session #71 mission matters: how model schools walk their talk dr. michael corso, chief academic...

Session #71 Mission Matters: How Model

Schools Walk Their Talk

Dr. Michael Corso,Chief Academic Officer, Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations

Doug Silver, Director of Research, Successful Practices Network

What makes a difference?

Not Really

Maybe

Really makes a difference

What did your group say?

Student Opportunities

Relationsh

ips

High Expectations

Community Service

s

Mission Class Size

Feeder system

linked to HS # o f AP Courses Student Teacher

Ratio Technology

Resources

Modern Faciliti

es Community

Based

School Charter School

Longer School

year

Security

Per Pupil Expenditure

School

Size

Professional

Culture

Our Findings

• Mission Driven

• High Expectations

• Professional Culture

• A Focus on Relationships

• Student Opportunities

Mission Driven

High Expectations

Professional Culture

Focus on Relationships

Student Opportunities

A Five Year Study- Years 1-4

• Research Partnership

• Identification of Schools

• 10 States - 75 Schools

• Quantitative Study using multiple measures

• Learning Criteria Index (LCI)

Comparing Schools?

Variables

Predictor Outcome• Organizational

Health• Accountability• Leadership and

Professional Capacity

• Respect (MV)• Self – Efficacy (MV)• Perceived value of

School (MV)

• State and school level data: Math & ELA

• Graduation Rate• Dropout Rate• Attendance• SAT/ACT• AP>2, Other Post

Secondary• College going rate

How can schools across states be evaluated fairly?

• Predictor (Process) Variables

• Outcome Variables

• “Z Scores”

• Learning Criteria Index Score (LCI)

NCAA Meets School Criteria

Final LCIs

Process Overall 15%Outcome Standing

30%Outcome Progress

55%

Final Combined LCI

Final Progress LCI

Process Progress

30%Process Progress

70%

Process Data

2007 OHI z-score

2007 MV z

2007 Rubric z

2007-2005 OHI Progress z

2007-2005 MV Progress z

2007-2005 Rubric Progress z

Outcome Data

2007 ELA/NAEP - z-score

2007 Math/NAEP z

2007 Dropout z

2007 Graduation z

2007 Attendance z

2007 SAT z

2007-2005 ELA/NAEP

progress z

2007-2005 Math/NAEP

progress z

2007-2005 Dropout progress

z

2007-2005 Graduation

progress z

2007-2005 Attendance

progress z

2007-2005 SAT progress z

Process LCI

Process Standing LCI

Process Progress LCI

Outcome LCI

Outcome Standing LCI

Outcomes Progress LCI

Overall LCIs

Process Overall

LCI

Outcome Overall

LCI

Construction of LCI

YEARS 1-4 YEAR 5

Qualitative Methodology• Schools agree to participate • 4-person research teams conduct extensive

fieldwork over 3 days.  • Data collection involved 4 techniques:

– document analysis– semi-structured interviews– classroom observations– student shadowing  

These techniques were used as a method of triangulation

to increase the trustworthiness of the study (Maxwell, 2005).

Highlights of Cross Case

Mission DrivenEveryone knows it.

Mission Driven

"When I came here they told me this was a college bound school. None of the men in my family ever went to college. From freshman year they have been telling me, I was going to go to college. At first I wasn't sure, but since I have been here, now I am going to college.”

Junior, male; Withrow University High School

Everyone knows it.

Mission Driven

Researcher: How is student success defined at this school?

Student 1: It's not about grades but about how students push themselves. Students push themselves to take those higher classes and to do well in higher placement.

Student 2: It's about growth. We kind of have a holistic approach, sports and extra-curricular activities are important. Always pushing to do more, to have a larger impact on the community and be a better citizen.

An active, daily force.

Mission Driven

Systemic alignment.

High Expectations

The basics.

High Expectations

Related to school purpose.

“What distinguishes this school from others that you have worked in?”

“High expectations. We are treated by the principal as professionals and it's made clear that there are no excuses as professionals.”

Withrow teacher

High Expectations

Related to school purpose.

“When I was first hired, I was told I needed to get to know my students. I said, ‘I have 1,500 students!’ Someone promptly handed me ayearbook and responded, ‘You better get started then.’

Librarian, Sauders Trade and Technical School

High Expectations

Of everyone by everyone.

Teachers Teachers Teachers

Administrators

Students Students StudentsStudents Students

High Expectations

Of everyone by everyone.

High Expectations

Of everyone by everyone.

At Newport the culture of high expectations is manifest in the students themselves. They push each other take AP courses and are actually embarrassed to tell their friends if they decide not to take an extra AP course.

High Expectations

Equal levels of support.

Researcher: What motivates you to do well in class?   Withrow Student: My peers. Researcher: How do your peers help you?                     Student: They push me do better, to keep doing my work. They just keep pushing me to keep going. If I don't understand something they show me how to do it, they push me until I get it right.    

High Expectations

Internalized by all.

High Expectations

Internalized by all.

"I like being on a staff where I know I can be fired for no other crime than being a mediocre teacher."

Teacher, Raleigh Charter

Professional Culture

Cultivated by administration.

"We work hard at changing the mind set of some teachers. High school teachers can sometimes act as if their classroom is their little domain. We work at getting them to see the bigger picture." 

AdministratorWithrow University High School

Professional Culture

“Above and beyond.”

Professional Culture

PLCs

Raleigh's space issues put them in regular informal observation of one another on a daily basis. In addition there is a formal expectation that teachers observe at least six classes a year.

Professional Culture

OHI Rankings (75 schools)

2. Colton4. Raleigh5. Withrow 17. Newport45. Saunders

Focus on Relationships

When students at Saunders were asked, “Does at least one adult in the building know you well?” students overwhelmingly responded, “They all know us well.”

Student Opportunities

Invitation to Think Differently

What’s in your recipe?

The Learning Criteria

Questions? Comments?

• Doug Silver: doug@spnet.us

• Michael Corso: corso@qisa.org