Disadvantaged & At Risk Students

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

FOR THE PROGRAM

INSTRUCTION

INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE

TITLE I

Title I Campuses 2007-2008

INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE 

STATE COMPENSATORY

INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE

OPTIONAL EXTENDED YEAR PROGRAM

Guiding Principles for Program Implementation

Bibliographic Sources

Necessity - The need for school improvement is imperative in order to meet the changing social and economic conditions. We must change because the world is changing. Our challenge is to establish a system of education that ensures that all students learn to read, write, and compute to apply their skills to read real-life problems, and to become responsible and productive citizens. We must provide each and every child with the chance to achieve to the highest academic standards. We must build upon their individual and collective gifts and address the challenges they bring to the nation=s schools.

The use of student achievement data can communicate the need for improvement and the excellent potential for achieving that improvement. By spotlighting successful schools, programs, and teachers, the implicit message is that if this could happen in one class-room, why not in all classrooms.

Academic goals should capture the sense of urgency for improved achievement. They should be challenging enough to generate a sense of excitement, a sense of anticipation and expectation. Goals should be articulated in a way that apply to all students.

The public reporting of student and school performance establishes an accountability system that clearly identifies excellence in education. There will be no excuses and no obstacles such as poor students, poor neighborhoods, or single parent families.

The development and maintenance of a sense of urgency requires ongoing attention. School personnel should work collaboratively with the community by openly sharing data, listening to concerns and articulating a vision that renews hope, rewards effort, and inspires a passion for continuous improvement.

Grasmick, Nancy S. 1999. Pursuing a Common Vision. Maryland State Department of Education.

Ragland, Mary, Asera, Rose, & Johnson, Joe. 1999. Urgency, Responsibility, Efficacy: Preliminary Findings of a Study of High-Performing Texas School Districts. The Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin.

Secada, Walter G. 1998. No More Excuses: The Final Report of the Hispanic Dropout Project. University of Wisconsin - Madison.

U.S. Secretary of Education for Hispanic and Limited English Proficient Students. 1998. Improving Opportunities; a Response to the Hispanic Dropout Project.

Accountability - The energy and resources of each school are focused precisely on the task of improving academic achievement in a way that leads everyone to understand their responsibility for influencing change. Schools can stay focused on district goals if educators have believable, workable campus plans and ongoing visible and public analysis about academic progress. They also practice flexibility and accountability.

High, clear expectations for performance are communicated to all educators. Everyone is held accountable for specific improvement in student achievement. The ongoing questions are, AWhere are we? What are we doing? Where do we want to be? Are we willing to do what it takes to get there?@ Acceptable progress is rewarded with flexibility in decisions regarding programs, personnel, budget and professional development.

Improved academic achievement is not accidental, it is planned. Those with responsibility for implementing plans have a substantial role in developing them. The whole staff needs to be involved in developing a vision for accomplishing the challenging goals and creating a practical plan to achieve those goals.

A common vision is shaped by the emerging information age. Every day we see new evidence of this transformation, and new reason to prepare our students to become knowledgeable workers. Our under-standing that all students must learn at high levels gives new meaning to John Dewey=s vision of universal education. AWhat the best and wisest parents want for their children,@ he said, Athat must the community want for all children.@

Lein, L. Johnson, J.F., & Ragland, M. 1996. Successful Texas Schoolwide Programs Research Summary. Available from the Charles A. Dana Center, University of Texas at Austin, 2901 North IH-35, Suite 2.200, Austin, Texas 78722-2348

Murphy, John & Doyle, Dennis. 1999. No Finish Line. National Staff Development Council.

Ragland, Mary, Asera, Rose, & Johnson, Joe. 1999. Urgency, Responsibility, Efficacy: Preliminary Findings of a Study of High-Performing Texas School Districts. The Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin.

Riley, Richard W., Secretary of Educ. 1999. Speech Before the U.S.

Committee on Education on the Re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965.

Sizer, Ted. Noted Educator and National Lecturer.

Effectiveness - High expectations are accompanied by high quality support. Dramatic changes in academic results will occur if classroom instruction improves. Support structures are created to help educators to teach Asmarter@ and continuously learn from their own practices and from the practices of others. Professional development requires that teachers be provided many opportunities to meet together to analyze data, to plan, to examine and adjust the curriculum, to reflect upon their own instructional practices, and to examine and discuss student work. These structures help create a culture of continuous professional development and improvement, with an emphasis on data-driven, research-based decision making.

The continuous search for opportunities to learn from the success of others is important. Educators learn by examining current research, constantly questioning experts, and continually searching for promising practices. School personnel should have access to information made available from education service centers, universities, and other technical assistance providers.

Barth, Roland. Noted Educator and National Lecturer.

Hargreaves, Andy. Noted educator and National Lecturer.

United State Department of Education. 1998. Turning Around Low-Performing Schools.

Guiding Principles for Instruction

Bibliographic Sources

Curriculum - The curriculum is enriched, accelerated, and organized in a manner that supports each student=s most rapid progression toward skills mastery.

