Strategic Plan for Improvement Update Zion-Benton Twp. H.S. District 126

1. Strategic Plan for Improvement Update Zion-Benton Twp. H.S. District 126 Dr. Chris Clark, Superintendent August 22, 2011 with significant contributions from Dan Sullivan, District 126 Data Analyst, and Dr. Charles Venegoni

2. A system designed to maximize student academic success. Culture Culture Culture Strategic Improvement Design Instructional Practices Curriculum Interventions

3. Common Core Curriculum • Reduce Current Pathways to Three Tier Framework • Regular – Advanced – Honors Pathways • Common Core Curriculum for all Learners • Community of Learners – Staff and Students • Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum • Alignment to College Readiness Standards • Horizontal – Content Reinforcement Across Grade Levels • Vertical – Sequence Across Grade Levels • Diagonal – Non-Restrictive • Access to All Regardless of Entry Placement • Increased Rigor and Relevance

4. Common Core Curriculum • Integration of Coursework for Continuity and Coherence • Relevance to Students / Application Model • Promotes Critical Thinking and Higher Level Decision-Making • Data Informed • Considers Multiple Variables in Placement Formula • Measures Student Mastery Against CRS Goals • Assessment is an Ongoing Key Component • District-wide • Classroom Level • Individual Learner

5. ACT-CRS SKILLS ALIGNMENT English, Reading, and Science **Students will be concurrently enrolled in Interactive Language Skills to assist in further skills acquisition.

6. ENGLISH COURSE SEQUENCE COMPLETED Implemented FY10 COMPLETED Implement FY12 DEVELOP/REFINE 2011-12 for FY13 COMPLETED Implemented FY11

7. SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSE SEQUENCE COMPLETED Implemented FY11 COMPLETED Implement FY12 DEVELOP/REFINE 2011-12 for FY13 COMPLETED Implemented FY10 Sociology 1 Government Sociology 2 Psychology 1 Advanced Government Psychology 2 AP US Govt. & Politics AP Psychology Tech Acad. Government TA Electives

8. SCIENCE COURSE SEQUENCE COMPLETED Implemented FY10 COMPLETED Implemented FY11 COMPLETED Implement FY12 DEVELOP/REFINE 2011-12for FY13 Earth Science Environmental Ecology AP Biology (1.5 credit) AP Physics (1.5 credit) AP Chemistry (1.5 credit) TA Science Electives TBD

9. MATH COURSE SEQUENCE COMPLETED Implemented FY10 COMPLETED Implemented FY11 COMPLETED Implement FY12 DEVELOP/REFINE 2011-12for FY13 Prob/Stats and Trigonometry Pre-Calculus Algebra 1 Advanced Honors Geometry Honors Algebra 2 Honors Pre-Calculus AP Statistics AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC CLC or Multi-Variable Calculus

10. Current Year

11. Changes for Class of 2013 • Increased Graduation Requirements (Will Impact 2012-13) • Stretch to the End – Senior Year Counts • From 22.0 to 23.75 Carnegie Units • Must Pass Senior Electives to Earn Credits to Graduate • Require Senior Year to Include 1.5 “Core” Electives • Better Prepared College Freshmen • Add Sophomore Level Social Science Course (Completed 2010-11) • Provides English/SS Integration Freshman, Sophomore, Junior Years • Reduce Senior Government to Semester • Eliminate Pre-Algebra Course (Completed 2009-10) • All Students Enter Minimally at Algebra 1

12. Changes for Class of 2013 • Required Math Academy in Lieu of Freshman Elective for Identified Students (Completed 2009-10) • Not More of the Same, but Prescriptive to Student Needs • Required Interactive Language Skills in Lieu of Freshman Elective for Identified Students (Completed 2009-10) • Integration of Coursework (Completed for 2011-12) • English / Social Science / Science / Math • Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors • Failures (Implemented 2010-11) • Must Attend Summer, Zero, or Ninth Hour for Credit Recovery • Student Moves on with Curriculum

13. Changes for Class of 2013 • Special Education (On Track with Regular Ed) • Special Education Teachers will Partner in Curriculum Development • Curriculum will Align with Regular Education • Integration will Occur in Regular Pathway When Feasible • Use of Co-Taught Teams of Teachers in Regular Pathway will Expand • English Language Learners (On Track with Regular Ed) • Curriculum will Align with Regular Education • Sheltered Instruction Courses will Expand to All Grade Levels under New Curriculum • Students will Exit ELL Course(s) When Ready

