HCS School Innovation Plan 2012-13 On Course for Success

1. HCS School Innovation Plan 2012-13 On Course for Success Cathy C. McNeal , Ed.D. May 17, 2012

2. Innovation School Plan • Huntsville City Schools expects this Innovation School Plan to waive the graduation requirements for an Alabama diploma of passing the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) for • Reading, • Math, • Language, • Social Studies, and • Biology • to begin in the 2012-13 school year.

3. List of the schools included in the district’s Innovation School Plan: • 0020 Butler High School • 0052 Columbia High School • 0340 Grissom High School • 0160 Huntsville High School • 0176 J.O. Johnson High School • 0200 Lee High School • 0460 New Century High School for Technology

4. AHSGE or QC End-of-Course • Students must pass five sections of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE) in Reading, Mathematics, Language, Social Studies, and Biologyor pass the ACT Quality Core End-of-Course exam in English 11, Algebra II, Biology, and U.S. Historyto meet the graduation requirements for an Alabama diploma. • AHGE Reading or ACT English 11 Quality Core End- of-Course Assessment • AHSGE Language or ACT English 11 Quality Core End- of-Course Assessment • AHSGE Mathematics or ACT Algebra II Quality Core End- of-Course Assessment • AHSGE Social Studies or ACT U.S. History Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment • AHSGE Biology or ACT Biology Quality Core End-of- Course Assessment

5. ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment • Students in grades 9-12 must take the AHSGE and the ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessments in the following areas for the 2012-13 through 2017-18 school year or until the AHSGE is no longer a graduation requirement for an Alabama Diploma: • English 9, • English 10, • English 11, • English 12, • Algebra I, • Geometry, • Algebra II, • PreCalculus, • Biology, • Chemistry, • Physics, and • U.S. History.

6. ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment QualityCore is a research-driven solution used to raise the quality and intensity of high school core courses for all students

7. ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment QualityCore is a research-driven solution used to raise the quality and intensity of high school core courses for all students

8. QC Components used to support curriculum: • Rigorous ACT Course Standards • Instructional Resources • Formative Item Pool • End-of-Course Assessments • Progress Monitoring • Custom Reports • Professional Development

10. QC End-of-Course Assessment • Testing Methods: • computer- based testing (CBT) • Format Options: • Multiple-Choice plus Multiple-Choice or Multiple-Choice plus Constructed-Response • Each test is comprised of two parts and each part requires 45 minutes for completion, or 1 hour 30 minutes for the set.

11. Benefits of QC End-of-Course • Enables educators to focus on fewer, clearer, and higher course standards, which are essential for college and career readiness • Uses formative assessments to guide instruction and make targeted interventions • Measures student progress and reports the data online for teachers and administrators to track • Provides professional development resources and training for teachers and leaders • Offers customizable instructions that meets the needs of all students, classrooms, schools, and districts

12. May 1, 2013 HCS QC Test DateResults will be available immediately

13. HCS will be charged for Students that TAKE the ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment Spring 2013 Average cost per test $19.85 COST - ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment $372,690.50 ASAP - FY13 -$227,000.00 HCS General Funds -$145,690.50 HCS will ONLY be charged for Students that TAKE the ACT Quality Core End-of-Course Assessment Spring 2013