Connections Project3/25/04

Kevin Burr

High Schools That Work

SREB

GCHS Mission: Making the Best Better

“Where we do what we love;

Love what we do;

And deliver more than is promised.”

District-WideVision Statement Demonstrating Excellence: Preparing for Tomorrow.

GCHS Student Population

1700

1750

1800

1850

1900

1950

2000

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

Total Pop.

GCHS Student PopulationEthnic Disaggregating

56 55 53 51 48 46 45 44 45 47 49 52 54 55

0

10

2030

40

5060

70

8090

100

Anglo Minority

1996-971997-981998-991999-002000-012001-022002-03

In-Out Information (Transience) within the school year.

050

100150200250300350400450500

1996-97

1997-1998

1998-1999

1999-2000

2000-01

2001-2002

2002-03

# of students

GCHS Dropout Rates 1992-1996

14.6 13.812.9

14.6 15

0

24

6

8

1012

14

1618

20

1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96

Percentage

Key Events1985-00 = GC grows by 65% (33,000)

Fastest growing community in Kansas.

1994 = 18 different gangs identified in the school and community.

1995 = 15 Different foreign languages/dialects spoken in GC schools. (25+ Nationalities)

1996 = Racial Tension at its highest.1996 = Homecoming Canceled (CNN,

NBC, CBS).

Did GCHS provide a safe and drug-free environment? (1996)

6.70%

93.00%

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

Good Poor

GoodPoor

Students: Do you feel safe at GCHS?

16%

84%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Yes No

YesNo

?

Implemented High Schools That Work philosophies.

Key Practice #1:

Set high expectations and get students to meet them.

Eight things that matter most in raising student achievement. (HSTW)

It matters that students take the right academic courses.

It matters that schools offer quality career/technical courses.

It matters that more students meet curriculum and performance standards

It matters that teachers engage students in completing challenging assignments.

It matters that everyone supports high expectations.

It matters that students get extra help in meeting higher standards.

It matters that schools offer a supportive guidance system.

It matters that teachers work together.

Challenge 1

Unify all of the GCHS community to begin instilling a culture for high expectations and increased student achievement for ALL students.

“What’s good enough for the best ought to be good enough for the rest.”

Challenge 1: Action StepsFor School Principals:

Hold classroom time sacred.Hold monthly interviews with students.Identify Master teachers to serve as coaches.Restructure faculty meetings.Require teachers to observe other staff.Make frequent classroom visits.Curricular decisions become data-driven.Tie staff development to raising student achievement in your school.

Challenge 1: Action Steps

For Teachers:Hold students accountable.

Establish the “culture” of success.

Require effective homework in ALL classes.

School-wide initiatives (Writing, Reading, Math).

Detailed course syllabus for ALL classes.

Curriculum mapping/pacing guides.

Standards-Based/Assessment Driven Curriculum.

Challenge 1: Action Steps

For Students:Mandatory extra help.

Coordinated achievement reminders.

Require minimum standards of acceptable work (Essential Skills).

Eight things that matter most in raising student achievement. (HSTW)

It matters that students take the right academic courses.

It matters that schools offer quality career/technical courses.

It matters that more students meet curriculum and performance standards

It matters that teachers engage students in completing challenging assignments.

It matters that everyone supports high expectations.

It matters that students get extra help in meeting higher standards.

It matters that schools offer a supportive guidance system.

It matters that teachers work together.

Upgrading Academic Requirements for All Students

1997-2002• Increased graduation requirements

total credits from 21 to 26.5 (1998-2001) math credits from 2 to 3 science credits from 2 to 3 oral communications credit from .5 to 1 computer technology credits from 0 to 1

• Required algebra mastery of all students• Core Standards and Benchmarks (competency-

based structure).• Restructured math curricular alignment.• Double-blocked math.• Required Senior Project (high stakes).

GCHS Dropout Rates 1996-2003

15.5

10.812.9

7.9

4.5 3.95 3.56

0

5

10

15

20

25

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

Percentage

GCHS Graduation Rates

59.6 60.756.5 58.2 61.2

65.5

75.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

97 98 99 2000 2001 2002 2003

Grade Distribution “A’s and B’s” 1996-2003

39%46%

48% 50% 53% 56%60%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

Percentage

Grade Distribution “F’s” 1996-03

18%20% 19% 18%

15%17% 16%

0%

10%

20%

30%

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

3-D Column 1

Enrollment Shifts in Upper Level Science Courses 1999-03

236246

287317

271

523

34314063

858396111

222250253

323

220

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Chemistry Chem II Anat/Phys Physics