Brandt, Ron. 1998. Powerful Learning. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Rauhauser, W. and McLennan, A. 1995. America=s Schools - Making Them Work. New View Publications, Chapel Hill, NC

Language Acquisition and Learning - Often economically disadvantaged students and students in at-risk situations do not have access to the formal register of language at home; that is, the standard sentence syntax and word choice of work and school. Students develop formal register when taught directly and encouraged to participate in the writing and telling of stories and the use of stories in math, social studies, and science to develop concepts.

Fox, Steven. AThe Controversy over Ebonics@. Phi Delta Kappan. November 1997. Volume 79. Number 3.

Payne, Ruby. 1998. A Framework for Understanding Poverty, 1998. RFT Publishing Co.

Rodriguez, Luis J. 1993. Always Running. New York, NY; Simon & Schuster, 1993.

Learning Strategies - Teachers use multiple strategies to motivate students. Students are actively involved in productive activity and praised for success in the classroom. Instruction is individualized as needed. Different learning style strengths are accommodated. The staff communicates their positive regard for students, has high expectations for student success, and promotes students= positive attitudes toward school.

Gardner, Howard. Noted Educator and National Lecturer.

Payne, Ruby. 1998. A Framework for Understanding Poverty, 1998. RFT Publishing Co.

Parental Involvement - Parents assist with the instructional program, attend instructional programs designed for them, and assist with the instructional program.

O=Sullivan, Rita G. and Tennant, Cheryl V. 1993. Programs for At-Risk Students. Carwin Press Inc. Newbury Park, CA.

Relationships - The key to achievement for students is in creating relationships with them. Relationships always begin as one individual to another. First and foremost in all relationships with students is the relationship between teacher and student, then between each student and each administrator, and finally, among all of the players, including student-student relationships. To honor students as human beings worthy of respect and care is to establish a relationship that will provide for enhanced learning.

Zill, Nicholaus. AThe Changing Realities of Family Life@. Winter, 1993. Aspen Institute Quarterly, Volume 5. Number 1.

The District will:

The campuses will:

• ensure high standards for all students and align the efforts of the State and the District to help students served with Title 1 funds to reach such standards

• provide students an enriched and accelerated educational program, including, when appropriate, an increase in the amount and quality of instructional time so that students served with Title I funds receive at least the classroom instruction that other students receive

• promote school-wide reform and ensure access of children (from the earliest grades) to effective instructional strategies and challenging academic content that includes complex thinking and problem-solving experiences

• inform campuses concerning Title I rules and regulations

• provide technical support to campuses through the school support team

• provide substantial staff development opportunities to significantly upgrade the quality of instruction

• afford parents meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children at home and at school

• improve accountability by using the State assessment system to measure how well Title I students are achieving the challenging State student performance standards expected of all students

• provide greater decision-making authority and flexibility to schools and teachers in exchange for greater responsibility for student performance

• assure that, to the extend consistent with the number of eligible children enrolled in private elementary and secondary schools, the district will provide services equitable in comparison to services and benefits for pubic school students

• distribute resources, in amounts sufficient to make a difference, to areas and campuses where needs are the greatest

• coordinating all Title I services with each other and with other educational services to the extent possible

• submit all program reports, as required by the Texas Educational Agency and federal agencies

• ensure compliance with all state and federal guidelines

• provide opportunities for all children to meet the State proficient and advanced levels of student performance

• provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum that meets the needs of historically underserved populations

• provide effective, timely additional assistance for students who experience difficulty mastering any of the State standards during the school year

• provide instructional strategies that will increase the amount and quality of learning time

• inform staff members and parents concerning Title I rules and regulations

• maintain a highly qualified professional staff

• provide staff development for meeting the campus goals and objectives

• implement strategies to increase parental involvement:

  • develop a parent involvement policy

  • develop a school/parent compact

  • allow flexible times for meetings

  • offer training for parents in areas such as parenting and literacy

• contact a comprehensive needs assessment based on information on the performance in relation to State content and performance standards and develop a campus plan based on identified needs

• include teachers in decisions regarding the use of assessments

• involve the community and staff members in developing school-wide campus plans

• make plans to assist preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs

• provide adequate classroom resources to ensure that instructional needs are met

• coordinate and integrate services with other educational services in order to improve program effectiveness, eliminate duplication, and reduce fragmentation of the instructional program

• submit all program reports as required by the District

• ensure compliance with all state and federal guidelines

The District will:

The Middle School Summer School Campus will:

• adopt a policy that leads to the immediate reduction of student retention after participation in the program

• assure that students will be promoted if the student attends 90% of the program days and satisfies the district requirements for promotion

• establish criteria to identify students for participation. The criteria is based on the district criteria for promotion

• provide transportation to each student who is required to attend the program and who is eligible for regular transportation services

• expend funds only for items that are necessary and reasonable for carrying out the objectives of the program

• implement a program that takes place beyond the regular school year and does not include tutorials or extended in-school day care

• submit an annual evaluation describing the success of the program in the time and format requested by the Agency

• provide guidance to participating campuses in the selection of eligible students

• provide teacher training before the program starts

• assure that effective instructional strategies are incorporated in the design of the program

• enroll no more than 16 students in each classroom

• include a parental/family awareness component

• provide information for an annual evaluation in a timely manner