Annual Growth for all Students, Catch-Up for Those Who Are Behind

1. Annual Growth for all Students,Catch-Up for Those Who Are Behind North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

2. What if… your local school board conceived and adopted a goal that 90% of 3rd graders in your district would read at or above grade level by the end of third grade and that you had three years to accomplish this goal?

3. Kennewick Success Story Spring 1995 Board of Education in Kennewick, Washington Goal of 90% of 3rd Graders On grade level Average Score 74% It Took 11 Years but They Made It! Lessons learned along the way… Kennewick, WA 1995-2006

4. To Order: Visit The National Children’s Foundation website: http://www.readingfoundation.org/ Click on Publications and it is listed as one of the books there. Quantity          Price 1-10               $17.95 11-50             $14.95 51-100            $12.95 Fielding, L., Kerr, N., & Rosier, P. (2007). Annual Growth for all students, Catch-UP Growth for those who are behind. Kennewick, WA: The New Foundation Press, Inc.

5. Urban area has 185,000; Kennewick School District serves 15,000 students. Operating budget of $119 million Kennewick has 13 elementary schools, 4 middle schools 3 high schools, and a regional vocational skill center. Kennewick, Washington

6. In the U.S. Curriculum is Delivered… 35% 5% Computers Worksheets STUDENT 85% TEACHER CONTENT White Boards 40% Textbooks 20% It matters little what else they learn in elementary school if they do not learn to read at grade.” P. 49

7. Assessments: benchmark and normative and expert use of the data Data Increased directinstructional time Kennewick’s Research and Action PlanTargeted Accelerated Growth (TAG) Additional time for those behind Little behind = little help A lot behind = more help Quality Instruction in small, fluid, skill groups Retest to assure adequate catch-up growth actually occurred. TAG Processes

8. Catch-up Growth • “Students who are behind do not learn more in the same amount of time as students who are ahead. • Catch-up growth is driven by proportional increases in direct instructional time. • Catch-up growth is so difficult to achieve that it can be the product only of quality instruction in great quantity.” [p. 62, Fielding, Kerr, & Rosier (2007)]

9. Proportional Increases in Direct Instructional Time • Students who are behind do not learn more in the same amount of time as students who are ahead. • Catch-up growth is driven by proportional increases in direct instructional time. • Catch-up growth is so difficult to achieve that it can be the product only of quality instruction in great quantity.” fcrr.org

10. 3rd Grade Interventions 2nd Grade Interventions % at Grade Level, 2003 1st Grade Reading Block 3rd Grade Reading Block 1st Grade Interventions 2nd Grade Reading Block % FR Lunch Fcrr.org

11. Two critical reading goals: 1. Increase the percentage of students reading “at grade level” each year at each grade level from kindergarten through the end of elementary school 2. Decrease the percentage of students with serious reading difficulties each year at each grade level Our most important measures of success in doing this assess student performance on reading comprehension measures at the end of the year-particularly at end of third, fourth, and fifth grades fcrr.org

12. Whether or not we achieve these goals depends on the strength of our instruction to do two things during the year Insuring all students make expected yearly growth Strong core reading instruction for all students Enough time spent to meet the needs of many students who do not typically receive powerful support at home Enough quality so that the increased instructional time is spent effectively Time X quality = growth fcrr.org

13. Whether or not we achieve these goals depends on the strength of our instruction to do two things during the year Insuring students who are behind make expected yearly growth plus catch-up growth Effective differentiated instruction by classroom teacher Effective school-level systems and resources to provide additional intensive intervention in small enough groups for enough time, and with enough skill fcrr.org

14. School Characteristics at Washington Elementary • 55% Free and Reduced Lunch • 22% Minority • 85% Stability • Teaching Staff • 2 half-day kindergarten teachers • 3 classroom teachers each in 1-5 • 1 District Reading Specialist • 3 Title I Teachers • 1.5 Resource room/special ed teachers • 1 PE teacher • 1 librarian, 1 Librarian secretary • 3 Specials teachers • 9 paraprofessionals fcrr.org

15. Fcrr.org

16. Began providing intensive interventions in the afternoon to many students Working harder and more effectively at 3rd grade Result of improvement at both 2nd and 3rd Grade Baseline year Began testing in 2nd grade and focusing on earlier improvement Growth in % of 3rd Grade Students Meeting Grade Level Standards School Year 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 Percent at Grade level 57 72 72 68 78 94 96 99 94 98 99 98 Fcrr.org

17. From David Montague, Principal • ”By the fifth year, I was convinced high performance reading was about more time and better use of that time. Students who were behind needed more direct instruction. Some of them started getting 60 to 90 minutes extra each day for a total of 180 to 210 minutes a day. We spent that time on the sub-skills they hadn’t mastered.”