14. Changes for Class of 2013 • Modify Placement Methodology (Completed 2009-10) • Multi-Variable Formula – Explore Score • English: Reading / English / Composite • Social Science: Reading / English / Composite • Biology: Science / Reading / Composite • Math: Spring Placement Test & Math / Science / Composite • 8th Grade Teacher Recommendation • Parent Requests Considered • Grade Weighting • Limited to Honors Courses Only • Foreign Language 3 & 4

15. Alternative Programming Campus • Zion Alternative Program (ZAP) • Therapeutic Day School • Expanding to Four Classrooms • Transitions Program • Special Education to Age 22 • Life Skills and Vocational Training • Project Recovery • Regular Education Program for At-Risk Students

16. DISTRICT 126 EPAS ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE • We are committed to being a data informed District • September district-wide assessment fulfills RtI Universal Screening requirement • Data is downloaded in Mastery Manager for teacher access. It is expected that teachers will utilize this resource to differentiate their instruction.

17. PSAE 2011 Requirements • Total percentage of students required to meet standards increased from 77.5% to 85.0%. By 2014, 100% required. • Reauthorization of NCLB currently being strongly debated by legislature with the possibility of state waivers being offered. Details regarding waiver requirements are lacking. • Graduation Rate requirement increased from 80.0% to 82.0%. • New Federal requirements for calculating graduation rate requires 4-year, on-time graduation rate. Significant impact nation wide. District 126 Impact = drop of 5.8% to 74.3%

18. PSAE 2011 Requirements • State testing requirements/guidelines changed . . . again. • This is the first cohort required to include students who did not qualify to test as juniors by having a minimum of 14 credits. • Previously, those students not possessing 14 credits in time for junior year testing met ACT graduation requirements through utilizing a waiver during their senior year. • Therefore, in order to compare “apples to apples” in an effort to understand our progress, we must disaggregate the data further.

19. CLASS OF 2012 Our 2011-12 ZBTHS Seniors

20. What do we know about the ZBTHS Class of 2012 who took the PSAE in April 2011? • Largely experienced the “old” curriculum model, before implementation of strategic plan and comprehensive ACT CRS alignment. • Were not required to begin with Algebra 1 freshman year • The additional “senior” students included in this year’s scores did not have a third year of Science. • Did not have a sophomore Social Science (Reading) course • Nonetheless, exposed to changes in improved instructional strategies while the District simultaneously designed and implemented new ACT CRS aligned curriculum model beginning with the Class of 2013.

21. -0.46 -1.32 * “All” students changed to include seniors who were not eligible to test as juniors.

22. -0.01 -0.42 * “All” students changed to include seniors who were not eligible to test as juniors.

23. Now let’s compare “apples to apples” by looking only at those ZBTHS students meeting the same criteria for inclusion in the cohort comparison analysis . . .

24. The ZBTHS Class of 2012 8th grade EXPLORE scores were slightly above 2011. EXPLORE CRS Benchmarks English = 13 Math = 17 Reading = 15 Science = 20

25. ACT CRS Benchmarks English = 18 Math = 22 Reading = 21 Science = 24 Although our 8th grade EXPLORE entry scores remain relatively flat, we see an increase in our ACT scores.

26. Growth

27. MATCHED COHORT ANALYSIS • Highest average ACT scores in all 5 areas in the past 6 years • English reflects a 5.1 point growth from EXPLORE to ACT, the highest in the past 6 years. • Reading remains strong with a nearly 5.0 growth as well. • Math reflects its strongest growth in 4 years at 3.01. • Our Composite growth is nearing 4 points. • Math and Science do not, to date, reflect as large a growth, but remember . . . • Algebra I was not required for this class nor was Math Academy available as an intervention course. • ACT CRS standards alignment not as intentional in these “pipeline” courses as they are with revamped curriculum

28. The Impact of Including All Previously Non-Tested Seniors is Evident * “All” students changed to include seniors who were not eligible to test as juniors.

