District Sets 2008-2009 Student Achievement Goals
Accelerating Growth and Closing Gaps
by Dave Black
July 18, 2008
On June 5, 2008 the Lewis Central School Board met in a work session with administration to review the progress the district has made toward its student achievement goals for the 2007-2008 school year as well as establish new goals for the coming year. The three hour work session facilitated by School Improvement Specialist Dave Black, was open to the public and was held at the Educational Resource Center.
Student achievement goals for the 2007-2008 school year were based
upon accelerating growth in achievement for all students in
reading, math and science. The desire of the district is to have
all students grow more than one year in achievement during the
regular school year regardless of whether they are high or low
achieving students. When we developed these goals, the data showed
little differences in achievement between boys and girls, or
between ethnic groups. The gaps, however, between special education
students and regular students was large and increasing. We
therefore targeted the special education subgroup of our student
population to close the gaps. "Accelerating learning for all and
closing the gaps for special education students" are important
goals for our district.
To measure our progress toward these goals, targets were developed
based upon patterns of growth from prior years in reading, math and
science. Targets were also developed for the special education
sub-group in each of these subject areas. The target statements for
the 2007-2008 school year were as follows:
- Increase the average growth in Reading achievement for all students district-wide by 1 national standard score from 13.0 to 14.0 (12.3 represents one year of growth on average).
- Increase the average growth in Math achievement for all students district-wide by .5 national standard score from 16.2 to 16.7 (12.3 represents one year of growth on average).
- Increase the average growth in Science achievement for all students district-wide by 1 national standard score from 13.8 to 14.8 (12.1 represents one year of growth on average).
- Increase the average growth in Reading achievement for special education students district-wide by 5 national standard scores from 13.0 to 18.0 (12.3 represents one year of growth on average).
- Increase the average growth in Math achievement for special education students district-wide by 2 national standard scores from 15.7 to 17.7 (12.3 represents one year of growth on average).
- Increase the average growth in Science achievement for special
education students district-wide by 2 national standard scores from
13.8 to 15.8 (12.1 represents one year of growth on average).
So how did we do on these goals and targets last year? We really did quite well, meeting four of the six targets. We made more that targeted growth for all students on average in reading, math and science. In reading the average growth increased from 13.0 to 15.7, in math the average increased from 16.2 to 19.5, and in science the average increased from 13.8 to 18.7. All of these increases represent more than one year of growth during the regular school year.
The areas where we fell short were in closing the gaps between
special education and regular education students in reading and in
math where we failed to meet the targets. The average growth for
our special education students in these areas increased but not
enough for us to take credit for meeting our goals. In reading the
average growth for special education students increased from 13.0
to 13.8, and in math the average growth for special education
students increased from 15.7 to 15.8. Neither of these results met
our targets. We did, however, meet our target in science where our
average growth for special education students increased from 13.8
to 18.7.
The Board and administration feel strongly that continuing to focus
on accelerating learning for all students and closing the gaps for
special education students is important for the district. To this
end, the Board established and approved at a subsequent meeting the
following two goal areas and building targets for the 2008-2009
school year:
2008-2009 Goal Area 1: Accelerate learning for all students
Increase the average NSS growth in Reading Comprehension for all students district-wide to 13.5 (This represents 13 months growth on average – 12.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at Titan Hill to 16.5 (15.0 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at the Middle School to 14.6 (13.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at the High School to 10.2 (9.3 is one year)
Increase the average NSS growth in Mathematics for all students district-wide to 13.5 (This represents 13 months growth on average – 12.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at Titan Hill to 17.6 (16.0 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at the Middle School to 13.5 (12.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at the High School to 10.6 (9.7 is one year)
Increase the average NSS growth in Science for all students district-wide to 13.3 (This represents 13 months growth on average – 12.1 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at Titan Hill to 16.5 (15.0 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at the Middle School to 14.6 (13.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for all students at the High School to 9.9 (9.0 is one year)
2008-2009 Goal Area 2: Reduce achievement gaps for IEP students
Increase the average NSS growth in Reading Comprehension for IEP students district-wide to 14.7 (This represents 14 months growth on average – 12.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at Titan Hill to 18.0 (15.0 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at the Middle School to 16.0 (13.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at the High School to 11.1 (9.3 is one year)
Increase the average NSS growth in Mathematics for IEP students district-wide to 14.7 (This represents 14 months growth on average – 12.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at Titan Hill to 19.2 (16.0 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at the Middle School to 14.7 (12.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at the High School to 11.6 (9.7 is one year)
Increase the average NSS growth in Science for IEP students district-wide to 14.5 (This represents 14 months growth on average – 12.1 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at Titan Hill to 18.0 (15.0 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at the Middle School to 16.0 (13.3 is one year)
- Increase the average NSS growth for IEP students at the High School to 10.8 (9.0 is one year)
These goals need to become “wildly important” for all members of the Lewis Central community – parents, students, teachers, administrators, Board members, and community members alike Increasing achievement for students in the Lewis Central School District requires the efforts of everyone in the community. When we focus our efforts and energy on accelerating learning for all students at LC and on closing the gaps, we ensure that all students are successful.
