Something Better

Assessing success
June 2000 Issue

What makes good schools successful? Are there common characteristics that contribute to success? Can districts with a high free-and-reduced lunch rate and other socio-economic obstacles be successful? MNEA members and staff serving on our Academic Performance Work Group asked these questions as they looked at schools with top Missouri Assessment Program scores.

Work group members contacted district administrators and teachers to learn what factors led to their high performance. We specifically targeted districts that had a high free-and-reduced lunch count, which many educators would cite as a reason for low performance. As members of the work group reported their findings, they were quickly able to discern some common themes that occurred regardless of location or size of school. Below are the findings.

Strong teachers, strategically placed — Regardless of whom we spoke with, each person indicated that good teachers made the difference. Many administrators say they place their “strongest and best” teachers at the early grades to build a strong academic foundation. In other districts, administrators place their “best teachers” at the grade levels where the MAP is administered.

If you believe your school has a particular strength or innovative program in one of these areas and would like to see it featured in Something Better, e-mail Dangstead@nea.org. We hope to tell the stories of successful schools in future issues.

Knowledgeable of MAP expectations — The top-performing schools have well-thought-out plans to educate all staff members about the MAP. Most educators talked about the MAP leaders/trainers on their staff and the ability of those teachers to articulate the expectations of the new MAP assessments.

Tightly aligned and implemented curriculum — Staff in these schools spend an enormous amount of energy assessing their curriculum and making the changes necessary to align it to the Show-Me Standards.

Hands-on learning — You won’t find many students in these schools sitting quietly and absorbing information delivered in a traditional lecture mode. These schools make a strong commitment to the active involvement of students in the learning process.

Small class sizes — Many educators in top-performing schools list small class sizes as vital to their success. They strive to make small class size a district-wide goal, understanding that the early grades are the most critical.

Everyone working on the same agenda — In top-performing schools, the staff can clearly articulate the expectations of the school, the staff and the students. It is widely accepted that success in school is the responsibility of everyone the students’ paths cross.

Modeling — Teachers work on developing constructed-response questions and performance assessments throughout their curriculum so students are familiar with what is expected on the MAP. Successful teaching strategies are shared across the disciplines and grade levels.

Writing embedded in the curriculum — Educators note that placing an emphasis on writing across the disciplines has greater impact on the success of their students than any other single activity.

Can-do spirit — Staff and students in top-performing schools exhibit a can-do attitude and work to help those who need extra support. Teachers and staff find themselves being “cheerleaders” for student success.

Extended learning opportunities — Educators note the success of before- and after-school programs that make tutoring available to their students. In addition, many cite enriched summer school opportunities for students who have not yet mastered the curriculum. Some districts, Ferguson-Florissant for example, have incorporated an extended year for some schools.

Strong instructional leaders — Schools where students perform well have administrators who support learning. These administrators understand the importance of professional development, collaboration, shared decision making and a strong focus on student learning.

Outreach to families — Educators in successful schools never quit working to involve families in the education of their children. Family fun nights, brochures, training and other opportunities for parental involvement are routine.

Teamwork, collaborative efforts — Educators in every school talk about the necessity of making student success a collaborative effort.

Staff development (especially MAP leaders) — District administrators take advantage of the training opportunities for MAP leaders and support local teams in the buildings. In addition, staff development is viewed as a systemic approach to improving student learning.

By Donna Collins