29. Final ZBTHS PSAE Results In spite of the steady increase in growth from EXPLORE to ACT demonstrated by our cohorts over time, the percentage of students meeting standards decreased in 2011 due to the inclusion of all previously non-tested students: • 40.9% Students Met Reading Standards; Down 7.3% • 32.1% Students Met Math Standards; Down 7.2%

30. Where We Should Be Encouraged • More students, particularly students of color, are taking AP coursework and our overall average AP scores climbed this year, again. • ACT Scores are what colleges utilize when selecting students and awarding scholarships. Ours are increasing, with the greatest growth demonstrated by those students yet to be tested. • Our data informs us that our new ACT College Readiness Standards aligned curriculum is yielding positive results.

31. AP TREND DATA

32. ACT TREND DATA Source: ACT Note: ZBTHS’ growth in each subject from 2007 to 2011 exceeds the state’s.

33. TechAc Goal Regular Advance Honors Instruct Int. Lang. ALL English 2.48 2.48 2.09 3.06 0.71 2.43* 2.52 2.0 Reading 2.21 1.78 1.74 1.90 5.00 2.55* 1.91 2.0 Science 1.87 1.07 0.61 0.83 1.13 n/a 1.26 1.0 Comp 2.02 1.74 1.29 2.32 2.14 n/a 1.83 1.75 Alg1 GeoHon MathAcad Alg 1 Adv Geom Goal ALL Instruct 1.42 2.66** 1.51 2.0 Math 0.46 2.34 5.54 0.65 ZBTHS Class of 2013 Freshman EXPLORE to PLAN Growth (April 2010) Data indicated that our new integrated, standards aligned curriculum model yielded very positive results for our first cohort of freshmen. And, the growth was fairly consistent across all levels. Some of our highest growth occurred for those students enrolled in our freshman intervention courses. *Freshmen taking Interactive Language Skills reading intervention course. **Freshman taking Math Academy intervention course in addition to Algebra I.

34. TechAc Goal Regular Advance Honors Instruct Int. Lang. ALL English 2.54 2.64 NA 2.00 1.82 2.40* 2.43 2.0 Reading 1.93 1.83 NA 2.29 0.60 2.50* 1.88 2.0 Science 1.39 0.51 NA 2.27 3.36 1.10 1.08 1.0 Comp 1.89 1.64 NA 2.57 2.00 1.96 1.87 1.75 Alg1 GeoHon MathAcad Alg 1 Adv Geom Goal ALL Instruct 1.89 3.81** 2.01 2.0 Math 0.58 3.58 2.94 ZBTHS Class of 2014 Freshman EXPLORE to PLAN Growth (April 2011) For the second year, data indicates that our new integrated, standards aligned curriculum model continues to deliver very positive results for our freshmen students. *Freshmen taking Interactive Language Skills reading intervention course. **Freshman taking Math Academy intervention course in addition to Algebra I.

35. Growth Expectations from 8th Grade Explore to Sophomore Practice ACT GEM: Growth Equalized Measurement = Difference between the students’ two assessments scores divided by the first assessment score.

36. COMPARISON OF ZBTHS SOPHOMORE PRACTICE ACT Class of 2012 (Old Curriculum) vs Class of 2013 (New Curriculum) • The incomingEXPLORE scores were significantly lower for the 2013 cohort than the 2012 cohort, putting them at a greater disadvantage. • But the class of 2013 surpassed the class of 2012 in two subjects on the P-ACT. • Overall growth between EXPLORE and practice ACT is more than a point higher than the prior year in English and Math, and measurably higher in reading and science. • GEM scores are also better.

37. GROWTH BY ETHNICITY – GEM SCORE ZBTHS Class of 2013 (New Curriculum) One of the important goals of our new curriculum model was to level the playing field amongst our learning pathways so that all students would have greater access to a more rigorous curriculum and opportunities for advancement within our new pathway system. Our sophomore assessment data indicates that growth across ethnicity under the new curriculum model is more equally distributed.

42. CLASS OF 2012 Our 2011-12 NT@ZB Seniors

43. New Tech High @ Zion-Benton East Class of 2012 Growth from 8th Grade to 11th Grade PSAE • The growth from 8th to 11th grade at NT@ZB is similar to ZBTHS, with Language Arts being stronger than Math and Science. • ACT has not yet provided New Tech’s English and item analysis data. • Imbedding CRS across New Tech’s curriculum, particularly in Math is a focal point for 2011-12.

44. 2011 PSAE Requirement is 85% Meeting Standards

45. 2011 PSAE Requirement is 85% Meeting Standards The data indicates many students were very close to meeting PSAE targets.

46. Continue to Stay the Course!