Williams Elementary School Improvement Glossary
Fidelity: Implement curriculum frameworks with fidelity. In this sense, we are referring to the use of the state standards as they are changing, rather than the dependence on past practice, or “this is what we have always done”. Implement with Fidelity: The degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced.
Meta-cognition: Develop instructional activities that will promote critical thinking and meta-cognition. Wikipedia: Knowledge about when and how to use particular strategies for learning or for problem solving. One way this is practiced with word problems. Providing multiple strategies and reference sheets for students to use. Using the T chart has shown very good support for students to organize their thinking in order to provide evidence of thought.
Extended Discourse: Scaffold student’s oral language to promote the use of extended discourse. Research has found that in order to communicate in the written form, we need to fist speak the language. Through the use of content conversation the students will be able to make connections and engage in extended (longer process over a period of time) conversation to raise questions and come to conclusions. Once the student can verbally answer questions, etc. they are more apt to answer in the written form with content knowledge.
Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) is an empirically validated, function-based approach to eliminate challenging behaviors and replace them with pro-social skills. Use of PBS decreases the need for more intrusive or aversive interventions (i.e., punishment or suspension) and can lead to both systemic as well as individualized
change. PBS can target an individual student or an entire school, as it does not focus exclusively on the student, but also includes changing environmental variables such as the physical setting, task demands, curriculum, instructional pace and individualized reinforcement. Thus it is successful with a wide range of students, in a wide range of contexts, with a wide range of behaviors.
Reciprocal teaching: Williams will use reciprocal teaching. In other words, instruction through questioning, and student dialogue is much more effective than lecturing. Providing learning opportunities through reading and then sharing thoughts and ideas with peers, under the guidance of the teacher. Strategies include summarizing; question generating, clarifying and predicting.
Six Traits of writing: The 6+1 Trait® Writing Model of Instruction & Assessment provides a common language for teachers and students to communicate about the characteristics of writing and establishes a clear vision of what good writing looks like.
Three Tiered System of instruction: Beginning with whole group core instruction for 30-45 minutes, breaking into small group instruction. Tier l - small group with targeted instruction based on student skills set. Tier ll - includes bringing in extra support to work with struggling students.
Tier lll - is another dose of direct instruction for reinforcement or further clarification of the skill needed by the student. Tier ll and lll can be push in support or pull out intervention. Support can be coaches, Special Ed resource or Para support. The best is when the classroom teacher can provide the Tier lll support while in the classroom. The idea is to deliver the information multiple times for the students to practice.
MCAS AYP Adequate Yearly Progress: Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is a measure of the extent to which a student group demonstrates proficiency in English language arts and mathematics. AYP Reports are issued each year and show the progress schools and districts are making toward the goal of having all students reach proficiency by the year 2014.
• AYP determinations are made separately for English language arts/reading and for mathematics. For each subject there are multiple AYP determinations - for all students ("the aggregate") and for student subgroups. Student groups for whom AYP determinations are made include students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, economically disadvantaged students (eligible for free/reduced price school lunch), and African American/Black, Hispanic, Asian, White, and Native American students. Students are counted in each student group to which they belong.
• AYP measures student performance against specific expectations each year. To receive an affirmative AYP determination, schools and districts must meet a student participation requirement, an additional attendance or graduation requirement, and either the State's performance target or the group's own improvement target.
• Schools and districts that do not make AYP for two or more consecutive years must follow a required course of action to improve school performance. A school or district's "Accountability status" defines that course of action. Accountability Status designations include Improvement, Corrective Action and Restructuring. To be assigned to the positive No Status category,
o Schools have to make AYP in a subject for all student groups for two or more consecutive years.
o Districts have to make AYP for at least one grade span in a subject for two consecutive years. (District AYP determinations are based on three grade spans: grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12)
MCAS: General Performance Level Descriptions
The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (“the Standards”) are the culmination of an extended, broad-based effort to fulfill the charge issued by the states to create the next generation of K–12 standards in order to help ensure that all students are college and career ready in literacy no later than the end of high school.