18. Washington Elementary: “No Exceptions, No Excuses” “We give them whatever they need to reach the goal. Direct instructional time is proportional to their deficiency. The greater the deficiency, the more time they get.” P. 25

19. Instruction for Tony • Based on good assessment • Apply TAG principals • Skillful teacher • Small group instruction of 2-6 students or 1:1 tutoring • Assessment system for monitoring • Adjust as needed

20. Determining Proportional Increases State reading standard is 50th percentile A rough rule of thumb is 13% points from 50th % equals approximately 1 years growth Students in lowest performing groups receive more time in small group plus additional practice during the reading block

21. The Kennewick Model for Catch Up Growth • Tony finishes 2nd grade scoring in the 12th percentile. What will it take to get him to the standard level? • Tony’s school has reading scheduled 80 minutes per day. The reading block is delivered by 20+ minutes of direct instruction in small differentiated groups • How did Kennewick educator’s solve the problem for Tony and help him get to the standard 50th percentile?

22. Kennewick’s Formula • State standard in percentile is… 50th % • Tony’s 2nd grade status is… -12th % • The difference in percentiles is… 38 points • Percentile point difference divided by 13 is… 13/38 = 2.9 years behind

23. Planning for TAG(Target Accelerated Growth) • Daily minutes required for annual 3rd grade 80 minutes • Daily minutes required for annual 4th grade growth +80 minutes 160 minutes • Additional daily minutes for 3 years catch up growth (3 years x 80 minutes) + 240 minutes TOTAL 3rd & 4th grade daily minutes…………… 400 minutes Dividing the instructional time equally between third and fourth grade shows that Tony needed 200 minutes of direct reading instruction in both third and fourth grades to reach the 50% goal by the end of the fourth grade school year

24. Spring 2008 Male completed 3rd grade scoring Level 1 on End of Grade tests placing him at 18th percentile on state test NC State Standard 50 % John’s third grade percentile status… -18 % The difference is…. 32% 13/ 32 = 2.6 years (Estimation of - 2 ½ years behind…)

25. Utilizing Kennewick Formula • Daily minutes required for annual 4th grade 80 minutes • Daily minutes required for annual 5th grade growth 80 minutes • Additional daily minutes to make the 2 ½ additional years of growth (80+80+40) + 200 minutes TOTAL fourth and fifth grade daily minutes…………… 360 minutes Dividing the instructional time equally between fourth and fifth grade 2 years/360 minutes =180 minutes daily Shows that John needs 180 minutes of direct reading instruction in both fourth and fifth grades to reach the 50% by the end of the fifth grade school year

26. Schools That Are Closing The Achievement Gap Clear vision of what students are supposed to know and do; Have a relentless focus on Instruction coherent curriculum teacher development plan that supports curriculum Celebrate Every Success! Distribute leadership very consciously Leaders have skills & knowledge , not necessarily charisma

27. “We thought the board was crazy.”David Montague, Principal 1996 “Ten years ago, we had little idea what to do. We know what to do now. The challenge is getting people to do it.” David Montague, 2006

28. Northwest Exceptional Children’s Winter Conference • Each Exceptional Children’s Director provided the “Catch Up Growth” book • One month to read • Small group discussion (a few samples to follow) • Followed up with looking at examples of NC students and calculated TAG

29. Discussion Questions • What is the distinction between Annual Growth and Targeted Accelerated Growth? • What are your beliefs regarding TAG? Is it appropriate? Achievable? • What needs to be in place in order to achieve TAG? What do interventions look like in your LEA to address annual growth and TAG?

30. Discussion Questions • Assume, for the sake of discussion, that this formula is applicable to the NC Testing Program. • What would the implications be for struggling readers in your LEA’s? • Can that much direct instruction be provided? Use the questions asked and answered on pages 42-53 to guide your discussion. • Is your LEA willing to make those commitments to achieve TAG? What are some barriers to achieving that?

31. Discussion Questions • Special education should be the most intensive intervention in your LEA. What similarities/differences do you see in Stephanie’s teaching and direct instruction in your LEA’s? • How does your LEA plan to provide research based instruction for your students with disability? What data does your system use to decide for intensity, continuum and specific programming for each student?

32. Discussion Questions • Discuss the Instructional Framework that Kennewick used to answer the following questions: • Could this apply to special education classroom or program observations in your LEA? • What are the expectations for quality instruction in your LEA? • Do your principals and other administrators agree on what quality instruction looks like?

33. Discussion Questions • Discuss lessons you take away from the Kennewick experience, in the following contexts: • As a district…. What needs to happen in your LEA in order to approach the results achieved in Kennewick? • As an EC Program Director…..What can you do to help children with disabilities maximize their progress?