A school had developed shared agreement on direction and energy. Two years previously standardized test results were reported out in deciles (showing where students were scattered across achievement levels) and in skill area deficiencies. A few students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were achieving at a high level but the majority clustered at the lowest deciles. Towards the end of the school year, the staff met to more carefully analyze the data and make decisions on how to decrease this achievement gap. They also wanted to maintain and increasingly advance more students to higher levels of proficiency.
The school had recently developed and had shared understandings of the following beliefs:
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We all share responsibility for the learning of our students.
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All staff must support each other as we find joy and satisfaction in our professional work.
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We are solution focused. |
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The data revealed that there were low and high SES students in all of the deciles. This validated another of their beliefs: All children can and will learn. Subsequently they read the Pearson and Taylor research on "Beating the Odds" which provided research evidence that all students can achieve at higher rates given the conditions of effective instruction and support.
The staff then examined and made tentative decisions on student groupings for the next school year. Further, they all signed up for two summer seminars (principal included); one was on, "meeting the needs of diverse learners" and the other was on, "expectations and the self-fulfilling prophecy." These seminars combined new skills with continued work on staff attitudes.
Results in the spring (two years later) were significant—all students scored higher using similar achievement tests and they reduced the numbers of students in the low proficiency range from 29% to 12% and increased the number in the high proficiency range by 7%.
This data was shared with staff throughout the school. Collectively they created a storybook of the process and celebrated the success of the students as well as their changes in instruction.
Conclusion
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