Middle School Reform

1. Middle School Reform Recommendations

2. Kate Gilbert, Director of School Performance • Kathy Lane, Director of Alternative Education • Mary Tillar, Director of Special Education • Chris Truffer, Director of School Performance

3. Goal 1 Academic Achievement All students will reach high standards, as established by Anne Arundel County Public Schools and state performance level standards in English/Reading/Writing, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Achievement disparities among all No Child Left Behind (NCLB)* groups of students will be eliminated.

4. Goal 2 Safe and Supportive Schools All students will be educated in a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment with a focus on security enhancements that support system-wide safety and discipline standards. AACPS will eliminate disparities among all No Child Left Behind (NCLB)* student groups in the referral, suspension, and expulsion rates for violation of the Code of Student Conduct.

5. Goal 3 Workforce Quality Anne Arundel County Public Schools will ensure and maintain a work environment of respect and mutual collaboration by attracting and retaining a quality work force that demonstrates a commitment to providing a positive learning environment, values diversity, and reflects the diversity of the county and the relative labor market.

6. Goal 4 Community Engagement All Anne Arundel County Public Schools students will be educated in schools that are family-friendly, welcoming environments. Anne Arundel County Public Schools will eliminate disparities in parent and community representation and participation in traditional and non-traditional school-community activities.

7. Goal 5 Equity Anne Arundel County Public Schools will address the diversity that students and staff bring to the learning environment and organize schools and classrooms to support the academic achievement and success of all students.

8. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 1 Implement scheduling models that allow schools to: • provide year long daily instruction in mathematics, Language Arts, social studies and science • maintain collaborative/common planning time that fosters the concepts of Professional Learning Communities • implement site based Advisory Program within the schedule • exercise site based decision making for the offering of enhanced Encore choices which provide a wider variety for students (i.e., computer literacy, photography, graphic arts, dance, etc.) • implement an integrated, real world, project based, thematic instructional program • incorporate half days for MSA (reading/math) testing • implement job embedded staff development

9. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 2 Align Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment to promote student achievement • Embed differentiated instructional strategies within the curriculum to enhance opportunities for acceleration, remediation, and enrichment • Develop curriculum extensions for signature and magnet programs to support the system’s initiative • Reassess WCL curriculum to increase exposure to global languages and re-visit the current model used to deliver HS credit languages in 8th grade • Actively utilize on-going flexible grouping practices to ensure content mastery • Provide enrichment and acceleration opportunities for students who are advanced learners • Incorporate 21st century literacies in all aspects of the curriculum management plan

10. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 3 Provide systemic support for PLC’s • Emphasize collaborative planning, a structure that supports non-teaching DCs in all core areas, and a school leadership team with the principal as instructional leader • Utilize Data Based Decision Making to facilitate the use of formative assessments and differentiate instruction to enhance opportunities for acceleration, remediation, and enrichment • Institutionalize a common language/framework for essential learning/thinking skills, (i.e. Dimensions of Learning and Thinking Maps). • Expand/clarify the role of School Counselor with regard to:                        student course selection        career planning                transition planning                preparation for post secondary education

11. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 4 Enhance the current staffing model to address the varied needs of our middle schools • Increase staffing to allow discretionary/differentiated staffing model/ratios to allow school based decisions on individual school needs

12. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 5 Enhance the ability to access and use instructional technologies • Make every classroom an interactive learning environment with smart board technology, all student response units, document cameras and access to portable computer labs. • Provide instructional technology support and training

13. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 6 Build school capacity to develop more equitable environments that effectively address achievement gaps and eliminate disparities • Expand/clarify the role of School Counselor with regard to:                         student course selection                         career planning                         transition planning                         preparation for post secondary education • Develop a site based Standard Not Met/Re-teach, Redo, Reassess program in every school. • Assess current grading policy and grade reporting format • Increase the middle school day and year as dictated by the needs of the learner (i.e. extended year, extended day programs, summer programs, virtual learning communities) for acceleration, remediation and enrichment

14. Goal 1 Strategies Strategy 7 Implement a professional development program that builds teacher capacity • Increase teacher work year by 3.5 days to include 3 days for professional development and .5 for an evening conferences • Provide training and support for Data Based Decision Making to encourage the use of formative assessments and differentiated instruction • Design teacher based professional development that addresses the unique needs of middle level learners

15. Goal 2 Strategies • Develop a site based Advisory Program for the purpose of building relationships, career education and character development in order to increase student achievement (social, emotional, affective, academic) • Expand/clarify the role of the counselor with regard to emotional and social skills support. • Increase alternative education options and wrap around services • Design professional development for school staff which supports proactive behavior management

16. Goal 3 Strategies • Build capacity of teachers and staff to maximize the strengths inherent in the cognitive, social, and emotional characteristics of middle level learners • Assign at least one Right Start Advisor to each middle school. • Increase teacher work year by 3.5 days to include 3 days for professional development and .5 for an evening conference. • Provide schools with the financial resources to provide site-based staff development. • Increase professional development schools in partnership with institutes of higher education. • Expand RTC/cohort potential with institutes of higher education

17. Goal 4 Strategies • Utilize the Student Led Conferencing model for parent conferences, including second semester • Purchase a software system which will allow parents remote access to student grades.

18. Goal 5 Strategies • Provide equitable access and supports, in recognition of student potential, to allow all learners to flourish in advanced level classes • Establish a collaborative relationship with institutes of higher education and Human Resources to establish a more diverse middle school workforce • Assign students to Advisory groups in a heterogeneous manner which reflects the demographics of the school • Expand AVID program/strategies to support the academic achievement of all students. • Embed differentiated instructional strategies into the curriculum for acceleration, remediation and enrichment. • Utilize collaborative team process to flexibly group students based upon formative assessment data • Make every classroom an interactive learning environment that includes the most advanced instructional technologies available