrics for the mathematics applied skills assessments, low
scores show that Burris students have not developed a range of strategies for finding a
solution to a problem, have not learned to monitor and adjust the strategies they choose to
use in the process if solving a specific problem, and are not proficient at comparing and
contrasting solutions and problems.
60
Burris Laboratory School
NCA Goal Statement
“All students will improve their
critical thinking skills.”
61
Burris Laboratory School
Interventions
Goal: All students will improve their critical thinking skills
Intervention
Timeline
Person Responsible
Adopt a common definition of critical
thinking
Completed Spring 2007
Teachers, consultant (Felicia
Dixon), principal
Identify resources (i.e. www.critical
thinking.org)
Ongoing
Teachers, consultant, Shared
Information Services, Center
for Gifted Studies, principal
Investigate where students are in relation Ongoing to critical thinking
Used a school wide Critical
Thinking Test Spring 2008; Retest
scheduled for Fall 2009
Teachers, curriculum
committee, counselors,
principal
Share results and strategies with other
colleagues
Teachers, curriculum
committee, consultant,
Principal
Began in Fall 2008
62
Diverse methodologies will be used in
the classroom to promote critical
thinking. Possible methodologies
include but are not limited to:
ƒ Socratic seminars
ƒ Writing math answer explanations
ƒ Visual art problems
ƒ Literature circles
ƒ Graphic organizers
ƒ Problem of the day
ƒ Question of the week
ƒ Student projects
Ongoing
Include critical thinking projects in
curriculum maps
Ongoing
Teachers, curriculum
committee
Design additional classroom activities to
encourage and develop critical thinking
Ongoing
Teachers, curriculum
committee, consultant, the
Center for Gifted Studies
Evaluate and update the Logical and
Critical Thinking class
Began 2006, will be reviewed
yearly.
Teachers, curriculum
committee, principal, students
Teachers, curriculum
committee, consultant,
principal
Workshops for all faculty by Mr.
Burt.
Art teacher trained in Visual
Thinking Strategies
63
Investigate and implement after school
programs for enrichment opportunities
Ongoing
After school program
coordinator(s)
May Term classes include a critical
thinking component
Ongoing
Teachers, May Term
Committee
Middle school enrichment classes will
focus on components of critical thinking
Ongoing
Teachers, curriculum
committee, consultant
All departments focus on introducing
critical thinking across the curriculum
Ongoing
Teachers, curriculum
committee, principal,
consultant
BSU Teachers College students will be
encouraged to include critical thinking
skills in lesson plans
Ongoing
Burris teachers, principal, BSU
instructors
64
Burris Laboratory School
Assessments
Goal: All students will improve their critical thinking skills
Assessment
Variables Measured
Person(s) Responsible
SAT
Subtest of the SAT including the written essay
portion
ISTEP+
Applied skills subtests of the state mandated
ISTEP+ test
Locally developed
assessments
Components of critical thinking skills
Teachers, critical
thinking consultant,
principal
Ongoing
Critical thinking skills
Teachers, consultant
Begin Fall 2007
Critical thinking skills will be assessed by the
individual classroom teacher
Teachers, consultant
Ongoing
Classroom activities and
assessments that directly
address critical thinking
skills
Student products and
projects
Teachers, counselors,
principal
Timeline
Teachers, counselors,
principal
Ongoing
Fall 2006 –
Fall 2008
65
Faculty Reflections
Teachers will reflect on their observations of
student critical thinking skills
Teachers, principal
Began 2007
Student Self Assessment
Student reflections about critical thinking
Principal, teachers,
students, consultant
Yearly
Graduate Survey
The graduate survey developed and distributed
in 2006 will be utilized on an ongoing basis
with Burris graduates
Student data manager,
principal
Scheduled Fall
2009
Parent Survey
The parent survey developed and distributed in
2006 will be utilized on an ongoing basis with
Burris parents
Student data manager,
principal, parents
Spring 2006 and
Spring 2009
66
Burris Laboratory School
Professional Development
Goal: All students will improve their critical thinking skills
Activity
Establish library of critical thinking
resources
Identify a common reader for all
faculty possibly with study guide
materials and follow-up discussion
groups
Plan meaningful, grade-level,
discipline appropriate in-service
programming for K-12 faculty.
Timeline
Person(s)
Responsible
Spring 2007, updated quarterly
Librarian, consultant, principal,
Shared Information Services
2009-2010
Principal, consultant, teachers
Twice yearly
Consultant, principal, teachers
67
Identify local, state and national
workshops for individuals/groups to
attend, sharing this information with
the faculty
Ongoing
Teachers, consultant, principal
Survey faculty to determine specific
End of each in-service
needs for in-service programs related to
critical thinking
Consultant, principal
Faculty/department groups will focus
on introducing critical thinking across
the curriculum
Teachers, principal, consultant
Ongoing
Burris faculty and BSU instructors
Began 2008
collaborate to ensure critical thinking is
included in pre-service teacher lesson
planning
Teachers, BSU instructors,
principal, consultant
68