19992000200120022003

Enrollment Shifts in Upper Level Math Courses 1999-03

164192

241

288

327

2538 54 67

85

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Trig/Adv Alg AP Calc/ Statistics

19992000200120022003

NAEP Results (GCHS) Reading 1996-2002

260

265

270

275

280

285

290

295

1996 1998 2000 2002

HSTW GoalAll SchoolsGCHS

Reading Results (GCHS)Percent Reaching HSTW Goal

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

1996 1998 2000 2002

Percentage

NAEP Results (GCHS)Math 1996-2002

265270275280285290295300305310315320

1996 1998 2000 2002

HSTW GoalAll SchoolsGCHS

Math Results (GCHS)Percent Reaching HSTW Goal

0%10%

20%30%40%50%

60%70%80%90%

100%

1996 1998 2000 2002

Percentage

NAEP Results (GCHS) Science 1996-2002

265270

275280285290

295300305310

315

1996 1998 2000 2002

HSTW GoalAll SchoolsGCHS

Science Results (GCHS)Percent Reaching HSTW Goal

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

1996 1998 2000 2002

Percentage

2002 HSTW/NAEP CTE students vs. non-CTE

CTE students score higher than total student population

All students above HSTW goal

Programmed study seems to make a difference in student achievement.

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

Reading Math Science

HSTW GoalAll StudentsCTE Students

Kansas Assessment Tests Math 1996-2003

30.3

35.740.5

44.241.2 43.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 2001-02 2002-03

GCHS

KS Assessment Math – Proficient or Above 2000-2003

25.333.4

29.834.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2000 2001 2002 2003

Basic/BelowProf./Above

Kansas Assessment Tests Reading 1996-2003

57.5 57.9 62.1

79.6 75.8 77.3 76.8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1996-97

97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 2001-02

2002-03

GCHS

KS Assessment Reading – Proficient or Above 2000-03

53.4

51.150.1

48.9

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

2000 2001 2002 2003

Basic/belowProf/Above

2001-03 PLAN Test Reading Results

15.8 15.4 15.7 15.2

0

2.5

5

7.5

10

12.5

15

17.5

20

National 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

National2000-012001-022002-03

2001-03 PLAN TestScience Reasoning Results

17.4 17.2 17.6 17.6

0

2.5

5

7.5

10

12.5

15

17.5

20

National 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

National2000-012001-022002-03

2001-03 PLAN Test Math Results

16.315.6

16.4 16

0

2.5

5

7.5

10

12.5

15

17.5

20

National 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

National2000-012001-022002-03

PLAN Test Results: Math (Alg/Geom/Alg II)

16.3

19

16.317.9

16.317.3

0

2

46

8

10

12

14

1618

20

2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-03

NationalGCHS

School Climate/ Student and Parental Perceptions

Did GCHS provide you with a positive learning experience?

93.80%

6.20%

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

Yes No

PercentagePercentage

Did GCHS improve your ability to solve problems?

85.20%

13.80% 1.00%

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

Yes No No Resp.

YesNoNo Resp.

Did GCHS teachers generally hold high standards and demand high quality work from you?

53.30%

44.80%

1.90%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Good Average Poor

GoodAveragePoor

Did GCHS provide a safe and drug-free environment?

56.70%

36.70%

6.70%0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Good Average Poor

GoodAveragePoor

Did GCHS increase your ability to be responsible?

50.60%

41.90%

7.10%0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Good Average Poor

GoodAveragePoor

Students: Do you feel safe at GCHS?

84%

16%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Yes No

YesNo

Parents: Do you believe that GCHS is a safe environment for your child?

92%

7%1%

0%10%

20%30%

40%50%

60%70%

80%90%

100%

Yes No Maybe

YesNoMaybe

RecognitionsNamed a BEST schools by FES.HSTW Pacesetter SchoolHSTW Silver Award winner.USDE Showcase site (ELL/After school Programs/School Improvement)KSDE Showcase site (school improvement)1999 Milken Educator Award winner1999 National Superintendent of the year finalist1999 Kansas Teacher of the Year finalist2000 KASSP Principal of the Year (National Finalist)2001 KASSP Assistant Principal of the year100+ National teacher presentations.5 appointments to Service Academies100% AP Spanish Completion2nd/3rd place finishers in the national Spanish exam (96,000)Multiple NM semi-finalists and finalists.

Our Next Steps

Require Math the Senior YearChange the Science Requirement to specify one Physical Science, one Life Science and one elective.Smaller Learning Communities.9th grade academy (center).Raise Expectations again for the Senior Project