The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. For over a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have pointed to the conclusion that the mathematics curriculum in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on the promise
Performance Level
General Description of Associated Student Performance
Advanced
Students at this level demonstrate a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of rigorous subject matter, and provide sophisticated solutions to complex problems.
Proficient
Students at this level demonstrate a solid understanding of challenging subject matter and solve a wide variety of problems.
Needs Improvement
Students at this level demonstrate a partial understanding of subject matter and solve some simple problems.
Failing/Warning
Students at this level demonstrate a minimal understanding of subject matter and do not solve simple problems.
of common standards, the standards must address the problem of a curriculum that is “a mile wide and an inch deep.” These Standards are a substantial answer to that challenge. It is important to recognize that “fewer standards” are no substitute for focused standards. Achieving “fewer standards” would be easy to do by resorting to broad, general statements. Instead, these Standards aim for clarity and specificity.
2010 CPI (Baseline) Represents the performance, as measured in terms of the Composite Performance Index, of students in a given group tested in grades 3-8 and 10 in 2010, the baseline against which the 2011 CPI is measured.
2011 CPI Represents the performance, as measured in terms of the Composite Performance Index, of students in a given group tested in grades 3-8 and 10 in 2011. CPIs are displayed separately for English language arts (ELA) and for mathematics.
CPI (Composite Performance Index) A 100-point index that assigns 100, 75, 50, 25, or 0 points to each student participating in MCAS and MCAS-Alternate Assessment tests based on their performance. The total points assigned to each student are added together and the sum is divided by the total number of students assessed. The result is a number between 0 and 100, which constitutes a district, school or group's CPI for that subject and student group. The CPI is a measure of the extent to which students are progressing toward proficiency (a CPI of 100) in ELA and mathematics. CPIs are generated separately for ELA and mathematics, and at all levels - state, district, school, and student group.
5 Domains of Literacy: 1. Vocabulary: associated with the body of words students must understand in order to read text with fluency and comprehension. 2. Phonemic Awareness: the conscious understanding that spoken language is composed of phonemes, or speech sounds. Begins with auditory development and continues to develop as students connect sounds to print. 3. Phonics : the study and use of sound/spelling correspondences to help students identify written words. Phonics instruction teaches students the relationship between letters and speech sounds. 4. Fluency: is often defined as the rate (words per minute) and accuracy (number of words correctly identified) with which students perform reading tasks. 5. Comprehension: Reading Comprehension is the process of constructing meaning from written text.
MCAS Gain Target As shown on data reports created by ESE, the amount of improvement - as measured in CPI points - a school, district, or student subgroup is expected to make from 2010 to 2011. Gain targets are calculated by subtracting the baseline CPI from 100 (the year 2014 performance target for all Massachusetts schools and districts), and dividing the difference by the number of remaining years, including the current year, until the year 2014. For 2011, that number is 4. Gain targets are different for each school, district, and student group, based on their performance in 2010 and the amount of gain needed between 2010 and 2011 to stay on track to 100% proficiency by the 2013-2014 school year.
Median student growth percentile
The median student growth percentile is the midpoint of student growth percentiles for a group of students (for example, a classroom, grade, subgroup, school, or district). Half of the students had student growth percentiles higher than the median; half had lower. This is a good way of describing the typical growth of students in the group. It is not appropriate to use the average (“mean”) when comparing percentiles.
Student growth percentile (SGP): A student growth percentile (abbreviated SGP) measures how much a student’s performance has improved from one year to the next relative to his or her academic peers: other students statewide with a similar MCAS test score history. The calculation answers the question, “Among other students with similar MCAS test score histories in previous years, what is the range of scores attained this year?” The model then uses the answer to determine whether a student scored higher than, lower than, or similar to other students with a similar previous test score history.
DSAC: District and School Assistance Centers: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) has established six regional District and School Assistance Centers (DSACs) to help districts and their schools strategically access and use professional development and targeted assistance to improve instruction and raise achievement for all students. In collaboration with partner organizations, DSACs use a regional approach that leverages the knowledge, skills, and expertise of local educators to address shared needs through an emphasis on expanding district and school capacity for sustained improvement.